Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?

Glenn Reynolds wrote this week about so-called "non-governmental organizations," which the leftwing globalists employ to impose their unelected "shadow government" on the country. (And the world, if that matters.)

I'm often darkly amused by common examples of inherently false nomenclature: "Jumbo shrimp." "Government ethics." "Unbiased news media."
And one of our society's biggest falsehoods-in-a-name: "Non-governmental organizations."
Until recently these groups have been widely seen as international, idealized versions of domestic non-profits.
We thought of them as do-good organizations set up by people who really care -- about the environment, or poor people, or children, or freedom.
We imagined they raise money, help the downtrodden, send out press releases and engage in other private activities to promote the causes they favor.
They're not government entities, we thought -- the very name says that -- but a species of private charity whose good intentions deserve the benefit of any doubt.
Perhaps some NGOs do operate in that way.
But as we've learned recently, partly as the result of Department of Government Efficiency digging, many "non-governmental" entities are really just fronts for government activities that Americans would never stand for if Washington attempted them directly.
For example, America's border crisis was funded in large part by Joe Biden's government, which sent large sums of money in the form of grants to various NGOs that helped train migrants on how to get to the United States -- and how to claim asylum when they arrived.
NGOs helped the illegal immigrants with expenses on their way, and then provided legal resources and more than $22 billion worth of assistance for them -- including cash for cars, home loans and business start-ups -- once they got in.
This was US taxpayer money, laundered through "independent" organizations that served to promote goals contrary to US law, but consistent with the policy preferences of the Biden administration.
Under President Donald Trump, this funding halted -- and, unsurprisingly, the flow of illegal immigrants did, too.
Likewise, the weird wave of sudden global enthusiasm for "trans rights" and novel ideas about gender turns out to have been largely funded by the US government through USAID grants.
...
As data expert Jennica Pounds ("DataRepublican" on X) put it, "Over the last few months, we've come to a realization that should have landed much harder: NGOs weren't just adjacent to government."
They were tools of government, "the parallel government," Pounds wrote, specifically doing things that Washington bureaucrats knew full well they couldn't easily do themselves.

He mentions that the government pours money into supposed NGOs, which then kick back the money to... the same DC politicians who send them taxpayer money.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), for example, voted to award $14.2 million to Ocean Conservancy since 2008, Fox News reported -- and the NGO, in turn, paid his wife Sandra Whitehouse and her firm $2.7 million for consulting work.
No wonder the Washington establishment went crazy when Trump and DOGE started cutting off such funds.

He also notes that foreign countries use NGOs to stamp out domestic opposition to the Davos set.

Xer @amuse has a simple proposition: Let's ban NGOs.

@amuse
@amuse

End the Gravy Train: Why Public Money Should Not Fund NGOs
There is a moment, common to many political awakenings, when a veil is lifted. What once seemed benign now appears suspect, even sinister. For some, this moment arrived with the realization that NGOs, those supposedly nonpartisan charities bearing names like "Global Relief" or "Justice Now," were not simply operating beside government but often as the government. Not elected, not accountable, yet flush with your tax dollars.
Why does this matter? Because it represents a fundamental evasion of the structure and safeguards of constitutional democracy. The Founders designed a system of checks, balances, and electoral accountability. No power without representation, no authority without transparency. But in recent decades, and particularly under the Biden administration, a parallel architecture has emerged. This architecture is built not of departments and agencies, but of foundations, non-profits, and NGOs. It is a second state, answerable not to the people, but to donors.
What precisely are NGOs doing with public funds? Everything from facilitating migrant influxes at the border, to administering social justice programs abroad, to writing and distributing model legislation domestically. The problem is not only the content of their actions but the structure in which they occur. NGOs are not subject to FOIA requests. They are not answerable to voters. They are rarely audited. Yet they regularly execute the very programs that would be politically toxic or legally suspect for the government itself.
Let us speak plainly. In theory, the state exists to serve citizens within a lawful and constrained framework. When the executive branch wishes to pursue a policy, it must secure funding from Congress, survive judicial scrutiny, and face the judgment of voters. But NGOs allow for a sleight of hand. The executive can partner with an ideologically aligned NGO, give it taxpayer funds, and let it carry out controversial operations at arm's length. It is both an end-run around constitutional limits and a backdoor laundering of political will.
...
Who benefits from this arrangement? Not the American public. The real winners are the architects of ideological influence: men like George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations have pumped over $32 billion into a sprawling latticework of NGOs across the globe. These NGOs, seeded with private money, use their alignment with progressive causes to secure government grants. Once federally funded, they expand their operations, amplify their messaging, and become the default executors of soft power.
...
Here the absurdity becomes structural. The taxpayer, often unknowingly, is subsidizing the political opposition. Conservative voters in Texas may wake up to find their taxes supporting NGOs that lobby for transgender curricula in schools, the defunding of police departments, or the relocation of foreign nationals into their communities. This is not charity. This is policy, outsourced.
...
The appeal of NGOs to progressive administrations is not mysterious. They provide plausible deniability. They can test radical policies, stir public sentiment, and run propaganda campaigns under the guise of humanitarian work. They can sue the government in one circuit while receiving funds from it in another. They are unregulated proxies in the battle for the soul of the Republic.
At bottom, the use of NGOs to circumvent constitutional governance is not just a fiscal or administrative concern. It is a moral one. The essence of republicanism is deliberative legitimacy: laws made by elected bodies, executed by accountable officials, within a transparent structure. NGOs subvert this. They represent a fusion of elite philanthropy and bureaucratic ambition, insulated from both market discipline and democratic consent. In some cases, the subversion is formalized in statute.
...
They are neither wholly public nor truly private, and they answer to neither Congress nor the citizenry. They exist in the gray zone, where political agendas thrive without oversight.
The remedy is not complicated. First, federal funding to NGOs should be halted. Where services are needed, the government can contract private firms through open bidding processes, with strict oversight. Second, all existing grants should be reviewed for compliance, effectiveness, and political neutrality. Third, Congress must assert its power of the purse and demand justification for any non-governmental expenditure. Finally, all existing NGO-related appropriations should be placed on a firm legislative sunset schedule. This would force transparency, restore congressional control, and begin the process of dismantling the permanent infrastructure of taxpayer-funded activism.

See the post for more.

Posted by: Ace at 03:01 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 No, it was time 20 years ago.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:02 PM (N1tpc)

2 SPONGE TIME!

Posted by: Inogame at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (53oGX)

3 The amount of money that comes from the government to these "Non-governmental organizations" is absolutely shocking.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (N1tpc)

4 NGOs should be banned from getting government money. Period.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (s8j++)

5 SPONGE TIME!
Posted by: Inogame at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (53oGX)

heh

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (N1tpc)

6 Way past time. They are an oxymoron.

Posted by: Eternity Matters at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (yT7Wa)

7 Yes

Posted by: YES at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (fd1NP)

8 Just end non-profits, period. Yes, that includes your favorite church. Its easy to be non-profit. Don't generate a profit.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:04 PM (si91G)

9 Daniel Hannan over in the UK has been railing about QUANGOs there for well over a decade. Quango stands for quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization. It is not just the US.

Posted by: Matt Harris at April 21, 2025 03:05 PM (QeK2n)

10 Everything is an Op. Everything is fake. Everything is really, really Gay.

Posted by: Pudinhead at April 21, 2025 03:05 PM (pZ64F)

11 I would say that not only should it be illegal for an NGO to get a penny of taxpayer money, it should also be illegal for any one to be involved with an NGO who is related to a sitting elected official and elected officials should not be able to be employed by or found an NGO within 5 years of when they are no longer in office.

Tie that in with no more insider trading, and we've got a good thing going.

Posted by: Deseret Rebel at April 21, 2025 03:06 PM (fd1NP)

12 Nuke it from space, just to be shore.

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at April 21, 2025 03:06 PM (VJc7E)

13 Yes -- Government-Owned & -Controlled NGOs as well as Public-Sector Unions.

Posted by: ShainS --Waking Up Early is White Supremacy at April 21, 2025 03:06 PM (kOObG)

14 Everything the donks touch... turns to...

Malevolent little pricks, the lot of them.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:07 PM (a4NoL)

15 NGOs should be banned from getting government money. Period.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 21, 2025 03:03 PM (s8j++)

I think you waited too long for the period.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at April 21, 2025 03:07 PM (VoAdT)

16 Just end non-profits, period. Yes, that includes your favorite church. Its easy to be non-profit. Don't generate a profit.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:04 PM (si91G)

The power to tax is the power to destroy, so I would say the first amendment specifically enjoins taxing churches.

The rest of them, no matter how good they are? No argument.

(Of course, if we hadn't passed the 16th amendment, this would likely be a moot argument, anyway.)

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:07 PM (N1tpc)

17 I thought the Australian Aborigines killed off all the QUANGOS at the end of the last Ice Age.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:07 PM (77rzZ)

18 Here's a novel idea. Since they are non profit and non governmental and don't pay taxes, they receive no Fedgov money.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 21, 2025 03:08 PM (/iLcI)

19 Whoever sets them up the Democrats take them over

Posted by: Skip at April 21, 2025 03:08 PM (ypFCm)

20 Speaking of NGOs....

Gotta Samsung phone? Make sure the UN isn't spying on you:

https://tinyurl.com/3s47fynz

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 21, 2025 03:08 PM (Y+jbb)

21 Hell, yes!

Posted by: Lizzy at April 21, 2025 03:08 PM (Hkcdp)

22 Quango stole my baby.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at April 21, 2025 03:08 PM (+xH0d)

23 Nuke it from space, just to be shore.
Posted by: Elrond Hubbard

No need to be salty.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (mlg/3)

24 They're not non-governmental. They exist so the politicians can launder government money to themselves. The NGOs wouldn't exist but for government money

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (6TePA)

25 I'm old enough to remember when lefties used to warn me about "oooh--shadow government!".

Thanks to Obama progs learned "Oh, it is our shadow government now".

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (krQz2)

26 >>>But in recent decades, and particularly under the Biden administration, a parallel architecture has emerged. This architecture is built not of departments and agencies, but of foundations, non-profits, and NGOs. It is a second state, answerable not to the people, but to donors.

This is bullshit. This has been a bipartisan scam going back to at least the 1940's if not earlier.

Dulles famously used the Rockefeller Foundation for OSS and later CIA purposes during and immediately after WW2.

Soros is another Rockefeller -- just a front man.

This did not start in recent history, and it is thoroughly embedded in how the US government operates and has operated for decades.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (uCjyK)

27 Don't make them illegal. That's plays into their propaganda narratives. Just deprive them of funding until they are irrelavent.

Posted by: ScottM at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (vtKAA)

28 Nuke it from space, just to be shore.
Posted by: Elrond Hubbard

No need to be salty.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (mlg/3)
---
Did you take it littoral?

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (krQz2)

29 The power to tax is the power to destroy, so I would say the first amendment specifically enjoins taxing churches.

I would say no. I find happiness through the handling of above-average firearms. Yet Ruger pays taxes and should.

Someone else's happiness through singing and fellowship and spirituality should be no more protected than mine.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (si91G)

30 Make it a requirement that the NGO must exist solely on the surface of the sun. If it isn't there, it gets nothing.

Time to get those asbestos space suits ready!

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (VNX3d)

31 I would get rid of charities too, or at least strictly limit them solely to receiving purely private funds.

Yes, I know some good charities will suffer, but they are the rare exception rather than the norm. Charities are overwhelmingly leftwing commie organizations and slush funds for Democraps and shitfuck cocksuckers.

I don't care if some idiot wants to donate his or her own money to some scam charity. But not one penny of taxpayer money should be given to charities, or they immediately and permanently lose their charitable status.

Posted by: Elric Blade at April 21, 2025 03:11 PM (iFTx/)

32 Fauci used Dayak’s Ecohealth Alliance to funnel money to China for illegal gain of function testing. We all know the rest.

Exhibit A of thousands demonstrating how evil this scam can be.

If it’s government funded it must be performed buy a government agency. And yeah, that means sharply reduce contractors as well.

Posted by: Lizzy at April 21, 2025 03:11 PM (Hkcdp)

33 10 Everything is an Op. Everything is fake. Everything is really, really Gay.
Posted by: Pudinhead at April 21, 2025 03:05 PM (pZ64F)

Agreed. All fake and gay.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:11 PM (uCjyK)

34 Make it a requirement that the NGO must exist solely on the surface of the sun. If it isn't there, it gets nothing.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (VNX3d)
---
Donald Trump is going to INVADE THE SUN!!!

Posted by: Hair On Fire Guy at April 21, 2025 03:12 PM (krQz2)

35 Conservative voters in TX already deal with the fact that the Legislature is under the influence of taxpayer-funded lobbies (like the Texas Municipal
League, Texas Association of Counties, and the Texas Association of School Boards).

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at April 21, 2025 03:12 PM (vm8sq)

36 2 SPONGE TIME!
Posted by: Inogame

More like FIRST LOSER!

Posted by: Familiar To Me, Too! at April 21, 2025 03:12 PM (G5+As)

37 Someone else's happiness through singing and fellowship and spirituality should be no more protected than mine.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (si91G)

So, because you are an atheist, you deny the Bill of Rights? Might be a little bit of a disconnect in your thinking there, sport.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:12 PM (a4NoL)

38 >Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (uCjyK)

You said it before I could. And the GOP is just as complicit. Remember Dubya's "public/private partnerships"? Yeah, I don't know how we fix this. Congress is not going to vote to eliminate their gravy train.

Posted by: Dworkin Barimen at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (ppOTy)

39 Yes, I know some good charities will suffer, but they are the rare exception rather than the norm. Charities are overwhelmingly leftwing commie organizations and slush funds for Democraps and shitfuck cocksuckers.

Absolutely nothing stopping ten people from running down to the local grocery, buying up flats of canned goods, then giving them out to the poor. Just don't forget to pay that sales tax, same as me.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (si91G)

40 NGO's are really GO's with a cut out or two from taxpayers money.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (e5NfL)

41 Looting at the top always accompanies the collapse of empires.

Posted by: toby928 at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (jc0TO)

42 No need to be salty.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:09 PM (mlg/3)
---
Did you take it littoral?
Posted by: Axem
____________
Bank on it

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (VJc7E)

43 Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?

I believe Shakespeare had a solution to this problem.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:14 PM (2J/Lj)

44 You said it before I could. And the GOP is just as complicit. Remember Dubya's "public/private partnerships"? Yeah, I don't know how we fix this. Congress is not going to vote to eliminate their gravy train.
Posted by: Dworkin Barimen at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (ppOTy)

100%. I don't know how anyone even begins to fix this. And until Congresscritters and Deep Staters start going to prison, I'm not holding my breath thinking that anyone is even pretending to try to fix it.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:14 PM (uCjyK)

45 But not one penny of taxpayer money should be given to charities, or they immediately and permanently lose their charitable status.
Posted by: Elric Blade at April 21, 2025 03:11 PM (iFTx/)

If they take my money by force, they are by definition, not a charity.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:14 PM (a4NoL)

46 Didn't we hear that not only does Soros fund NGOs, but he is also funded by NGOs, using taxpayer money against the taxpayers.

Posted by: Emmie celebrates the Audacity of Trump! at April 21, 2025 03:14 PM (NIkq3)

47 The organizations can exist, if they are worth anything they will be able to fund themselves or through such noted philanthropic minded crazies as Bill Gates using his money and not ours.

Posted by: Piper at April 21, 2025 03:15 PM (p4NUW)

48 Not just NGOs. Ban all tax exempt organizations.

Posted by: TJ Jackson at April 21, 2025 03:16 PM (bXvrr)

49 This all has been known for decades, pace 'Follow The Networks', but it is taking a Trump to make something happen.

To quote a Moron, the Republicans are a useless pile of dogshit.

Posted by: toby928 at April 21, 2025 03:16 PM (jc0TO)

50 What, some of you cretins would deny Ralph Warnock having to live in the squalor of his humble parsonage?

Posted by: Freeze His Increments! at April 21, 2025 03:16 PM (G5+As)

51 Even if we eliminated NGO's and got rid of tax exemptions for charities, that doesn't even begin to come close to fixing anything.

There are thousands, if not millions, of people in DC and around the world who are and have been for many decades, actively looting from the US Treasury. And not just a little bit -- we're easily talking many many billions per year.

Making it slightly more inconvenient to launder money form the Treasury to their pockets is not going to stop anyone.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (uCjyK)

52 So, because you are an atheist, you deny the Bill of Rights? Might be a little bit of a disconnect in your thinking there, sport.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:12 PM (a4NoL)

I object to the post-ratification powers the Supreme Court granted themselves - via Incorporation - of being the Federal enforcement arm of the document. Before Incorporation, the Bill of Rights was simply a check on Federal power and not the individual State.

I consider myself in good company. The Anti-Federalists warned that the Bill of Rights would be the initial camel's nose under the tent. And so here we are.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (si91G)

53 Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?
===================
Enthusiastic up twinkles

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (4dBxT)

54 Global Relief Justice Now

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (63Dwl)

55 So, because you are an atheist, you deny the Bill of Rights? Might be a little bit of a disconnect in your thinking there, sport.
Posted by: tcn in AK
------
Scogg.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (ctrM5)

56 Make it a requirement that the NGO must exist solely on the surface of the sun. If it isn't there, it gets nothing.

Time to get those asbestos space suits ready!
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (VNX3d)
----
Time to spin up my NGO providing asbestos space suits at taxpayer expense!

I just need...oh, let's say $1 billion for research, development, marketing, and kickbacks. No need to be greedy.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (7fElN)

57 "But until we first cut 15% from Social Security and Medicare, we can't cut these other vital government programs!"

- All of DC for the last 40 years, with both sides campaigning every cycle on cutting waste, fraud and abuse.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (5Hv8M)

58 @46 Soros gave seed money to the NGOs who then began immediately lobbying for government money. They were aided and abetted by the lifer politicians in getting government money. Carlin : it's a big club and you ain't in it

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 21, 2025 03:18 PM (6TePA)

59 "The real winners are the architects of ideological influence: men like George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations have pumped over $32 billion into a sprawling latticework of NGOs across the globe."

I do not believe this cocksucker ever funded anything with his own money, at least not in the last 30 years. All of this money bouncing around from NGO to NGO was originally taxpayer money. We are funding all of this. All. Of. It.

Posted by: Elric Blade at April 21, 2025 03:18 PM (iFTx/)

60 I'm of the opinion that there ought to be a Constitutional amendment prohibiting the US Government from giving money to any individual or organization except as salaries and pensions, payment for goods received and services rendered (i.e., contractors), compensation for takings, and legal liability as determined by a court of law.

No more SS, medicaid, NGO funding, etc. I would call it the "anti-dole amendment."

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:18 PM (77rzZ)

61 46 Didn't we hear that not only does Soros fund NGOs, but he is also funded by NGOs, using taxpayer money against the taxpayers.
Posted by: Emmie celebrates the Audacity of Trump! at April 21, 2025 03:14 PM (NIkq3)

The CIA through USAID is funding Soros' network of NGO's.

It is more likely than not that Soros has put up little to none of his own money for that effort.

In fact, it is more likely than not that Soros has been on the CIA's payroll his entire adult life, all of his money is ill gotten gains arranged by the CIA, and has always been little more than a front man.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:18 PM (uCjyK)

62 NGOs created and sustain the Climate Cult. They keep Racialism Inc going. They don't exist to solve anything.

Neverending
Grifting
Opportunities

Posted by: Doof at April 21, 2025 03:18 PM (vf0Y9)

63 Looting at the top always accompanies the collapse of empires.
Posted by: toby928 at April 21, 2025 03:13 PM (jc0TO)
---
That's what anti-capitalists always fail to figure out, the free market system is the only system with above-board self-interest.

But self-interest is expressed in any of them. You just have to be high enough up the chain.

Posted by: Hair On Fire Guy at April 21, 2025 03:19 PM (krQz2)

64 I consider myself in good company. The Anti-Federalists warned that the Bill of Rights would be the initial camel's nose under the tent. And so here we are.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (si91G)

I guess my issue with your argument is that the Bill of Rights guarantees you can have your firearms, and as many as you like, so you are free to pursue what you deem your path to happiness. It likewise guarantees my right to worship as I see fit, unencumbered by government force. Allowing the government into religion leads directly to the garbage happening in China concerning any Christian organization. They own it. They dictate what can and can't be discussed. They remade Christianity into communism, and allow no dissent.

I will stick with the Bill of Rights, thanks.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:20 PM (a4NoL)

65 Are these NGOs funded via a specific line item of an appropriations bill?

If not, then the money is misappropriated,

Whoever embezzles, steals, purloins, or knowingly converts to his use or the use of another, or without authority, sells, conveys or disposes of any record, voucher, money, or thing of value of the United States or of any department or agency thereof, or any property made or being made under contract for the United States or any department or agency thereof; or

18 US Code 841

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:20 PM (QAkQ3)

66 They were tools of government, "the parallel government," Pounds wrote, specifically doing things that Washington bureaucrats knew full well they couldn't easily do themselves."

Well, yes

Posted by: Hatari somewhere on Ventura Highway at April 21, 2025 03:20 PM (NtVYv)

67 end them, and to the extent possible, prosecute their previous bad behavior.

Posted by: illiniwek at April 21, 2025 03:21 PM (Cus5s)

68 consistent with the policy preferences of the Biden administration.
---
Let's stop granting that misnomer, and start using the "2020 Administration".

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:21 PM (krQz2)

69 57 "But until we first cut 15% from Social Security and Medicare, we can't cut these other vital government programs!"

- All of DC for the last 40 years, with both sides campaigning every cycle on cutting waste, fraud and abuse.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (5Hv8M)

Yep. Same reason municipal governments refuse to fix roads and always threaten to have to fire teachers, firefighters and cops whenever they come to the tax payer demanding more money.

"Sorry, can't find any other place to cut services. We can stop plowing in the winter, I guess, but that's about it."

Then the contrived fake debate is "should we not raise taxes and have unnavigable roads for 3 months out of the year, or should we raise taxes so that we can leave our houses?"

When the initial problem had nothing to do with roads, plowing, teachers, cops, etc. It was always about corruption and thievery.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 21, 2025 03:22 PM (uCjyK)

70
But what about the thousand points of light?

Posted by: Auspex at April 21, 2025 03:22 PM (j4U/Z)

71 When did X start posting articles?

Posted by: Inogame at April 21, 2025 03:22 PM (53oGX)

72 There was a SF talk radio host talking about NGO interlocking director and board memberships at least 25 years ago - they'd sucker well intentioned volunteers to do two all the grunt work - and by having volunteers fronting the "charity" it added a patina of legitimacy.

Posted by: 13times at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (9KKbz)

73 Lester Holt is out at NBC.

Posted by: SMOD at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (RHGPo)

74 But what about the thousand points of light?
Posted by: Auspex at April 21, 2025 03:22 PM (j4U/Z)

We're shipping back to their home countries.

As I've seen: Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Deport him back to his home country, and never feed him again.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (VNX3d)

75 I guess my issue with your argument is that the Bill of Rights guarantees you can have your firearms, and as many as you like, so you are free to pursue what you deem your path to happiness.

Except it does not. The only guarantee I have, such that it is, is that I've chosen to live among a geographic group that jealously guards that principal the same as myself. And it was a choice, not my region of birth.

As such, my "right" is stronger than those who live in New York, Colorado, New Jersey, Maryland, and on and on.

The biggest "threat" to that right ? Those that pretend to guard it, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights. At this rate, I hope Beer never gets on the list.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (si91G)

76 So, because you are an atheist, you deny the Bill of Rights? Might be a little bit of a disconnect in your thinking there, sport.
Posted by: tcn in AK
---
But it is consistent with the removal of asserting unprovable things.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (krQz2)

77 Just strictly prohibit public money to NGOs. You think an NGO is so great? Fine, fund it with YOUR money, not taxpayer funds.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (vm8sq)

78 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.

The United States Supreme Court held in NAACP v. Alabama (195

that freedom of association is an essential part of freedom of speech because, in many cases, people can engage in effective speech only when they join with others.

Posted by: Speller at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (pSotA)

79 73 Lester Holt is out at NBC.
Posted by: SMOD at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (RHGPo)

Did the rest of his face finally freeze up?

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:25 PM (a4NoL)

80 And the entire judiciary is aligned that you--through the President you elect--have no right to examine how those billions of your tax dollars are spent.

And no right to stop the spending.

Not the taxpayer, the voter, the citizen.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:25 PM (5Hv8M)

81 (Of course, if we hadn't passed the 16th amendment, this would likely be a moot argument, anyway.)
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:07 PM (N1tpc)

The 16th Amendment covers state taxes and property taxes and sales taxes? I had no idea!

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (vm8sq)

82 73 Lester Holt is out at NBC.

From a no-doubt AI written story:

New Anchor:
Tom Llamas, who currently anchors Top Story with Tom Llamas, will take over the anchor duties for Nightly News

It would have been awkward if Top Story with Tom Llamas was anchored by Ernesto Frisbee.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (s8j++)

83
Wouldn't it be great if we could designate our personal tax money to be given to a certain agency. However much money the agency gets is what their budget is for the year.

Posted by: four seasons at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (3ek7K)

84 end them, and to the extent possible, prosecute their previous bad behavior.
Posted by: illiniwek
-------------

Whoa-whoa-whoa now. Let's not get crazy here

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (5hfjS)

85 The four Dims who went to El Salvador for their photo op have been denied access to St. Albrego-Garcia.

Posted by: Meade Lux Lewis, Domestic Terrorist at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (paSBy)

86 ACE should find this especially humorous: the latest tweet by Jake Tapper?

Retweeting Sinise honoring a metal of honor winner.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (2VST1)

87 And the entire judiciary is aligned that you--through the President you elect--have no right to examine how those billions of your tax dollars are spent.

And no right to stop the spending.

Not the taxpayer, the voter, the citizen.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:25 PM (5Hv8M)
---
The least democratic branch of government has been coming for our decision-making process for some time.

It's only in the last decade or so that people have really started to notice.

The Constitution is an agreement, not theory or Holy Writ. You can't simply migrate the terms of an agreement.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (krQz2)

88 But it is consistent with the removal of asserting unprovable things.
Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (krQz2)

One cannot comprehend the proofs is one is ignorant of them or denies them when presented.

Time for you to read Summa Theologica, preferable the version with explanation notes.

Or not. See how that works?

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (a4NoL)

89 I don't care if some idiot wants to donate his or her own money to some scam charity. But not one penny of taxpayer money should be given to charities, or they immediately and permanently lose their charitable status.
Posted by: Elric Blade at April 21, 2025 03:11 PM (iFTx/)

Davey Crocket speech to Congress.... about 'Government Charity'... +1000

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (QAkQ3)

90 78 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.

The United States Supreme Court held in NAACP v. Alabama (195 that freedom of association is an essential part of freedom of speech because, in many cases, people can engage in effective speech only when they join with others.
Posted by: Speller at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (pSotA)

Not to mention civil society.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (vm8sq)

91 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.

How? No one says you can't associate.
No reason why you need tax dollars to do it either.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (/iLcI)

92 73 Lester Holt is out at NBC.
---
Such a shame. The audience has been deprived of a forehead for the ages.

Posted by: John Cornyn at April 21, 2025 03:28 PM (paSBy)

93 Lester Holt is out at NBC.

==

hasn't he been out for a while ???

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:28 PM (g47mK)

94 >"But until we first cut 15% from Social Security and Medicare, we can't cut these other vital government programs!"

- All of DC for the last 40 years, with both sides campaigning every cycle on cutting waste, fraud and abuse.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:17 PM (5Hv8M)

Same strat as local governments cutting fire fighting, police, libraries, and parks & rec before anything else, and then the wailing and gnashing of teeth about how poorly funded the government is, even though spending never, ever went down. Currently playing out in a mid-sized city near me. Works pretty much every time.

Posted by: Dworkin Barimen at April 21, 2025 03:28 PM (Hkqr8)

95 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.
---
Um, so does "American taxpayers trespassing on public grounds".

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:29 PM (krQz2)

96 "As data expert Jennica Pounds ("DataRepublican" on X) put it, "Over the last few months, we've come to a realization that should have landed much harder: NGOs weren't just adjacent to government."

They were tools of government, "the parallel government," Pounds wrote, specifically doing things that Washington bureaucrats knew full well they couldn't easily do themselves."

No shit

Posted by: night lifted at April 21, 2025 03:29 PM (FZn/N)

97 Outlaw NGOs.

Remove the tax-exempt status of universities, starting with the wealthiest and working their way down - just like the Feds did with the Income Tax, which was originally supposed to only cover the top 1% of individuals. We know where that went.

Pass a Sarbanes-Oxley law which covers nonprofits. If they resist, remove all tax exemptions from nonprofits, starting with endowments and issuance of tax-exempt bonds.

Posted by: Darrell Harris at April 21, 2025 03:29 PM (5LKjD)

98 Hey! Ho! NGOs have got to go!

Posted by: Dirty Old Boomer Hippie Who Loves A Good Chant at April 21, 2025 03:29 PM (cnVbw)

99 WEF - NGO. Ponder that!

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (g47mK)

100 Make NGOs NGOs again, NO public funds, None

Posted by: night lifted at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (FZn/N)

101 As I've seen: Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Deport him back to his home country, and never feed him again.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (VNX3d)

Or as I like to say...

Light a fire for a man and he will be warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (2J/Lj)

102 Wouldn't it be great if we could designate our personal tax money to be given to a certain agency. However much money the agency gets is what their budget is for the year.

Posted by: four seasons at April 21, 2025 03:26 PM (3ek7K)

Say, on our Income Tax ? Such that only those who actually pay in more than they take out had a say ? I'd be all for it.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (si91G)

103 99 WEF - NGO. Ponder that!
Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (g47mK

I wonder how many billons they got over the past 12 years?

Posted by: night lifted at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (FZn/N)

104 First introduced in article 71 of the UN?! Well, that tells you all you need to know.

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (g47mK)

105 OT:

dark horse frontrunner for next pope emerges:

https://tinyurl.com/mr57w4ch

Posted by: brak at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (jGJov)

106
Yep, on the income tax forms.

We all earned our money, we should be able to decide where it goes.

Posted by: four seasons at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (3ek7K)

107 Currently playing out in a mid-sized city near me. Works pretty much every time.
Posted by: Dworkin Barimen at April 21, 2025 03:28 PM (Hkqr

In Anchorage they always say that if they don't get more funding for schools, they will have to cut football, swimming, volleyball, basketball, all of the sports because they won't be able to afford teachers. Then when they get the money, they never hire any more teachers, just admin positions and big raises. It is always bullshit.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (a4NoL)

108 Light a fire for a man and he will be warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!

With the added benefit that you'll know he isn't a closeted Joo.

Posted by: The Inquisition at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (s8j++)

109 But it is consistent with the removal of asserting unprovable things.
Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM (krQz2)

One cannot comprehend the proofs is one is ignorant of them or denies them when presented.

Time for you to read Summa Theologica, preferable the version with explanation notes.

Or not. See how that works?
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:27 PM (a4NoL)
---
I'm not advocating for not asserting on unprovable things. I am viewing the atheist enterprise and describing disbelief as being consistent with its supposed principles.

I've made my settlement with faith decades ago. And I was a very rigorous skeptic as skeptics go.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (krQz2)

110 Article 71 - UN Economic and Social Council. What a great idea !

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (g47mK)

111 105 OT:

dark horse frontrunner for next pope emerges:

https://tinyurl.com/mr57w4ch
Posted by: brak at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (jGJov)

Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (a4NoL)

112 It was always about corruption and thievery.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
========
Aka government under the uniparty since WWII at the very least. Any of the presidents, including Saint Reagan, could have taken actions to roll back the corruption and thievery. They did little to nothing about it nor did the Newt led Congress in 1990's.

The reason is that the Uniparty has essentially held ordinary Americans hostage by threatening to shoot them in the head by directly harming those citizens whenever the uniparty are about to get called on their hideously corrupt governance.

So the government keeps staggering on fiscally as Uniparty elites and foreign governments seek to loot as much money as they can from the tottering US Treasury before the whole thing collapses.

I knew corruption was bad, I just did not conceive of how widespread the Uniparty termites and their pet causes have emptied the Treasury.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (ctrM5)

113 111 105 OT:

dark horse frontrunner for next pope emerges:

https://tinyurl.com/mr57w4ch
Posted by: brak at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (jGJov)

Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (a4NoL)

I hear Joe Biden is available.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (VNX3d)

114 I watched Conclave...they should really be careful...

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (g47mK)

115 NGOs have long been problematic, they are the guys that keep misusing UN funds, they set up the child prostitution rings, they are the guys who assisted the palestinians in the October 7 rapefest, they've long been a disaster. Even my UN-loving lefty friend despises NGOs.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (2VST1)

116 Currently playing out in a mid-sized city near me. Works pretty much every time.

In Texas they say if they don't get more funding then the football stadium in our town will have slighly less seating capacity than the football stadium in the next town, and the new high school won't be quite as big a major city airport terminal, and we can't have that

Posted by: brak at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (jGJov)

117 "As data expert Jennica Pounds ("DataRepublican" on X) put it, "Over the last few months, we've come to a realization that should have landed much harder: NGOs weren't just adjacent to government."

Lots of people are unaware of the NGO shell game and getting the word out is the first step in reforming the system.

Posted by: 13times at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (9KKbz)

118 dark horse frontrunner for next pope emerges:

https://tinyurl.com/mr57w4ch
Posted by: brak

Dud looks like Mel Gibson.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (77rzZ)

119 In Texas they say if they don't get more funding then the football stadium in our town will have slighly less seating capacity than the football stadium in the next town, and the new high school won't be quite as big a major city airport terminal, and we can't have that.

Careful. You probably can't imagine the negative impact of having one less Strong Safety that can stop the run would have on your local economy.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (si91G)

120 I have a feeling it won't take very long - the Conclave. Maybe already kinda decided.

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (g47mK)

121 Being a non-governmental organization is like being a little bit pregnant.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (5Hv8M)

122 *Dude* I meant.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (77rzZ)

123 I hear Joe Biden is available.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (VNX3d)

Sweetie, I meant a real Catholic. You know, one who believes in God and the final judgement and all that jazz. Not somebody who thinks he is God but is just demented.

Well, you know.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (a4NoL)

124 I've made my settlement with faith decades ago. And I was a very rigorous skeptic as skeptics go.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (krQz2)
---
Still am, actually, but only as a contained discipline.

Sextus Empricus launched skepticism as a devotion to the belief that believing in--and defending--fewer things led to less strife in life. And more peace of mind.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (krQz2)

125 Thanks Biden's Dog, at I uninstalled it

Posted by: Skip at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (ypFCm)

126
But,, won't any of you think of the children?

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (5hfjS)

127
NGOs are a misnomer.

They are merely deceptively labeled slush funds

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (xG4kz)

128 Didn't use it anyway

Posted by: Skip at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (ypFCm)

129 Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?
Posted by: tcn in AK

Or even just a Christian.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (77rzZ)

130 In other news...

After my mom died my aunt gave me a very small rag doll. It was known as a dammit doll. When everything got to be overwhelming, one could bash the dammit doll against anything and supposedly feel better.
I never did that. I just set the ugly little doll aside. I found it recently and it's still ugly. I have decided to repurpose this little doll. I'm going to use it as....

A pin cushion.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (2J/Lj)

131 97 Outlaw NGOs.

Remove the tax-exempt status of universities, starting with the wealthiest and working their way down - just like the Feds did with the Income Tax, which was originally supposed to only cover the top 1% of individuals. We know where that went.

Pass a Sarbanes-Oxley law which covers nonprofits. If they resist, remove all tax exemptions from nonprofits, starting with endowments and issuance of tax-exempt bonds.
Posted by: Darrell Harris
======
Reasonable.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (ctrM5)

132 I just wanted to throm my mitre into the ring.

Posted by: Boss Moss at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (h9KKO)

133 Next three days the Cardinals are on the road playing the Atlanta Braves. Can they vote for Pope remotely now?

Posted by: Not Sure How All This Works at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (G5+As)

134 111 105 OT:

dark horse frontrunner for next pope emerges:

https://tinyurl.com/mr57w4ch
Posted by: brak at April 21, 2025 03:31 PM (jGJov)

Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM (a4NoL)

Urban II.... Crusades... some assembly required...

/Sings: Gimme that ole time religion... gimme...

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (QAkQ3)

135 One of the greatest injustices is there is no entity that has standing in our courts to represent the taxpaying citizens against the NGO racket.

The courts will allow the case for any illegal gang-banger, foreign Jew Hater or mentally deranged Troon to go forward even if they don't have jurisdiction or the law supporting it.

Posted by: Minuteman at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (47/pr)

136 Errr....

@ChuckCallesto
BREAKING REPORT: Texas Republican now fighting for her life after kn*fe attack at her home that left husband d*ad.

A longtime Denton County official is in critical condition following a violent kn*fe attack in her Lewisville, Texas, home that also claimed the life of her husband.

Bobbie Mitchell, a Republican county commissioner, was seriously injured during the early morning ass*ult on Monday.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (mlg/3)

137 120 I have a feeling it won't take very long - the Conclave. Maybe already kinda decided.
Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (g47mK)

Over the centuries, even through some really awful pontificates, eventually the Church rights herself. One can only hope this time it is sooner rather than later, but obviously we can't count on anything at this point.

Sometimes it happens by accident.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (a4NoL)

138 Banning NGOs just makes them use a different tactic, but I do think they should be severely redefined and limited.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (2VST1)

139 I saw Metal of Honor open for Osmium at Amplifier Capitol in '18.

Posted by: ShainS --Waking Up Early is White Supremacy at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (51aVQ)

140 In Texas they say if they don't get more funding then the football stadium in our town will have slighly less seating capacity than the football stadium in the next town, and the new high school won't be quite as big a major city airport terminal, and we can't have that.
Careful. You probably can't imagine the negative impact of having one less Strong Safety that can stop the run would have on your local economy.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (si91G)

I was right!

Posted by: Vivek Ramaslammadingdong at April 21, 2025 03:37 PM (cnVbw)

141 Politicians and bureaucrats get angry and frightened when the taxpayers start taking back the money stolen from ‘we the people’. Deepstate is apt to commit any crime necessary to maintain the cash flow. Even murder.

Posted by: Eromero at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (jgmnb)

142 You missed out on North Carolina then. After Helene, citizens did exactly that. They brought goods they had purchased to give to people that needed them. They were blocked from going to communities and had items confiscated by FEMA

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (cvWHI)

143 I've made my settlement with faith decades ago. And I was a very rigorous skeptic as skeptics go.

You know, if and when some entity comes down from the sky in a wreath of fire or some other duly dramatic entrance ? I'll bend the knee to superior force at that point.

But the simple Man, no better than I, that's an expert in Divinity ? Still just a Man. Still no better than I. His rights are no more important than mine.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (si91G)

144 I'm probably old fashioned in my thinking... BUT I don't think taxpayer dollars should fund anything that is not expressly a government duty.
These thieves thrive on the grey areas... could be disability laws, welfare, NGOs... there is always someone ready to take advantage of poorly written statutes.

Posted by: Inogame at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (53oGX)

145 130 In other news...

After my mom died my aunt gave me a very small rag doll. It was known as a dammit doll. When everything got to be overwhelming, one could bash the dammit doll against anything and supposedly feel better.
I never did that. I just set the ugly little doll aside. I found it recently and it's still ugly. I have decided to repurpose this little doll. I'm going to use it as....

A pin cushion.
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (2J/Lj)

Ruh Roh.... Madame Mayhem... Vodun?

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (QAkQ3)

146 Your terms are acceptable.

Woke Wisconsin brewery sends out Easter message that they will "not sell beer to MAGA"

https://shorturl.at/F30kb

-
Check the photo of their selection.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (L/fGl)

147 Billions and billions for everyone but Americans.

Millions and millions of jobs entirely dependent upon those billions and billions.

But if your house got flooded by a once-in-500-years flood, too fucking bad--you get to spend the winter freezing in a tent.

And it's your fault for living in the house your great-great grandfather built anyway.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (5Hv8M)

148 133 Next three days the Cardinals are on the road playing the Atlanta Braves. Can they vote for Pope remotely now?
Posted by: Not Sure How All This Works at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (G5+As)

Probably have to wait for the All Star break, be my guess. I'm not sure that's in JPII's rules, but B16 might have amended that part.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:39 PM (a4NoL)

149 One thing I've noticed (especially relative to the EPA Federal Grants). They have to be circumventing the requirements of receiving such grants to some extent. Because, they send lump sums to what I've come to call "Grant Depots." Grant Depots are known and unknown Foundations, who then package up smaller donations to various NGO's, Non-profits, and Miscellaneous parties using that original grant. That's how we have $20 Billion sitting at Citibank. Zeldin caught the amount before it could be distributed by the "Grant Depot."

This adds an another layer of subterfuge in that once the money hits the Foundation, it is no longer public money once it is distributed. It becomes private funds.

And, as best I can tell, these Foundations don't DO anything. Just distribute money. They advertise their clients...and on there you will find a hodge podge of "non-profits" including about 8 different United Way locations. Scam, plain and simple. Money laundering and circumvention of oversight.

Posted by: Orson at April 21, 2025 03:39 PM (dIske)

150 The Carfinals are mostly pitchers and catchers.

Posted by: Boss Moss at April 21, 2025 03:39 PM (h9KKO)

151 But the simple Man, no better than I, that's an expert in Divinity ? Still just a Man. Still no better than I. His rights are no more important than mine.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (si91G)
---
I assure I recognize your same right to unicorns as I enjoy. No more, no less.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (krQz2)

152 History has shown that the Roman Catholic Church can have a century-long run of awful popes, or longer. I don't see things going well for a while. If ever.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (2VST1)

153 I love PDJT's response when asked about the fake NPR story claiming the WH is going to replace Hegseth.

"Ask the Houthis how he is doing." And, "He was put in the Pentagon to clean out a lot of very bad people and that is what he is doing. You don't make a lot of friends doing a job like that."

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (1Z5z4)

154 Check the photo of their selection.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (L/fGl)

They seem nice.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (a4NoL)

155 BUT I don't think taxpayer dollars should fund anything that is not expressly a government duty.
Posted by: Inogame

See my comment @60.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:41 PM (77rzZ)

156 In Anchorage they always say that if they don't get more funding for schools, they will have to cut football, swimming, volleyball, basketball, all of the sports because they won't be able to afford teachers. Then when they get the money, they never hire any more teachers, just admin positions and big raises. It is always bullshit.
Posted by: tcn in AK
=======
True nationwide. Plus school elections are often held at odd times like municipal elections so that voting is thin on things like bond and tax issues or school board positions.

You can see it in the stats as staff/admin in higher education is a 1:3 at ordinary colleges and closer to 1.5 administrators to each teaching faculty member at your 'elite' universities. Similar dynamic in public schools, much much more administration despite declining student enrollments. Arguably, a surplus of administrators hindering the front line teachers are driving our outrageous spending per pupil and declining test scores.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 03:41 PM (ctrM5)

157 One of the greatest injustices is there is no entity that has standing in our courts to represent the taxpaying citizens against the NGO racket.

---
If you wanted any rights, you should have wrote a Constitution.
The one I have starts, "We the Judge, Bureaucrats and Democrat Politicians ....
Too bad. So sad.
Fuck off.
/s/ the Piss-Yellow Coward John Roberts

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (5Hv8M)

158
Hi everyone. I'm the executive director of the Concerned People's Institute for Social Justice in the Public Interest. Can you earmark - oh, say - $300 million for us? It'll be well spent, believe me.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (QnmlO)

159 Next three days the Cardinals are on the road playing the Atlanta Braves. Can they vote for Pope remotely now?

Posted by: Not Sure How All This Works at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (G5+As)

-------------

When do they play the Angels?

Posted by: ShainS --Waking Up Early is White Supremacy at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (51aVQ)

160 I hear Joe Biden is available.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:33 PM (VNX3d)

Sweetie, I meant a real Catholic. You know, one who believes in God and the final judgement and all that jazz. Not somebody who thinks he is God but is just demented.

Well, you know.
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:35 PM (a4NoL)

I know. It was a really small, but really stinky, joke. It was a play on his chest beating about his "religious" views.

There's an archbishop in Africa that would be perfect. He believes and preaches the Gospel. I think he's Most Rev. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle, but I might not have the right one.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (VNX3d)

161 "non-governmental" entities are really just fronts for government activities that Americans would never stand for if Washington attempted them directly.
-----------------

Forget "stand for". How about "illegal"?

Posted by: ... at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (E0p3T)

162 Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?

Who is going to write that law, the people that have run this scam from Congress and enriched themselves for many decades? Far too many vacancies in our prisons right now.

Posted by: t-bird at April 21, 2025 03:43 PM (d5iTI)

163 History has shown that the Roman Catholic Church can have a century-long run of awful popes, or longer. I don't see things going well for a while. If ever.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

I have a book entititeld "The Bad Popes" that talks about some of the stinkers of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It's really interesting. (And, I'll admit, amusing to me as a Protestant.)

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:43 PM (77rzZ)

164 Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?
Posted by: tcn in AK

Or even just a Christian.
Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:36 PM (77rzZ)

"Just" a Christian? Like a heathen non-Catholic?

Posted by: Doof at April 21, 2025 03:43 PM (vf0Y9)

165 Next three days the Cardinals are on the road playing the Atlanta Braves. Can they vote for Pope remotely now?
Posted by: Not Sure How All This Works

Dude, Hail Marys are in football.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 03:43 PM (L/fGl)

166 History has shown that the Roman Catholic Church can have a century-long run of awful popes, or longer. I don't see things going well for a while. If ever.

The Inquisition, what a show. The Inquisition, here we go.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (si91G)

167 Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?
______________

Hell yes.

In fact, I go further: eliminate non-profits' tax avoidance. Tax everybody, even "non-profits," although perhaps at a lower rate.

A lot of evil comes from "non-profits," and making them financially responsible would do a power of good, IMO.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (YqDXo)

168 You missed out on North Carolina then. After Helene, citizens did exactly that. They brought goods they had purchased to give to people that needed them. They were blocked from going to communities _b]and had items confiscated by FEMA
Posted by: Notsothoreau

And those people should have been shot on the spot.

NO GOVERNMENT AGENCY has a right to confiscate ANY of my personal property without martial law being declared.

And it wasn't.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (/iLcI)

169 Africa and South America seem to be leading the way right now in Christianity. A little bit in Korea but I don't trust their theology very much. African pastors have to keep correcting and lecturing loony western "leaders."

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (2VST1)

170 Atlanta Redskins.

Posted by: Boss Moss at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (h9KKO)

171 There's an archbishop in Africa that would be perfect. He believes and preaches the Gospel. I think he's Most Rev. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle, but I might not have the right one.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (VNX3d)

I should think Cardinal Sarah would do nicely, or maybe Cardinal Burke. Neither has a snowball's chance in hell, but a girl can dream. Just so long as he isn't a poofter, I guess I can stumble through another mediocre pope.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (a4NoL)

172 101 As I've seen: Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Deport him back to his home country, and never feed him again.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (VNX3d)

Or as I like to say...

Light a fire for a man and he will be warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (2J/Lj)

Ah yes, the Tao of Pratchett!

Posted by: Polka will never die at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (KliiE)

173 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (QnmlO)

When do you submit your candidacy to the Conclave?

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:45 PM (77rzZ)

174 Don't make them illegal. That's plays into their propaganda narratives. Just deprive them of funding until they are irrelavent.

Posted by: ScottM at April 21, 2025 03:10 PM (vtKAA)

So they can come along and fund them again? Or just fund them through alternative means? No, you have to outlaw them. Make them punishable by prison time.

Posted by: ... at April 21, 2025 03:45 PM (E0p3T)

175 Do you suppose we could have a Catholic this time?
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:32 PM

I would settle for a Christian.

Posted by: toby928 at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (jc0TO)

176 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.

The United States Supreme Court held in NAACP v. Alabama (195 that freedom of association is an essential part of freedom of speech because, in many cases, people can engage in effective speech only when they join with others.

Posted by: Speller at April 21, 2025 03:24 PM

However, nowhere in that decision does it state that freedom of association must be funded with taxpayer money. You want to associate do it on your own dime.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (e5NfL)

177 NO GOVERNMENT AGENCY has a right to confiscate ANY of my personal property without martial law being declared.

==

*waits for marital law jokes

Posted by: runner at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (g47mK)

178 Don't believe that guy St. Malachy. He's was wrong.

Posted by: Zombie Pope Frank at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (/U5Yz)

179 Hi everyone. I'm the executive director of the Concerned People's Institute for Social Justice in the Public Interest. Can you earmark - oh, say - $300 million for us? It'll be well spent, believe me.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 21, 2025 03:42 PM (QnmlO)

---------------

* Working remotely, Lois Lerner stamps IRS Tax Status as "Exempt!" *

"Next?"

Posted by: ShainS --Waking Up Early is White Supremacy at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (51aVQ)

180 guess I can stumble through another mediocre pope.
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM

Not Catholic here but wouldn't mediocre be an improvement over Pope Frank?

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (2J/Lj)

181 How about Athanasius Schneider? He wouldn't even have to change his name.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (77rzZ)

182 I attended a church in Wisconsin that had a positive cabal of elderly ladies who pretty much ran everything with a smile and kind word. I was sitting with them at a quilting bee and asked how long we had to put up with the wonky priest we had at the time. One of the ladies said to me, "Honey, priests come and priests go, but this is our Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail." I have taken this outlook to heart concerning bad popes, fag priests, dancing "extraordinary ministers," and the like.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (a4NoL)

183 In Anchorage they always say that if they don't get more funding for schools, they will have to cut football, swimming, volleyball, basketball, all of the sports because they won't be able to afford teachers.
_________________

OK.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (YqDXo)

184 This is all already against the law. Misappropriation of funds, Conspiracy (Gov Officials had to OK it),....

Unless Congress had line Items in the Appropriations bills to give money to fund Illegals coming here (which would break the Aiding and Abetting law).

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (QAkQ3)

185 Family beef?

"The suspect has been identified by police as the couple’s grandson. He has been booked into Lewisville jail and is presently charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon."

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (mlg/3)

186 The Inquisition, what a show. The Inquisition, here we go.

The inquisition era was, believe it or not, not the worst era for the RC. Those Borgia popes, the incredibly corrupt system of Bishops being appointed based on influence and money, the priests with multiple mistresses, the indulgences, things got really, really awful before the Reformation.

People like to attack Luther, but dang near every Christian thinker at the time agreed that things had gone horrendously wrong and needed fixing. Guys like Erasmus, etc.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (2VST1)

187 History has shown that the Roman Catholic Church can have a century-long run of awful popes, or longer. I don't see things going well for a while. If ever.

The Inquisition, what a show. The Inquisition, here we go.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (si91G)
---
The Inquisition was actually the regulatory agency to restrain kings and magistrates from extortion and torture and slam-dunk prosecutions.

Update your history.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (krQz2)

188 Not Catholic here but wouldn't mediocre be an improvement over Pope Frank?
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (2J/Lj)

I'm still not sure Cranky Franky was a real pope, but yes, anyone would be better.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (a4NoL)

189 I should think Cardinal Sarah would do nicely, or maybe Cardinal Burke. Neither has a snowball's chance in hell, but a girl can dream. Just so long as he isn't a poofter, I guess I can stumble through another mediocre pope.
Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:44 PM (a4NoL)

Cardinal Sarah was the one I was trying to remember. I agree also with Cardinal Burke.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:48 PM (VNX3d)

190 Family beef?
"The suspect has been identified by police as the couple’s grandson. He has been booked into Lewisville jail and is presently charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon."
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (mlg/3)

Monster Child.

Posted by: Zombie Dr. Benjamin Spock, Pederast & Communist at April 21, 2025 03:48 PM (cnVbw)

191 My entire career in public service was grabbing as many federal dollars as possible and showering them on local nonprofits.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 21, 2025 03:48 PM (RIvkX)

192 1 No, it was time 20 years ago.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at April 21, 2025 03:02 PM (N1tpc)

But when is the second best time to plant a tree, I mean end NGOs?

Posted by: Cray Cray at April 21, 2025 03:48 PM (QnXCw)

193 ‘Is It Time to Outlaw NGOs?’

Hell, yes. How is that even a question?

Posted by: Dr. Claw at April 21, 2025 03:49 PM (jbnUc)

194 I'm still not sure Cranky Franky was a real pope, but yes, anyone would be better.
Posted by: tcn in AK

He wasn't according to a Sedevacantist website that I follow. But they think that every Pope since Vatican II (John XXIII on) was not a real pope.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:49 PM (77rzZ)

195 The inquisition era was, believe it or not, not the worst era for the RC. Those Borgia popes, the incredibly corrupt system of Bishops being appointed based on influence and money, the priests with multiple mistresses, the indulgences, things got really, really awful before the Reformation.

Yeah. But there's no good Mel Brooks lyric from the Borgias.

And FWIW, I absolutely get where Martin Luther was coming from.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (si91G)

196 152 History has shown that the Roman Catholic Church can have a century-long run of awful popes, or longer. I don't see things going well for a while. If ever.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (2VST1)

Yes, it has. B/c, at its core, the faith does not depend on the quality of the pope...nor even on his holiness.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (tOcjL)

197 NGOs = Stage 5 cancer in the body politic.

(I worked for several, back in my lib birdbrain days.)

Posted by: Beverly at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (Epeb0)

198 If these organizations were so vital, then the private sector would fund them.

But then, Karen Winebox won't get to feel virtuous because her vote for the Democrat ensures that Little Juan has a federally-funded ESL teacher and free lunches.

And isn't that what's important?
That Karen Winebox gets to feel virtuous with your money?

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (5Hv8M)

199 The worst thing about Luther was his rabid Jew-hatred.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (77rzZ)

200 I love PDJT's response when asked about the fake NPR story claiming the WH is going to replace Hegseth.
__________________

Please, please, please defund NPR and PBS. I used to carpool with a liberal shithead who listened to NPR on the radio. I stopped car pooling with him on my cardiologist's advice.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (YqDXo)

201 And mainly the Inquisition did just that, hold trials to inquire and determine guilt.

Often the egregious punishments were handed out by secular authorities where "heresy" was considered a crime against the state.

(And I haven't been a Catholic since my teens.)

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (krQz2)

202 The worst thing about Luther was his rabid Jew-hatred.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (77rzZ)
______________

It was as bad as Marx's. And he was the son of a rabbi.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (YqDXo)

203 176 Banning NGOs would have a deleterious effect on freedom of association.

The United States Supreme Court held in NAACP v. Alabama (195 that freedom of association is an essential part of freedom of speech because, in many cases, people can engage in effective speech only when they join with others.

Posted by: Speller
=====
Scotus ignores that ruling often when the association is of bad thinkers so as making Bob Jones University admitting students that it did not want to, making the Masters open itself to unwanted members, and so on. Might also want to review court decisions on syndicalism, etc.

The thrust of that particular decision you cite was that Alabama demanded the names and addresses of contributors to the NAACP. That was the issue in the case and Scotus used the convenient fig leaf of freedom of association to prevent Alabama from finding out who gave to them.

The problem is when you run a NGO like a business but pay no taxes, it blurs the line between running a business and being a charity. Freedom of association understood in that context means that you can crawl up the ass with a colonoscope if that ngo accepts public money. Also not a problem to tax them.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 03:51 PM (ctrM5)

204 182 I attended a church in Wisconsin that had a positive cabal of elderly ladies who pretty much ran everything with a smile and kind word. I was sitting with them at a quilting bee and asked how long we had to put up with the wonky priest we had at the time. One of the ladies said to me, "Honey, priests come and priests go, but this is our Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail." I have taken this outlook to heart concerning bad popes, fag priests, dancing "extraordinary ministers," and the like.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 03:46 PM (a4NoL)

Amen - those ladies have it right...humans are imperfect, and we will always have them in every aspect of the Church. We don't call the Catholic Church a Church of saints...we call it one of sinners.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (tOcjL)

205 I always thought that, aside from the classical music it would play, NPR was boring as crap. It would damn near put me to sleep.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (77rzZ)

206 OT: Lots of lefty retirees freakin out about their stocks right now. Those who are planning to retire soon may have to put that off a couple more years. S'posedly Trump's fault because he was mean to Powell.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (LPS7w)

207 Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:40 PM (1Z5z4)
______________________

I can tell you why the Pentagon is in an uproar over Hegseth. When certain high level officers become out of favor due to whomever is sitting in the White House, they temporarily remove themselves from duty and go to work for the defense contractor apparatus. Then, when a favorable party returns to the White House, they return to duty. It's like a game of musical chairs with financial benefits.

There has been talk about disallowing this practice and Hegseth has been kind of vocal about it. And, he's in a position to make it academic. That basically makes every high ranking General, Admiral etc. an enemy, and they call the shots over at the Pentagon.

Posted by: Orson at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (dIske)

208 Yes, it has. B/c, at its core, the faith does not depend on the quality of the pope...nor even on his holiness.
Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (tOcjL)
---
But it doesn't exactly make the case for Apostolic Succession, though.

(I say this not to start an argument with any Catholic brother.)

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (krQz2)

209 Yes, of course NGOs should be illegal to fund with taxpayer dollars.

But I don't even think we can get all Republicans on board with defunding NPR.

There's so many crazy thing that are being funded that we could have stopped ages ago.

Posted by: Leupold at April 21, 2025 03:53 PM (4pwAx)

210 My entire career in public service was grabbing as many federal dollars as possible and showering them on local nonprofits.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 21, 2025 03:48 PM (RIvkX)
_______________

My point precisely re non-profits.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:53 PM (YqDXo)

211 9
‘QUANGOs’

QUANGOs Seem to have frightening amount of power in the UK. IE to the extent that they are displacing parliament.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (jbnUc)

212 Sadly, Luther was not especially unique in his time period for his attitude toward Jews.

Yes, it has. B/c, at its core, the faith does not depend on the quality of the pope...nor even on his holiness.

Thankfully, we are not saved by the purity of our theology, but in fact despite it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (2VST1)

213 Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 03:38 PM (si91

Maybe God doesn't choose to come on your command, Scogg. I mean, "Prove to me that you exist by engaging in dramatics" isn't asking politely for someone to be in a relationship with you.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (42Vb+)

214 208 Yes, it has. B/c, at its core, the faith does not depend on the quality of the pope...nor even on his holiness.
Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:50 PM (tOcjL)
---
But it doesn't exactly make the case for Apostolic Succession, though.

(I say this not to start an argument with any Catholic brother.)

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (krQz2)

See the next comment I made

Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (tOcjL)

215 But I don't even think we can get all Republicans on board with defunding NPR.
_______________

I told the liberal shithead that I was going to regale him with Rush Limbaugh podcasts. At least he wasn't paying for those, while I was paying for NPR.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (YqDXo)

216 The first step is transparency. Trump can do this with an EO: NGOs are categorized as such only if their funding is derived from non-government source(s). If an organization takes 1 penny of government money, directly or indirectly, it is designated a GFO. The sub-categories: US Government Funded Organizations (USGFO), Foreign Government Funded Organizations (FGFO), State Government Funded Organizations, Local Government Funded Organizations. This should be stated just like non-profit status. So Catholic Charity for Immigration would categorized as a US/F/SFGO.

Knowing who's paying the Piper shows who's picking the tune.

Posted by: Minuteman at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (47/pr)

217 The George Washington University nutbag student who published an essay calling for the assassination of Republicans the other day was evicted from his apartment by a landlord who fears other nutbags will try to attack him, and the university is hauling him before a discipline committee to explain himself.

Andy Ngo published a picture of the bozo wearing a dress, and republished some social media posts from the guy's account calling for legalizing sex with kids and porn in schools.

WT actual F is with all these crazy people suddenly everywhere?

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (hnY0g)

218 Luther was a genius.

Posted by: Boss Moss at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (h9KKO)

219 As I've seen: Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Deport him back to his home country, and never feed him again.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 21, 2025 03:23 PM (VNX3d)

Or as I like to say...

Light a fire for a man and he will be warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 03:30 PM (2J/Lj)

----------------

Or as I like to say:

Give a man a helicopter ride, and he'll fly for an hour. Give a man half of a helicopter ride, he'll fly for the rest of his life.

Posted by: ShainS --Waking Up Early is White Supremacy at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (51aVQ)

220 217 The George Washington University nutbag student who published an essay calling for the assassination of Republicans the other day was evicted from his apartment by a landlord who fears other nutbags will try to attack him, and the university is hauling him before a discipline committee to explain himself.

Andy Ngo published a picture of the bozo wearing a dress, and republished some social media posts from the guy's account calling for legalizing sex with kids and porn in schools.

WT actual F is with all these crazy people suddenly everywhere?

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (hnY0g)

Actually George Mason. And the school didn't put up with it. If it was George Washington, they probably would have.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 03:56 PM (tOcjL)

221 We can't disappear (newest lefty descriptive) Civil Society. 🤷‍♀️

WH FACT SHEET: U.S. Support for Civil Society, 9/23/14

What do we mean by Civil Society | Definition, Organization & Importance ...
Civil Society denotes the sphere of action that lies between the state and society that is made up civic groups, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations. These all work to represent and promote certain special interests or raise public awareness of civic duties and political rights.

What is an example of? Civil society comprises organizations that are not associated with government—including schools and universities, advocacy groups, professional associations, churches, and cultural institutions (business sometimes is covered by the term civil society and sometimes not). Civil society organizations play multiple roles.

What does living in a civil society mean? The core of a definition of civil society is that it is the society we engage in as active citizens, neither part of the market nor part of the state nor part of the family.

CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies, csis dot org: The Role of Civil Society in Ukrainian Reconstruction

Posted by: L - Old person logic at April 21, 2025 03:56 PM (NFX2v)

222 Andy Ngo published a picture of the bozo wearing a dress, and republished some social media posts from the guy's account calling for legalizing sex with kids and porn in schools.

The poor guy! How long he must have dreaded this dark, yet inevitable day. I so wish he could have been allowed to come out in a time and manner of his own choosing, instead of being wrenched from his closet, his voice cracking, his cheeks crimson with shame...

Posted by: Lindsey Graham, Closeted Homosexual at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (cnVbw)

223 Knowing who's paying the Piper shows who's picking the tune.
Posted by: Minuteman

Some guy pays Piper to pick out the workout music that gets played in her exercise studio?

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (77rzZ)

224 Sing it, brother!
Just say NO...to NGO.

Posted by: torabora at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (aVIr4)

225 LOL, Google--working hand-in-glove with China to perfect their surveillance state--warns that if the DOJ breaks up their monopoly it will harm the US in the global race against China.

Oh no!

Whatever will we do without a multi-national, anti-American and extremely anti-free speech corporation controlling nearly all ad revenue and searches in America!

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (5Hv8M)

226 I always thought that, aside from the classical music it would play, NPR was boring as crap. It would damn near put me to sleep.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (77rzZ)
_______________

Not me. I was purple with rage. I had to lay still helplessly in a tube for PET imaging while I was regaled with NPR. They didn't need to administer adenosine to bump up my heart rate.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (YqDXo)

227 Luther was a genius.

Absolutely, so was Calvin. But both were sinful human beings with their flaws. That's why neither one would care for any church or denomination being named after them.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (2VST1)

228 If I was still in the Service, and in charge of my small Department, I would consider it a legal order to arrest NGOs, Democrats, Leftist Judges, and SCOTUS Justice Roberts.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 21, 2025 03:58 PM (u82oZ)

229 Andy Ngo published a picture of the bozo wearing a dress, and republished some social media posts from the guy's account calling for legalizing sex with kids and porn in schools.

The poor guy! How long he must have dreaded this dark, yet inevitable day. I so wish he could have been allowed to come out in a time and manner of his own choosing, instead of being wrenched from his closet, his voice cracking, his cheeks crimson with shame...

Posted by: Lindsey Graham, Closeted Homosexual at April 21, 2025 03:57 PM (cnVbw)
_______________

Preach it, brother!

Posted by: The Fiercely Heterosexual Cory Booker at April 21, 2025 03:58 PM (YqDXo)

230 There has been talk about disallowing this practice and Hegseth has been kind of vocal about it. And, he's in a position to make it academic. That basically makes every high ranking General, Admiral etc. an enemy, and they call the shots over at the Pentagon.
Posted by: Orson at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (dIske)

There has been a slow purge of actual Warfighters from decision making positions, since Bush the Elder got into Office.

Hegseth is a War Fighter... he is an existential Threat to the DOD Group think that put social concerns, and Military Industrial Contracts, over war fighting.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 03:59 PM (QAkQ3)

231 226 I always thought that, aside from the classical music it would play, NPR was boring as crap. It would damn near put me to sleep.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (77rzZ)
-----------------
NPR annoyed with their 'all Jazz guys are black, no white Jazzers.' Fuck those guys.

Posted by: Pudinhead at April 21, 2025 03:59 PM (pZ64F)

232 >>> 206 OT: Lots of lefty retirees freakin out about their stocks right now. Those who are planning to retire soon may have to put that off a couple more years. S'posedly Trump's fault because he was mean to Powell.
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (LPS7w)

Anyone "planning to retire soon" who is heavily invested in *stocks* (vs other asset types) doesn't know what the fck they are doing.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 21, 2025 03:59 PM (Vqx30)

233 I always thought that, aside from the classical music it would play, NPR was boring as crap. It would damn near put me to sleep.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (77rzZ)
_______________

Not me. I was purple with rage. I had to lay still helplessly in a tube for PET imaging while I was regaled with NPR. They didn't need to administer adenosine to bump up my heart rate.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

The delivery style was so soporific that I couldn't listen to it long enough to get rage-filled.

Posted by: Bulg at April 21, 2025 03:59 PM (77rzZ)

234 Aga Khan Development Network

(2014 WH Fact Sheet) In part, The President also announced a new, groundbreaking initiative to support and connect civil society across the globe through the launch of Regional Civil Society Innovation Centers, in partnership with the Government of Sweden and the Aga Khan Development Network. Over the next two years, up to six networked Regional Civil Society Innovation Centers will be created worldwide. These Centers will connect civil society organizations at the regional and global level to each other, new partners, and resources; encourage peer-to-peer learning; provide civil society organizations and their networks with virtual and physical platforms to access tools and technologies that will bolster their work; and amplify civil society voices around the world. Civil society organizations, academia, and technology partners will provide additional financial and in-kind resources, as well as technical expertise, to enhance the value of the Centers to civil society.

Posted by: L - Old person logic at April 21, 2025 04:00 PM (NFX2v)

235 Just repeal 501(c)3.

If a charity is good, they can go out and ask the public for money.

Posted by: PJ at April 21, 2025 04:00 PM (RRCAT)

236 WT actual F is with all these crazy people suddenly everywhere?

Our culture is sick and lost, there's no core belief system left and we need one to survive as a civilization. In short, it needs Jesus. These lost souls are being driven mad by having no hope or structure to their lives, without purpose, meaning, or hope. They need someone to love them and show them the way to a future that matters.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 04:00 PM (2VST1)

237 So good to see you here Salty. Please accept my condolences.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 21, 2025 04:00 PM (RIvkX)

238 I believe the problem with banning or defending NGOs is that those laws would be voted on by the same people who would vote for term limits and banning insider stock trading.

They don't run for office to not take advantage of the office.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at April 21, 2025 04:00 PM (wBaIH)

239 "Prove to me that you exist by engaging in dramatics" isn't asking politely for someone to be in a relationship with you.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke
-----
From my bible reading, that tends to come out poorly for those that make demands.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:01 PM (ctrM5)

240 Boring was the Wobegon show crap

Posted by: Skip at April 21, 2025 04:01 PM (ypFCm)

241 Sparks of Divinity!!!
*hic

Posted by: Pelosi...drunk California at April 21, 2025 04:02 PM (aVIr4)

242 Word's gotten out.
0
Dalai Lama Quietly Cancels Scheduled Meeting With JD Vance

-
From the Bee.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 04:02 PM (L/fGl)

243 Not long after the last Apostle was martyred Popes were decided by strength of army and utter wealth.
Yup, that's a pure, priesthood lineage

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at April 21, 2025 04:02 PM (VJc7E)

244
Maybe God doesn't choose to come on your command, Scogg. I mean, "Prove to me that you exist by engaging in dramatics" isn't asking politely for someone to be in a relationship with you.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 21, 2025 03:54 PM (42Vb+)
---
My recent guideline is: God is necessarily incomprehensible.

He does not hide from the divine beings of his council. And yet, even they don't fully understand what he is doing. Thus the "angels" that have stayed with him have FAITH in Him.

The Garden tells the story of mankind with no scarcity and daily empirical experience of a figure called God. However, that God has only good intentions for mankind was challenged. Eve thought it robbery to be equal with God, so she took the fruit of all the things she did not know.

Even if you don't believe the Garden story. Not believing it tells you nothing about the conditions were it true. The propositions of faith in this God are in the stories that are presented.

That God chose the good for us, means he can countenance the worse. And that part that he can conceive yet does not manifest is part of knowing as He know.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 04:04 PM (krQz2)

245 I do not say this is universal, but nearly every one of the "new atheists" including dudes like Hitchens have admitted that while they keep demanding evidence, that no amount of evidence would convince them. God could show up 900 feet tall with choirs of angels and rainbows and trumpets declaring I AM REAL BELIEVE ME and they would consider it aliens, or a hallucination, or some kind of trick.

Because in the end, its not about the evidence for them. Its about not wanting to submit to any authority other than themselves.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 04:04 PM (2VST1)

246 Anyone "planning to retire soon" who is heavily invested in *stocks* (vs other asset types) doesn't know what the fck they are doing.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket
============
Actually it is the fact that Powell, Bernancke, Yellen, and Greenspan have all followed ZIRP programs at times. They have artificially lowered returns on interest in order for the government to blow money out like a firehouse to their cronies and destroyed any savings return.

That funny money from deficit fueled ZIRP actions is what is propping up asset values via inflation far beyond what they would be otherwise.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:05 PM (ctrM5)

247 Because in the end, its not about the evidence for them. Its about not wanting to submit to any authority other than themselves.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor
=======
Pride goeth before a fall.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:05 PM (ctrM5)

248 See a YouTube the Vatican released Pope Francis cause of death, didn't watch it but guess God was tired of his BS wasn't mentioned.

Posted by: Skip at April 21, 2025 04:06 PM (ypFCm)

249 "Prove to me that you exist by engaging in dramatics" isn't asking politely for someone to be in a relationship with you.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke
---
As a practiced skeptic, it's also no way to receive incontrovertible truth.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 04:06 PM (krQz2)

250 Congress should outlaw NGO’s. But that would mean they would have to get off their lazy asses and actually do something besides talk.

Posted by: Vengeance at April 21, 2025 04:07 PM (Hi9VF)

251 248 See a YouTube the Vatican released Pope Francis cause of death, didn't watch it but guess God was tired of his BS wasn't mentioned.
Posted by: Skip
======
Stroke or cerebral hemorrhage from reports.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:08 PM (ctrM5)

252 How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (2J/Lj)

253 Time saving tip from the Bee.

Life Hack: In Lieu Of Reading Book Of Revelation, Just Go Outside And Watch It Happen
Christian Living · Apr 21, 2025 · 18

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (L/fGl)

254 NGOs should have no connection to, funding from, or authority from a government.

Shadow government is very apt as this is an epidemic in the UK which indeed has a 'shadow' ministry in the literal and figurative sense.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (xcxpd)

255 Some of these NGO's are literally conjured overnight to receive billions of dollars in non-traceable, non-auditable slush funds.

If you've ever wondered what was gotten for going 36Trillion into debt, The NGO Fandango largely explains it.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (XV/Pl)

256 But it doesn't exactly make the case for Apostolic Succession, though.

(I say this not to start an argument with any Catholic brother.)
Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 03:52 PM (krQz2)

Judas was an apostle too, and Peter denied Christ, and on and on. Apostles are not perfect, only God is perfect. Humans, by and large, suck at perfection, but we try because He told us to, and He does forgive.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (a4NoL)

257 The point of the Federal Government is to take as much money from the taxpayers as possible, and give it to the politicians and bureaucrats.

Anything else it does is incidental

Posted by: 18-1 at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (t0Rmr)

258 Once again... with feeling... any money that went to these NGOs, which could not got back to a specific Line Item on an Appropriations bill, was Misappropriated... which is a FELONY under US Law for both the one who misdirected the money, AND the one receiving the money.

Add in some conspiracy, and a dose of money laundering, and this would all clean itself up post haste.

Oh, and add in a bit of Aiding and Abetting Illegals for all the NGOs which oh.... aided and abetted?

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (QAkQ3)

259 Earth is a probationary realm and Christ gave His life to overcome our misgivings through His grace.

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (VJc7E)

260 Civil society organizations, academia, and technology partners will provide additional financial and in-kind resources, as well as technical expertise, to enhance the value of the Centers to civil society.
Posted by: L - Old person logic
---

Heel, I said heel. Don't make me pull the choker chain. Don't do it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (EJQ63)

261 Someone else's happiness through singing and fellowship and spirituality should be no more protected than mine.

Christianity doesn’t promise happiness in this world, but rather suffering because you go against the world up the narrow way. You will be happy in the end beyond your wildest dreams, forever, but not necessarily here and now.

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (bIzDl)

262 WT actual F is with all these crazy people suddenly everywhere?
Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 21, 2025 03:55 PM (hnY0g

I'm currently very distressed by signs that a certain sector of my family is succumbing to the current crazy. All very sweet people. It breaks my heart.

Posted by: Emmie at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (oZ3Fs)

263 Because in the end, its not about the evidence for them. Its about not wanting to submit to any authority other than themselves.

For me, the opposite. And I grew up Baptist, with it's hyper-focus on Revelation, so I fully understand the trap I'm about to lay for myself.

Show me some entity, coming down wrapped in fire, and I'll bend the knee. Problem being, the first time I see it that's a false prophet.

Or an Alien. Either way, it won't be Man. And Man I know. Man is asshoe. No, I won't obey Man one inch more than absolutely necessary.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (si91G)

264 How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (2J/Lj)
--------------

I sort of assume there's several rounds of political infighting before the conclave is convened. That's probably the true determining factor.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (tT6L1)

265 Democrats in Congress are self destructing because everything they do turns to shit. Republicans are self destructing because all they do is talk, point and laugh.

Posted by: Vengeance at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (Hi9VF)

266 252 How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?
Posted by: Madame Mayhem
========
Depends on the College of Cardinals and the Vatican bureaucracy. Recent conclaves have been faster than those of old in choosing a Pope. Weeks most probably because of travel arrangements, funeral preparations, etc.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (ctrM5)

267 252 How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (2J/Lj)

Couple of weeks after the funeral. They need time to get their, find a place to stay, all that jazz. And there are a lot of them.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (a4NoL)

268 Off of the roof top
ho, ho, ho
Off of the roof top
there you go

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (EJQ63)

269 251 248 See a YouTube the Vatican released Pope Francis cause of death, didn't watch it but guess God was tired of his BS wasn't mentioned.
Posted by: Skip
======
Stroke or cerebral hemorrhage from reports.
Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:08 PM (ctrM5)

Jesus came back on Easter and kicked him in the head?

(yeah, I know... straight ta hell)...

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (QAkQ3)

270 >>> 246

============
Actually it is the fact that Powell, Bernancke, Yellen, and Greenspan have all followed ZIRP programs at times. They have artificially lowered returns on interest in order for the government to blow money out like a firehouse to their cronies and destroyed any savings return.

That funny money from deficit fueled ZIRP actions is what is propping up asset values via inflation far beyond what they would be otherwise.
Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:05 PM (ctrM5)

Fair point, having stupid levels of inflation eating away at what should have been safer holdings doesn't exactly help.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 21, 2025 04:12 PM (Vqx30)

271 nood hollywood

Posted by: Sturmtoddler at April 21, 2025 04:12 PM (nXhwP)

272 252 How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (2J/Lj)

About 15-20 days. They haven't announced a start date yet, but there is a minimum 9 day mourning period for the pope's death...

Posted by: Nova Local at April 21, 2025 04:12 PM (tOcjL)

273 265 Democrats in Congress are self destructing because everything they do turns to shit. Republicans are self destructing because all they do is talk, point and laugh.
Posted by: Vengeance at April 21, 2025 04:11 PM (Hi9VF)

Democrats are not good losers...
Republicans don't know how to win...

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 21, 2025 04:13 PM (QAkQ3)

274 But it doesn't exactly make the case for Apostolic Succession, though.

(I say this not to start an argument with any Catholic brother.)
Posted by: Axeman

I world think it makes the case stronger. A church that has survived, dogma intact, despite human imperfection is a great case for exactly that.

Posted by: Dandolo at April 21, 2025 04:13 PM (3QsZU)

275 Civil society organizations, academia, and technology partners will provide additional financial and in-kind resources, as well as technical expertise, to enhance the value of the Centers to civil society.

Could someone translate this into human for me?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 04:13 PM (2VST1)

276
How long do they wait after a Pope dies to convene the conclave? I presume it would be after the funeral, but how long after? Days? Weeks?
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:09 PM (2J/Lj)

__________

It's something like 9 or 10 days. No one wants to wait, but the organization takes a while.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 21, 2025 04:13 PM (QnmlO)

277 Thank you all for answering that question! I've learned something today.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 21, 2025 04:14 PM (2J/Lj)

278 all that jazz.

here come the Cardinals, 2,3,4 ching da, da ching
here come the Bishops, 2,3,4 boom cha ka boom cha ka boom
here come the alter boys, toot, toot, toot

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:14 PM (EJQ63)

279 Couple of weeks after the funeral. They need time to get their, find a place to stay, all that jazz. And there are a lot of them.

There was a lot of warning, you'd think this would have been sketched out pretty well ahead of time

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 04:14 PM (2VST1)

280 And Man I know. Man is asshoe. No, I won't obey Man one inch more than absolutely necessary.
Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 04:10 PM (si91G)

Not to be argumentative, but not this Man. Not asshoe. Not even a little. But then, you have determined to not know Him, and not find out why He is a bit different than the average moron. Hope and forgiveness are powerful things, and until you experience them, and the humility that comes with that knowledge, it is difficult to explain it to you from the outside.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 04:14 PM (a4NoL)

281 It's something like 9 or 10 days. No one wants to wait, but the organization takes a while.

But like any enterprise under new management there is always a slight duplication of efforts, most of them a complete waste of time but needs to be done nevertheless - Col. Hans Landa

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 04:15 PM (si91G)

282 Centers to civil society.

Could someone translate this into human for me?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor
---

I did a minute ago. You will be made to heel. Conformity is the answer.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:15 PM (EJQ63)

283 Decades ago, when I first heard the term Non-Governmental Organization but didn't understand what it was, my basic education of the English language indicated it meant a government organization that was technically not in the government. Boy, did I nail it back then, or what?

Posted by: Gref at April 21, 2025 04:16 PM (aBgBM)

284 God is necessarily incomprehensible.

-
If man could comprehend God, we wouldn't need God.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 04:16 PM (L/fGl)

285 There was a lot of warning, you'd think this would have been sketched out pretty well ahead of time
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 04:14 PM (2VST1)

The rules are in place, but the details are handled by one particular person, so it varies. Right now that guy is an American, which is very rare, but we shall see how that plays out.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 04:17 PM (a4NoL)

286 Fair point, having stupid levels of inflation eating away at what should have been safer holdings doesn't exactly help.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

Since Greenspan used the big put in 1998 during the East Asia crisis and the failure of LTCM, the default for any slowdown or economic crisis was to ease money to keep the economy out of recession by any means possible. So you get iterations when the Fed started to raise rates to sop up the extra money, then asset prices slumped. Pretty soon, during the Obammy years, they ignored it entirely and just kept pumping money into the system along with his administration's ridiculous levels of fiscal spree spending. So you have the economy and investors convinced that the Fed would save their ass so keep the party going.

Thus, if you saved in CDs, fixed rate bonds, money market, etc.you were essentially screwed for yield. So people went into equities and much riskier assets just to keep inflation from eating up all of their yield. Including older people who base their spending plans on an eternally increasing stock market. Just like before 2008, an eternally increasing home price, and so on.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:18 PM (ctrM5)

287 If man could comprehend God, we wouldn't need God.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at April 21, 2025 04:16 PM (L/fGl)

And yet, His Son is knowable. He revealed Himself to us, and His creation is likewise knowable. Read a little Aquinas and you will begin to see Him for who He is.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 21, 2025 04:18 PM (a4NoL)

288 If man could comprehend God, we wouldn't need God.

Seems to be no shortage of those here that understand him and insist on explaining it to the rest.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 04:18 PM (si91G)

289 CBC News, What happens when a pope dies? Inside the Vatican's historic, symbolic rituals
A series of rites play out in the ‘interregnum’ before a new pope is elected, April 21, 2025

In part, "Confirming and announcing the death
When a pope dies, a series of rites and rituals comes into play governing the "interregnum" — the period between the end of one pontificate and the election of a new pope. During that period, known as the "sede vacante," the camerlengo, or chamberlain, runs the administration and finances of the Holy See.

The camerlengo position is currently held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the head of the Vatican's laity office.

First, the camerlengo will certify the Pope's death.

In centuries past, tradition held that the camerlengo verified the death by gently tapping the pontiff's head with a silver hammer. This was historically practised while calling out his baptismal name three times, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and if he received no response, he would pronounce his death.
...

Today, the Vatican says it's no longer in use, he added. For instance, Pope John Paul II's death in 2005 was confirmed with an ECG."

Posted by: L - Old person logic at April 21, 2025 04:21 PM (NFX2v)

290 73 Lester Holt is out at NBC.

Does Rick Madcow have any tears left for yet another purged black person at her propaganda mill?

Posted by: Gref at April 21, 2025 04:21 PM (aBgBM)

291 There was a lot of warning, you'd think this would have been sketched out pretty well ahead of time
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor
======
There was and then the Pope got better. Like most crises, slow then all at once.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:21 PM (ctrM5)

292 In centuries past, tradition held that the camerlengo verified the death by gently tapping the pontiff's head with a silver hammer. This was historically practised while calling out his baptismal name three times, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and if he received no response, he would pronounce his death.
...

Today, the Vatican says it's no longer in use, he added. For instance, Pope John Paul II's death in 2005 was confirmed with an ECG."
Posted by: L
======
Kudos to Paul McCartney for Maxwell's Silver Hammer. I know have historical context for that Beatles song.

Posted by: whig at April 21, 2025 04:23 PM (ctrM5)

293 We had NGOs for a long time, it's only recently that they depended on federal funding. However, they are now governmental organizations that are owned due to funding. Salvation Army took funding, then the govt was able to determine what they could do and how they could do it.

Posted by: night lifted at April 21, 2025 04:25 PM (FZn/N)

294 Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon his head.

Is that where he came up with that lyric?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:27 PM (EJQ63)

295 If man could comprehend God, we wouldn't need God.

Seems to be no shortage of those here that understand him and insist on explaining it to the rest.

Posted by: Fast Eddie Felson at April 21, 2025 04:18 PM (si91G)
---
That's because the major enterprise of the latter half of my life is to understand Him.

Notice that to "understand" has been denigrated by some moderns who think that we should claim to "over-stand" that which we "understand".

But "understand", IMO, has a peculiar Christian feel to it. "To stand under", to behold.

To claim to "know God" is to claim to be acquainted somewhat with the face of God. And to "under stand" has the humility of putting oneself below the topic.

Neither is comprehending God, even though they can be rough synonyms for each other. Comprehension is like saying I can take God into my hand. (hend). And the etymology tells me that com- means fully.

So, I'm not saying he can't be understood or known in some facet. I'm saying He cannot be comprehended.

The other mistaking necessity for sufficiency. A common modern mistake, from people who discarded meaningful logical qualifications.

Posted by: Axeman at April 21, 2025 04:29 PM (krQz2)

296 Catholic charities have been taking FedMoney since the turn of the century for sure. Don't know about the rest. Do now they should investigate RedCross.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:29 PM (EJQ63)

297 People like to attack Luther, but dang near every Christian thinker at the time agreed that things had gone horrendously wrong and needed fixing. Guys like Erasmus, etc.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 21, 2025 03:47 PM (2VST1)

I was reading on this recently, I gathered that one of the problems was that the Latin bible that was being used was corrupt, and that a new translation based on multiple Greek sources was brought out showing that a fair number of assumptions were incorrect in translation.
In itself it would have driven reformation, but Luther had other issues on top of that he felt the church needed to address as well, and from that schism a number of translations into modern languages were brought out.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 21, 2025 04:31 PM (D7oie)

298 "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.[4] The song is about a student named Maxwell Edison who commits murders with a hammer, with the dark lyrics disguised by an upbeat sound.[1] McCartney described the song as symbolic of the downfalls of life, being "my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does".[5] Wikipedia

Med student, murderer

Posted by: L - Old person logic at April 21, 2025 04:32 PM (NFX2v)

299 So, when one speaks of God he should mind his words.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:33 PM (EJQ63)

300 296 Catholic charities have been taking FedMoney since the turn of the century for sure. Don't know about the rest. Do now they should investigate RedCross.
Posted by: Braenyard

We are an independent entity that is organized and exists as a nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable institution pursuant to a charter granted to us by the United States Congress. Unlike other congressionally chartered organizations, the Red Cross maintains a special relationship with the federal government.

Posted by: L - Old person logic at April 21, 2025 04:34 PM (NFX2v)

301 the Red Cross maintains a special relationship with the federal government.
Posted by: L - Old person logic
-------------

Another reason they should be investigated.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 21, 2025 04:41 PM (EJQ63)

302 The NGO story would be huge, if we still had a functioning free press in this country. The press that still forms the bulk of information distribution will show no more interest than it did with the democrats using charge card fraud to ship huge amounts of illegal campaign contributions, while making the claim of “grass roots support”.

That scandal was suppressed because it would immediately trace back to Obama, whose campaign fundraising took intentional steps to turn off fraud and international detection.

Posted by: Advo at April 21, 2025 04:51 PM (jO4mz)

303 American Bar Association has 900 line items of Federal contracts. fdps.gov

Millions of $ no wonder they have a branch office in D.C.

Posted by: torabora at April 21, 2025 05:21 PM (f7iwu)

304 Red Cross has thousands of contracts with the Feds. I stopped counting at over 3600.

Posted by: torabora at April 21, 2025 05:29 PM (f7iwu)

305 Theodore Streleski hammered his Stanford PhD professor to death at Stanford U because he wouldn't sign off. 1980's

Did his 20 years every day of it no parole . Disappeared into society

Posted by: torabora at April 21, 2025 05:34 PM (f7iwu)

306 Lester Holt is out at NBC.
———

Huh. I didn’t know he was queer? Guess ya never can tell sometimes

Posted by: Common Tater at April 21, 2025 06:24 PM (15vO0)

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