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Bill Ruppert's avatar

Sometimes I’m ready to hide in the fireplace with Eli.

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Martha's avatar

Charlie, the capture of our personal data is truly “scary as fuq.” I hope you and others will continue to address this and give the rest of us guidance. I have not gone silent. I distill an enormous amount of information (mostly politics and public health) and post “cliff notes” versions on social media for the benefit of those who don’t have the time or mental energy to read everything I do (or to know how to source accurately, which I don’t fault them for). I also participate in rallies and other events. I’m aware that this could set me - or anyone who is outspoken - up for surveillance and consequences. Yet, I’m concerned that going silent (which many have chosen to do) only empowers a dictator. If there are enough of us that continue to speak up, will sheer numbers overwhelm the autocrats and protect us? (Or maybe it doesn’t ultimately matter, since resisting is a reflection of our values.)

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Ed Clinton Jr's avatar

Elon learned that (a) Trump would defenestrate him at the first opportunity; (b) Trump wasn't sincere about cutting spending; (c) the Republican Party is a joke; (d) MAGA is all about hurting someone for political gain, even if it is a terrible and destructive idea like cutting off Harvard's cancer researchers to show everyone how tough you are.

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Denise Donaldson's avatar

IMO, the capture of everyone's data and the merge of all the databases is the scariest thing that's happened in decades; maybe scarier than COVID. Literally no one will be safe.

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Fran Koenig's avatar

I think Musk is opposing Trump and. MAGA’s BBB deal to increase his appeal to Dems so they will start buying his cars again.

Notice Trump hasn’t responded to Musk. Betcha he had a heads-up from Musk. Donnie respects ruthless business moves and knows this is what Musk has to do.

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Denise Donaldson's avatar

You said it for me, Fran. Obviously, I could be way off-base, but I'm not buying it that Elon is gone. His cracks about the Big Ugly Bill are so opposite to his previous comments and actions, they're just not believable. He couldn't care less about deficits or burdening the American people.

After all, he's $300 million into Orange.2, and though that's chump change to him, he knows it's not chump change to Agent Orange. He DID get what he was after, which is ALL the data on everything and everyone, but I think he's just stepping back into the shadows, so as to pull the strings a bit less publicly.

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Robyn Boyer's avatar

Actually, Charlie, I believe the technical term is "to the ramparts!" These fools are trying to take the nation down and true Americans won't stand for it. Whether MAGA gets a clue or not, it's incumbent upon us to go into battle mode against the regime, rise up, fill the streets, stop commerce, do civil disobedience, vote Republicans out of office everywhere, and take back our country. I'm no tech expert but it just may be that what is happening now, the dissolving of the siloed data across federal agencies/programs into one scary as fuck data base, can be undone. We have tech guys on our side too. With cunning, strategy and the willingness to fight, we can take these bastards down.

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Denise Donaldson's avatar

AFAIK, Robyn, once all the data are merged, it's game over. It would be like trying to separate the ingredients after a cake batter is mixed. If it would even be possible, it would take untold time and money, as in years and billions. Besides, once the initial melding of databases was done, I think it would be too big a temptation for any politician---who'd give that up? 

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Nancy W's avatar

Eli made me smile…like Booger Boy.

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Juliedahlia's avatar

How is Palantir legally authorized to amass these personal data? Isn’t there a process beyond the Orange Satan saying that he wants it?

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NanceeM's avatar

Eli in the Fireplace: an instant classic!

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Robert Cadigan's avatar

The next president should award Elon’s kid The Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Debra Northart's avatar

Poor Eli! I have kitties that hate the boomies too. Fortunately, they just hide under the bed. My guess is Eli wouldn’t fit! ❤️

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JA's avatar

Dog in the fire place? Or did he come down the chimney?

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Margot Clark-Junkins's avatar

Your writing…just so good.

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Laura Reich's avatar

Poor Eli!

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Susan Sommer's avatar

Dear Eli! Sweet, sweet boy.

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Cascadian's avatar

"... Musk may be surprised to discover just how little his MAGA celebrity counts when he challenges the Orange God King Himself. Because it was never really about cutting the debt or the deficit, was it?"

Nope, it was always about the cult of personality disorder.

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