Law be damned, Trump asserts unilateral control over executive branch, federal service (3 Viewers)

Donald Trump has ordered that swathes of America’s forests be felled for timber, evading rules to protect endangered species while doing so and raising the prospect of chainsaws razing some of the most ecologically important trees in the US.

The president, in an executive order, has demanded an expansion in tree cutting across 280m acres (113m hectares) of national forests and other public lands, claiming that “heavy-handed federal policies” have made America reliant on foreign imports of timber.

“It is vital that we reverse these policies and increase domestic timber production to protect our national and economic security,” the order adds.

Trump has instructed the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to increase logging targets and for officials to circumvent the US’s Endangered Species Act by using unspecified emergency powers to ignore protections placed upon vulnerable creatures’ habitats.

This move is similar to recent instructions by Trump to use a rarely-used committee to push through fossil fuel projects even if they imperil at-risk species. Experts have said this overriding of the Endangered Species Act is probably illegal.

The order also stipulates logging projects can be sped up if they are for purported wildfire risk reduction, via “thinning” of vegetation that could ignite. Some scientists have said that aggressively felling forests, particularly established, fire-resistant trees, actually increases the risk of fast-moving fires.

“This Trump executive order is the most blatant attempt in American history by a president to hand over federal public lands to the logging industry,” said Chad Hanson, wildfire scientist at the John Muir Project.

“What’s worse, the executive order is built on a lie, as Trump falsely claims that more logging will curb wildfires and protect communities, while the overwhelming weight of evidence shows exactly the opposite.”

Hanson said logging alters the microclimate of forests, creating hotter and drier conditions that helps wildfires, such as the events that recently ravaged Los Angeles, to spread faster.

“Trump’s exact approach, logging in remote forests and telling communities that it will stop fires, is responsible for numerous towns being destroyed by fires in recent years, and hundreds of lives lost,” he said.

Environmental groups decried Trump’s latest attempt to circumvent endangered species laws that shield about 400 species in national forests, including grizzly bears, spotted owls and wild salmon, and warned an increase in logging could pollute the water supply relied upon by millions of Americans..............

MT15 said:

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We have actual conseratives on the board, and there are conseratives. The George Will's of the world exist. They are no longer in the party though. It's just MAGA now. All of these people vote, and base their opinions on feels.

We witnessed all of this on the board. It became a meme that conserative posters start posting about Democrat corruption, but don't talk about Donald.

Where is the Hunter Biden crew on stuff like this? Do they just prefer open corruption? No, they don't actually care at all.

Another executive order bypassing applicable statutes. Would love to hear from any posters who have been defending this Admin’s actions.

Having a going out of business fire sale?
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The Trump administration has designated the headquarters of multiple cabinet departments and federal courthouses across the country as nonessential properties that can be sold off.

A website for the General Services Administration — the agency responsible for managing the government’s office space — detailing “buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations” now includes the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.

The GSA also says a large swath of prime real estate near the White House, including the Office of Personnel Management’s Theodore Roosevelt Building HQ, the building used to house offices of the United States Trade Representative, the headquarters of the American Red Cross, and the Old Post Office building — a national historic landmark that was formerly leased by President Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate company for use as a hotel — are “non-core” and therefore ripe for disposal as well.

In addition, the agency has also designated its own headquarters, as well as the headquarters of the Department of Labor, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Transportation as unnecessary and potentially for sale.

Outside of Washington, GSA has also marked for potential sale the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, Maryland, the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland, and buildings used by the Food and Drug Administration in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Trump administration also wants to dispose of the John F Kennedy Federal Building and the Thomas P O’Neill Federal Building, both located in Boston, and the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Georgia, the largest single federal building in the southeast which currently houses the Federal Railroad Administration. Federal courthouses in Florida, Georgia, and Indiana would also be up for sale under the GSA proposal.

Overall, the administration’s plan would mean the vast majority of cabinet departments and scores of other agencies would lose their own headquarters buildings and be at the mercy of private landlords and developers when it comes to finding space for their operations in the future.…….

Optimus Prime said:

Having a going out of business fire sale?
=========================


The Trump administration has designated the headquarters of multiple cabinet departments and federal courthouses across the country as nonessential properties that can be sold off.

A website for the General Services Administration — the agency responsible for managing the government’s office space — detailing “buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations” now includes the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.

The GSA also says a large swath of prime real estate near the White House, including the Office of Personnel Management’s Theodore Roosevelt Building HQ, the building used to house offices of the United States Trade Representative, the headquarters of the American Red Cross, and the Old Post Office building — a national historic landmark that was formerly leased by President Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate company for use as a hotel — are “non-core” and therefore ripe for disposal as well.

In addition, the agency has also designated its own headquarters, as well as the headquarters of the Department of Labor, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Transportation as unnecessary and potentially for sale.

Outside of Washington, GSA has also marked for potential sale the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, Maryland, the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland, and buildings used by the Food and Drug Administration in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Trump administration also wants to dispose of the John F Kennedy Federal Building and the Thomas P O’Neill Federal Building, both located in Boston, and the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Georgia, the largest single federal building in the southeast which currently houses the Federal Railroad Administration. Federal courthouses in Florida, Georgia, and Indiana would also be up for sale under the GSA proposal.

Overall, the administration’s plan would mean the vast majority of cabinet departments and scores of other agencies would lose their own headquarters buildings and be at the mercy of private landlords and developers when it comes to finding space for their operations in the future.…….

Trump admin wants to sell off DOJ headquarters and courthouses

The General Services Administration says the DOJ headquarters building and the FBI building across the street are ‘not core to government operations’ and can therefore be sold off

www.independent.co.uk

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This is so forking stupid and is going to cost the US tax payers tons of money in the future.

Trump is likely doing this to offset cost for the tax breaks for his billionaire buddies. Short term minor payout for long term major cost, shortsighted as always.

Optimus Prime said:

Having a going out of business fire sale?
=========================


The Trump administration has designated the headquarters of multiple cabinet departments and federal courthouses across the country as nonessential properties that can be sold off.

A website for the General Services Administration — the agency responsible for managing the government’s office space — detailing “buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations” now includes the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.

The GSA also says a large swath of prime real estate near the White House, including the Office of Personnel Management’s Theodore Roosevelt Building HQ, the building used to house offices of the United States Trade Representative, the headquarters of the American Red Cross, and the Old Post Office building — a national historic landmark that was formerly leased by President Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate company for use as a hotel — are “non-core” and therefore ripe for disposal as well.

In addition, the agency has also designated its own headquarters, as well as the headquarters of the Department of Labor, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Transportation as unnecessary and potentially for sale.

Outside of Washington, GSA has also marked for potential sale the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, Maryland, the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland, and buildings used by the Food and Drug Administration in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Trump administration also wants to dispose of the John F Kennedy Federal Building and the Thomas P O’Neill Federal Building, both located in Boston, and the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Georgia, the largest single federal building in the southeast which currently houses the Federal Railroad Administration. Federal courthouses in Florida, Georgia, and Indiana would also be up for sale under the GSA proposal.

Overall, the administration’s plan would mean the vast majority of cabinet departments and scores of other agencies would lose their own headquarters buildings and be at the mercy of private landlords and developers when it comes to finding space for their operations in the future.…….

Trump admin wants to sell off DOJ headquarters and courthouses

The General Services Administration says the DOJ headquarters building and the FBI building across the street are ‘not core to government operations’ and can therefore be sold off

www.independent.co.uk

Click to expand...

And here come the Russians, Chinese and Saudis to snatch at discounted rates, have access once they lease back. Especially to investigative agencies like FBI or DoJ.

If you don't think they would have unfettered access to what these agencies (and all others) are up to, you are simply blind.

Another ruling by a federal judge that Trump broke the law.

The mayor of Washington, D.C. signaled Tuesday that the mural marking Black Lives Matter Plaza in view of the White House will likely be painted over after a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill threatening the District’s federal funding if it fails to change the name.

Black Lives Matter Plaza is marked with a mural of its name in bright-yellow letters along a two-block pedestrian stretch of 16th Street NW in downtown D.C.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, the second Black woman to serve as D.C. mayor, addressed wiping out the name in a post on X and in a news release titled “The Evolution of Black Lives Matter Plaza” a day after the proposed legislation was introduced.

She wrote that the plaza would become part of a citywide project in which students and artists would create new murals on the street to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” Bowser wrote.…..

The plaza bill, HR 1774, introduced by Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde, seeks to withhold federal funding unless the city “removes the phrase Black Lives Matter from the street symbolically designated as Black Lives Matter Plaza ... in addition to government websites, documents and other material under Washington, D.C. jurisdiction.“

The bill calls for the area to be redesignated as “Liberty Plaza.”

Optimus Prime said:

The mayor of Washington, D.C. signaled Tuesday that the mural marking Black Lives Matter Plaza in view of the White House will likely be painted over after a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill threatening the District’s federal funding if it fails to change the name.

Black Lives Matter Plaza is marked with a mural of its name in bright-yellow letters along a two-block pedestrian stretch of 16th Street NW in downtown D.C.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, the second Black woman to serve as D.C. mayor, addressed wiping out the name in a post on X and in a news release titled “The Evolution of Black Lives Matter Plaza” a day after the proposed legislation was introduced.

She wrote that the plaza would become part of a citywide project in which students and artists would create new murals on the street to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” Bowser wrote.…..

The plaza bill, HR 1774, introduced by Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde, seeks to withhold federal funding unless the city “removes the phrase Black Lives Matter from the street symbolically designated as Black Lives Matter Plaza ... in addition to government websites, documents and other material under Washington, D.C. jurisdiction.“

The bill calls for the area to be redesignated as “Liberty Plaza.”

DC will rename Black Lives Matter Plaza after federal funding threat

The city is due to receive $1.5 billion in federal grants for its 2025 operating budget

www.independent.co.uk

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I guess whitewashing will be the norm the next 4 years. Smh.

Republicans have made it very clear that Black Live Don't Matter. At least to them.

Optimus Prime said:

Having a going out of business fire sale?
=========================


The Trump administration has designated the headquarters of multiple cabinet departments and federal courthouses across the country as nonessential properties that can be sold off.

A website for the General Services Administration — the agency responsible for managing the government’s office space — detailing “buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations” now includes the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.

The GSA also says a large swath of prime real estate near the White House, including the Office of Personnel Management’s Theodore Roosevelt Building HQ, the building used to house offices of the United States Trade Representative, the headquarters of the American Red Cross, and the Old Post Office building — a national historic landmark that was formerly leased by President Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate company for use as a hotel — are “non-core” and therefore ripe for disposal as well.

In addition, the agency has also designated its own headquarters, as well as the headquarters of the Department of Labor, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Transportation as unnecessary and potentially for sale.

Outside of Washington, GSA has also marked for potential sale the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, Maryland, the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland, and buildings used by the Food and Drug Administration in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Trump administration also wants to dispose of the John F Kennedy Federal Building and the Thomas P O’Neill Federal Building, both located in Boston, and the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center in Georgia, the largest single federal building in the southeast which currently houses the Federal Railroad Administration. Federal courthouses in Florida, Georgia, and Indiana would also be up for sale under the GSA proposal.

Overall, the administration’s plan would mean the vast majority of cabinet departments and scores of other agencies would lose their own headquarters buildings and be at the mercy of private landlords and developers when it comes to finding space for their operations in the future.…….

Trump admin wants to sell off DOJ headquarters and courthouses

The General Services Administration says the DOJ headquarters building and the FBI building across the street are ‘not core to government operations’ and can therefore be sold off

www.independent.co.uk

Click to expand...

Now we get to see if the administration follows through with this.

UncleTrvlingJim said:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-05/supreme-court-rejects-trump-on-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze

Now we get to see if the administration follows through with this.

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I would be utterly stunned if they did not…just joking. I would be utterly stunned if they did.

bird said:

I would be utterly stunned if they did not…just joking. I would be utterly stunned if they did.

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yeah, i know... and keep in mind, this is to just pay out money for work already performed. The fact that this was a 5-4 decision is perplexing to me. I did not read the dissenting opinion though... i've been waiting for @superchuck500 to break it down for me.

Here’s a clue. Alito wrote the dissent.

“Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic ‘No,’ but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise. I am stunned,” Alito wrote, joined by the three others.

From this article:

MT15 said:

Here’s a clue. Alito wrote the dissent.

“Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic ‘No,’ but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise. I am stunned,” Alito wrote, joined by the three others.

From this article:

Supreme Court denies Trump administration request to cancel $2 billion in foreign aid — The Hill

The Supreme Court in a 5-4 emergency ruling Wednesday refused to halt a judge’s decision ordering the Trump administration to immediately release nearly $2 billion in foreign aid payments owed under existing contracts.

apple.news

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yeah, I read that, but I want to know if that is as dumb as it sounds from a legal standpoint. As I understand it, the judge is ordering the government to pay for costs already incurred on behalf of the government and at the direction of the government. Which seems to me to be perfectly in line with the a judge's power.