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Culture War Roundup for the week of January 20, 2025

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For years I have heard on this forum and other places that Trump is an idiot who can't govern, doesn't know what to do to effect change, is to vain to do the right things, or won't simply because he doesn't really care. It's futile to vote for Trump. He doesnt know what he's doing. And I have been called unserious for believing in Donald Trump's excellence. Today I would like to start taking my victory lap:

https://x.com/awprokop/status/1881900975851708751?t=8OquEiW6cV89zAtXmm9kng&s=19

Trump is abolishing Affirmative Action in federal contracting. He is going to order the government to pressure private companies to end Affirmative Action. This directly benefits my career. This ends bad policy that is massively unpopular and is the kind of thing many people predicted Trump would never do. I voted this. I am thrilled!

I am doubling down on my prediction that Trump Era will be remembered as a Golden Age, will fundamentally reshape American history for the better, and will in fact be enjoyed even by thosr who have been most skeptical!

What’s the likelihood that this just ALL flops back in 4 years?

Just one giant omnibus EO that every flipping presidential party signs which renames the gulf of America, Mount McKinley, Fort Bragg, re-establishes affirmative action, cancels the keystone XL/Stargate/Moonbase etc?

I’m kind of in shock that for the first time in my life a politician actually seems to be looking out for me, but I’m still cynical. We have about 1200 days to run as hard and as fast as we possibly can, but after that then what?

It took decades to build this regime. It can be undone in a matter of days. The taste of victory is sweet and success begets success. You can just do things. We can win. So are you going to fight? Are you going to fight for the future you want? It's not something that just happens once every four years. It's a choice you make.

People are never going back. Whatever the future looks like is different now. The future belongs to people inspired by Trump

It can be undone in a matter of days

No, it can't. Not with legal mechanisms, anyway.

You can just do things.

No, you can't. Because you need people able and willing to carry things out. Only one side has that.

We can win.

No, we probably can't.

So are you going to fight?

No, I can't imagine people actually doing so. They'll do a lot of pointless stuff that feels like fighting — and winning — in the moment, but doesn't actually amount to anything. (See Yarvin here and here).

People are never going back.

Of course they are. They have every time before; if only because they'll be forced to.

No, it can't. Not with legal mechanisms, anyway.

Every executive agency has dismantled its DEI program overnight. Every DEI program employee is on leave pending termination. Remember the FAA hiring scandal from a while ago? Every [edit]critical[/edit] FAA employee will be subject to a mandatory performance review. At least one Biden/Harris appointee who attempted to hide herself in the "non-political appointees" pool was exposed and fired.

No, you can't. Because you need people able and willing to carry things out. Only one side has that.

ICE arrested 583 people and issued almost 400 requests for detention in one day. This represents a near-doubling of the average daily arrests from September last year which stand at 282 arrests per day, the last month we have data for. The Remain in Mexico policy has been officially reinstated, and the Department of Justice has officially prioritized immigration enforcement. Deportation flights have already begun. Mexico is preparing to receive waves of deportees. Many people with dubious immigrant status are already choosing to self-deport. I say dubious because I have seen reports that people who were here legally are also choosing to leave.

It has been four days.

Edit:

And on the fourth day, ICE made 593 arrests with 449 detainment requests made. Again, average arrests made per day under Biden were under 300.

Every FAA employee

*Every FAA employee in a critical safety position (presumably including every air traffic controller)

Whoops, good catch.