I read the Washington Post piece where you spoke about trying to cooperate with the current administration. I believe you stated that we just cannot continue to say no to everything. Well, I understand where you are coming from, the difference here is the person we’re dealing with with. Trump has no conscience,no empathy, no understanding. I believe no matter how well intentions you are and how this would be common sense in a normal situation, you are not dealing with a normal person. Trump does no studies, takes no advice, does not look at the history of the work of the department or organization, and simply acts on instinct. And every instinct is detrimental to the American people. I don’t believe you can reason with sociopath.
Unity and using the House rules to advantage are the minority party's superpowers. With Republicans - lick their boots and they'll kick you in the teeth. Look at Musk setting up a challenger on Collins - despite her appalling MAGA votes.
Forget the BlueDOGEs.
Forget NoSpines.
Get Smart.
Here's the GOP playbook to see how it's done.
Republican Playbook on Minority Power:
A Determined Minority: The House GOP in the 110th Congress - Congressional Institute
I saw no lies in Mary's comments. None. But I see Trump and Musk lying every day (even every hour). Extending the tax-cut for the rich is beyond foolish and counter-productive.
The CFPB saved the American people $21B in it's short history. Where's the reasoning for just dumping it? There's only one -- the CFPB has gotten money back from sleazy corporate theft (of the people) and Trump and Musk surely don't want that. They are thinking of themselves not the nation's citizens.
Dirk, thank you for your comment's. In my 74 years as a citizen of the United States I have never seen a coup in Washington, DC which has shut down our Treasury Department without a Congressional vote. This is not only scary times, The Trump Administration has failed to recognize our Constitution.
When someone ends his remarks with "and that’s the honest truth," you know it isn't. Musk makes statements with no supporting evidence and, even if it were true, would be based on information it would be illegal for him to possess.
While a blind pig might occasionally find a truffle, it's not OK to destroy the forest in searching.
just like Mary your comments are full of personal opinions with no real facts. Just another person with TDS. I could point out many of your lies but then you know which ones they are anyway. Keep imagining your fantasy world until the bottom of it drops out. Keep believing Trump is a fascist until the the real fascists show you who they are.
Obviously, we don’t know which lies you’re referring to. The truth is the members of this administration took an oath to defend the constitution and all they are doing is shredding it to bits. Musk was NOT elected by the people, appointed by Congress and has no security clearance. His only goal is to rob us blind. Please point out my inaccuracies.
Mary let's start with this article https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5286314/department-of-government-efficiency-doge-explainer-elon-musk from the favorite liberal mouthpiece NPR. Liberals keep saying DOGE is illegal but even NPR says nothing to outright say it's illegal, it only says might be illegal. DOGE was just a renaming of a USDS created by President Obama. So what you and your friends are saying is you want people in the federal government(somecases outside) to continue to continue to get rich off the American tax payer? shameful!
Musk CLAIMS to have found significant fraud and to have stopped practices which are costing “tens of billions” to American taxpayers, with not one shred of proof. If there was true fraud like he claims, he wouldn’t say, “I fixed it. All better now! You’re welcome.” There would be PROOF shown, prosecutions initiated and justice satisfied. Are you seeing anything remotely like that? Or just another “I alone can fix it” con man grabbing the good life at the expense of the weakest members of our society?
Let’s take a couple of current and egregiously obvious examples (there are thousands more).
1. President Trump clearly stated: Ukraine (and by extension Zelenskyy) started the Ukraine war.
2. He also stated: Zelenskyy is a dictator. He tacked on that Zelenskyy had super low ratings in Ukraine.
There is obviously no point in debating these lies. It’s just solid, easily provable, and widely known factual lies. There is endless video proof. There is no evidence to the contrary. Full Stop.
It’s the same as “the election was stolen”. There is bountiful proof that it was not and none to support that to was. Nothing. Nada. Zip. With backup of over 60 court cases (including 2 at SCOTUS); Trump and Trump supporters lost every one and often with the judges (some appointed by Trump) excoriating the plaintiffs.
I could give similar examples for hours and hours.
Let’s debate the issue on a level playing field, eh? With hard evidence shown to be accurate and true. Not this wishful thinking.
What lie are you referring to? Who won the 2020 election????
Jared, so glad you are on the right side of the tax cuts. The consumer protection bureau, FAA, USAID were investigating & fining Musk. That's why he's dismantling these institutions.
Dina, thank you for your comments of concern. Our government has been shut down over personal preference by both Elon and our President and we are all sacred about our future.
Lies are lie's, whether they come from Democrats or Republicans. Yet, to shut down our government completely without real proof of financial abuse or to edit that various agency's have misused funding, which our Congress approved on, does not appear to have favor with those voters who trusted their own representatives. Should we believe a pathological liar, that 40 million USDA dollars were given to the Taliban in the form of condoms seem realistic? Cut out the pork and continue with legitimate business but do not shut down every government agency located in Washington on a whim.
As a Mainer who is retired from NASA/NSF and spends winters in DC on Capitol Hill I am dismayed that Congress has rolled over on its back and is letting the felon and the acting president, Musk, destroy our constitutional checks and balances. Thank you Jared for doing what you have been doing. You and your colleagues need to keep the pressure on.
Jim, thank you for your comment. We all agree, this coup is not a Republican or Democratic idea, it was created by a handful of insurgence neither elected by the people nor with common sense as a denominator. Congress must wake up and stop this take over by Elon and company.
Congress is not monolithic. Congress has not rolled over on its back. Republicans - not content with the legal procedures they legitimately have control over, the the quasi legal procedures instituted by Gingrich and McConnell, and the anti-constitutional powers granted by the Roberts Court - have given the reins of government to Elon Musk. Republicans are staging a coup. Fellow travelers - despite all evidence that Republicans care nothing for the facts or the law - are still pretending that they can be appeased. The only thing Republicans will understand is a Blue wall of Democrats united to say No. That has to be the starting point.
The world changed when corporations became “people” and could donate to politicians. In many cases, corporations became the politicians’ constituents rather than the voters back home!
Janet, thank you for your comment. You are so right, the United States has changed from a country for the people, to a country for a hand full of mega rich clowns. Welcome to the Circus?
If even MAGAs all in with Trump's agenda are a bit uncomfortable with 'he whose name musk not be said' then Jared might dip his little piggy toe in the water.
It is clear that Trump and MAGA , per Project 2025, intend to privatize and run for their own enrichment, every government agency. Please continue to stand in the breach.
Also, I find it ironic that MAGA acolytes complain about democratic spending when every republican president with rare exception, has blown up the deficit.. as did Trump!!!
Musk and the billionaire handlers of trump are aiming to slash and burn any and all "liberal" institutions, especially those which provide regulation, oversight and accountability.
When these entities are effectively neutered they will be free to do whatever they want to with our tax dollars, and ensure they'll never be challenged by elimination of elections and representative government completely. Don't believe it? Listen to Musk's words, in our White House oval office yesterday. Now is the time for every single Representative and Senator to make the choice for the Constitution, rather than the autocracy of the rich. Now. Before it is too late.
Tax fairness starts with multi billionaires paying what they should.
If you feel strongly about tax fairness and a fair budget then you should be "leading the charge" to block the budget bill by refusing to add enough Democratic votes until MAGATS put in significant things that 49% of the voters want - or at least what a majority of Maine voters want. I have to believe that a majority of voters in CD2 would support such an action.
Removing medical debt from credit reports was going to be a huge win for lower and middle class Americans, literally life changing for so many people. Ending that with CFPB is a huge loss.
Please fight to keep/restore consumer protections and information. Their elimination does not help most of us. And we cannot afford to finance continuing or new tax cuts for the wealthy!! This is especially duplicitous when these same people are cutting food and medicine aid and looking to do so to other safety net programs! STOP THE STEAL. STOP THE COUP!
Thank you for fighting for working class people in this country. What the oligarchs are doing isn't for this country or for anyone but themselves. There seems to be no limit to the amount of gold they need to hoard...
Representative, it was clear, at an appearance by Musk in the Oval Office yesterday, that the man has a poor understanding about the way our government works. He missed the point of how important our checks and balances are, when he stated that the courts are mere bureaucracy when they stand in the way of Trumpian policies. He must have missed part of his class about American Democracy when he was studying to become a citizen.
Musk holds press conference in Oval Office accompanied by young child and old parrot. Claims total transparency. Says anyone who sees anything wrong with his government contracts should speak up. At the same time any financial disclosures he makes will be kept secret
What an embarrassment. Leon with one of his 11 children in the Oval Office? Trump clearly bothered by the little brat. This relationship is not going to end well.
I agree the Trump 1st term tax cuts (for largely the wealthy)should not be continued. Republicans are ignoring how working people paid for the tax cuts and now they are cutting programs and payments already allocated for us to pay for more of them and Trump's disturbing idea that money saved from programs that help people should be spent on state-sanctioned piggy bank and his (?) ideas about what to do with that money is counter to anything resembling good governance.
Please use this platform to tell people far and wide what is happening to USDA, Healthcare, and Childcare allocations and programs. This will help people find a tangible way to understand what they are losing.
But glad you are telling Mainers and beyond how important the CFPB is.
This is your moment to make a difference, convince republicans why it is imperative to act against the illegal actions of this admin and whatever Musk and Dogeboys are doing.
I read the Washington Post piece where you spoke about trying to cooperate with the current administration. I believe you stated that we just cannot continue to say no to everything. Well, I understand where you are coming from, the difference here is the person we’re dealing with with. Trump has no conscience,no empathy, no understanding. I believe no matter how well intentions you are and how this would be common sense in a normal situation, you are not dealing with a normal person. Trump does no studies, takes no advice, does not look at the history of the work of the department or organization, and simply acts on instinct. And every instinct is detrimental to the American people. I don’t believe you can reason with sociopath.
Mary, your comments are spot on and in our Household we are afraid of the end result.
Unity and using the House rules to advantage are the minority party's superpowers. With Republicans - lick their boots and they'll kick you in the teeth. Look at Musk setting up a challenger on Collins - despite her appalling MAGA votes.
Forget the BlueDOGEs.
Forget NoSpines.
Get Smart.
Here's the GOP playbook to see how it's done.
Republican Playbook on Minority Power:
A Determined Minority: The House GOP in the 110th Congress - Congressional Institute
.https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/a-determined-minority-the-house-gop-in-the-110th-congress/.
keep believing the Democratic lie!
I saw no lies in Mary's comments. None. But I see Trump and Musk lying every day (even every hour). Extending the tax-cut for the rich is beyond foolish and counter-productive.
The CFPB saved the American people $21B in it's short history. Where's the reasoning for just dumping it? There's only one -- the CFPB has gotten money back from sleazy corporate theft (of the people) and Trump and Musk surely don't want that. They are thinking of themselves not the nation's citizens.
Dirk, thank you for your comment's. In my 74 years as a citizen of the United States I have never seen a coup in Washington, DC which has shut down our Treasury Department without a Congressional vote. This is not only scary times, The Trump Administration has failed to recognize our Constitution.
When someone ends his remarks with "and that’s the honest truth," you know it isn't. Musk makes statements with no supporting evidence and, even if it were true, would be based on information it would be illegal for him to possess.
While a blind pig might occasionally find a truffle, it's not OK to destroy the forest in searching.
She said sociopath; I think she meant psychopath.
just like Mary your comments are full of personal opinions with no real facts. Just another person with TDS. I could point out many of your lies but then you know which ones they are anyway. Keep imagining your fantasy world until the bottom of it drops out. Keep believing Trump is a fascist until the the real fascists show you who they are.
Obviously, we don’t know which lies you’re referring to. The truth is the members of this administration took an oath to defend the constitution and all they are doing is shredding it to bits. Musk was NOT elected by the people, appointed by Congress and has no security clearance. His only goal is to rob us blind. Please point out my inaccuracies.
Mary let's start with this article https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5286314/department-of-government-efficiency-doge-explainer-elon-musk from the favorite liberal mouthpiece NPR. Liberals keep saying DOGE is illegal but even NPR says nothing to outright say it's illegal, it only says might be illegal. DOGE was just a renaming of a USDS created by President Obama. So what you and your friends are saying is you want people in the federal government(somecases outside) to continue to continue to get rich off the American tax payer? shameful!
Musk CLAIMS to have found significant fraud and to have stopped practices which are costing “tens of billions” to American taxpayers, with not one shred of proof. If there was true fraud like he claims, he wouldn’t say, “I fixed it. All better now! You’re welcome.” There would be PROOF shown, prosecutions initiated and justice satisfied. Are you seeing anything remotely like that? Or just another “I alone can fix it” con man grabbing the good life at the expense of the weakest members of our society?
Let’s take a couple of current and egregiously obvious examples (there are thousands more).
1. President Trump clearly stated: Ukraine (and by extension Zelenskyy) started the Ukraine war.
2. He also stated: Zelenskyy is a dictator. He tacked on that Zelenskyy had super low ratings in Ukraine.
There is obviously no point in debating these lies. It’s just solid, easily provable, and widely known factual lies. There is endless video proof. There is no evidence to the contrary. Full Stop.
It’s the same as “the election was stolen”. There is bountiful proof that it was not and none to support that to was. Nothing. Nada. Zip. With backup of over 60 court cases (including 2 at SCOTUS); Trump and Trump supporters lost every one and often with the judges (some appointed by Trump) excoriating the plaintiffs.
I could give similar examples for hours and hours.
Let’s debate the issue on a level playing field, eh? With hard evidence shown to be accurate and true. Not this wishful thinking.
What lie are you referring to? Who won the 2020 election????
Jared, so glad you are on the right side of the tax cuts. The consumer protection bureau, FAA, USAID were investigating & fining Musk. That's why he's dismantling these institutions.
Dina, thank you for your comments of concern. Our government has been shut down over personal preference by both Elon and our President and we are all sacred about our future.
Lies are lie's, whether they come from Democrats or Republicans. Yet, to shut down our government completely without real proof of financial abuse or to edit that various agency's have misused funding, which our Congress approved on, does not appear to have favor with those voters who trusted their own representatives. Should we believe a pathological liar, that 40 million USDA dollars were given to the Taliban in the form of condoms seem realistic? Cut out the pork and continue with legitimate business but do not shut down every government agency located in Washington on a whim.
As a Mainer who is retired from NASA/NSF and spends winters in DC on Capitol Hill I am dismayed that Congress has rolled over on its back and is letting the felon and the acting president, Musk, destroy our constitutional checks and balances. Thank you Jared for doing what you have been doing. You and your colleagues need to keep the pressure on.
Jim, thank you for your comment. We all agree, this coup is not a Republican or Democratic idea, it was created by a handful of insurgence neither elected by the people nor with common sense as a denominator. Congress must wake up and stop this take over by Elon and company.
Republicans, having acquiesced, own it nevertheless.
"Congress has rolled over on its back ... "
Congress is not monolithic. Congress has not rolled over on its back. Republicans - not content with the legal procedures they legitimately have control over, the the quasi legal procedures instituted by Gingrich and McConnell, and the anti-constitutional powers granted by the Roberts Court - have given the reins of government to Elon Musk. Republicans are staging a coup. Fellow travelers - despite all evidence that Republicans care nothing for the facts or the law - are still pretending that they can be appeased. The only thing Republicans will understand is a Blue wall of Democrats united to say No. That has to be the starting point.
The world changed when corporations became “people” and could donate to politicians. In many cases, corporations became the politicians’ constituents rather than the voters back home!
Janet, thank you for your comment. You are so right, the United States has changed from a country for the people, to a country for a hand full of mega rich clowns. Welcome to the Circus?
Glad to see that your patience with Trump's "administration" has some limits. Stand up for NLRB and CFPB!
If even MAGAs all in with Trump's agenda are a bit uncomfortable with 'he whose name musk not be said' then Jared might dip his little piggy toe in the water.
It is clear that Trump and MAGA , per Project 2025, intend to privatize and run for their own enrichment, every government agency. Please continue to stand in the breach.
Also, I find it ironic that MAGA acolytes complain about democratic spending when every republican president with rare exception, has blown up the deficit.. as did Trump!!!
Musk and the billionaire handlers of trump are aiming to slash and burn any and all "liberal" institutions, especially those which provide regulation, oversight and accountability.
When these entities are effectively neutered they will be free to do whatever they want to with our tax dollars, and ensure they'll never be challenged by elimination of elections and representative government completely. Don't believe it? Listen to Musk's words, in our White House oval office yesterday. Now is the time for every single Representative and Senator to make the choice for the Constitution, rather than the autocracy of the rich. Now. Before it is too late.
Tax fairness starts with multi billionaires paying what they should.
If you feel strongly about tax fairness and a fair budget then you should be "leading the charge" to block the budget bill by refusing to add enough Democratic votes until MAGATS put in significant things that 49% of the voters want - or at least what a majority of Maine voters want. I have to believe that a majority of voters in CD2 would support such an action.
Removing medical debt from credit reports was going to be a huge win for lower and middle class Americans, literally life changing for so many people. Ending that with CFPB is a huge loss.
Please fight to keep/restore consumer protections and information. Their elimination does not help most of us. And we cannot afford to finance continuing or new tax cuts for the wealthy!! This is especially duplicitous when these same people are cutting food and medicine aid and looking to do so to other safety net programs! STOP THE STEAL. STOP THE COUP!
If you are so worried about tax dollars then why not fight all the ridiculous taxes we Mainers are having to pay? You are a hypocrite!
maybe she is. (it's irrelevant to this discussion.)
If they cut any veteran benefits iw will be a step too fer.
There have already been MANY “steps to far “.
Thank you for fighting for working class people in this country. What the oligarchs are doing isn't for this country or for anyone but themselves. There seems to be no limit to the amount of gold they need to hoard...
Sound thinking on eliminating tax breaks for the wealthy and easing the burden on low and middle class Americans. Thanks for your clarity and efforts.
so important.....
Now you're talking. Keep up the good work.
Representative, it was clear, at an appearance by Musk in the Oval Office yesterday, that the man has a poor understanding about the way our government works. He missed the point of how important our checks and balances are, when he stated that the courts are mere bureaucracy when they stand in the way of Trumpian policies. He must have missed part of his class about American Democracy when he was studying to become a citizen.
The last thing any egomaniac wants is to be checked or balanced.
Musk holds press conference in Oval Office accompanied by young child and old parrot. Claims total transparency. Says anyone who sees anything wrong with his government contracts should speak up. At the same time any financial disclosures he makes will be kept secret
What an embarrassment. Leon with one of his 11 children in the Oval Office? Trump clearly bothered by the little brat. This relationship is not going to end well.
Congressman Golden: we are all scared about Trumps coup and don't know our best course of action?
I agree the Trump 1st term tax cuts (for largely the wealthy)should not be continued. Republicans are ignoring how working people paid for the tax cuts and now they are cutting programs and payments already allocated for us to pay for more of them and Trump's disturbing idea that money saved from programs that help people should be spent on state-sanctioned piggy bank and his (?) ideas about what to do with that money is counter to anything resembling good governance.
Please use this platform to tell people far and wide what is happening to USDA, Healthcare, and Childcare allocations and programs. This will help people find a tangible way to understand what they are losing.
But glad you are telling Mainers and beyond how important the CFPB is.
This is your moment to make a difference, convince republicans why it is imperative to act against the illegal actions of this admin and whatever Musk and Dogeboys are doing.