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The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

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Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#61

Post by afavour »

bryant wrote: post #2

Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? The courts are themselves slow and ultimately roll up to allies of the despot. People say that the midterms are crucial, but the midterms are only likely to be won if Democrats truly unify and apply winning strategies. Sadly the only winning strategies now seem to involve tell…

I don't even know if I believe there's any chance of this myself but it's worth pointing out that Republicans currently have a House majority of... 2. It's unlikely but not inconceivable that a few house members could be persuaded to vote with Democrats to push back, simply because they're in a swing state and we keep seeing videos of very mad voters confronting their representatives. Anyone in a swing district interested in securing re-election should be considering it.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#62

Post by jfengel »

slater wrote: post #9
lazide wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same people voted the folks into Congress too.

One can only hope for a blue tsunami for the midterms, though I'm not getting my hopes up.

I can't imagine why 2026 should be any different than 2024. He's doing exactly what he promised. Those who voted for him will still be in favor, at least compared to the alternative. Voters who stayed home will still see no difference between the parties.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#63

Post by simscitizen »

tw04 wrote: post #8
bryant wrote: post #2

Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? The courts are themselves slow and ultimately roll up to allies of the despot. People say that the midterms are crucial, but the midterms are only likely to be won if Democrats truly unify and apply winning strategies. Sadly the only winning strategies now seem to involve tell…

> Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? Impeachment. In a functioning government. Because the elected person campaigned on not doing any of these things.

And replace him with JD Vance?

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#64

Post by lazide »

dangus wrote: post #51
lazide wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same people voted the folks into Congress too.

Sure, but the whole idea of representative democracy (a Republic[1]) is supposed to be that Congress and other elected members of government are supposed to be immune from the trappings of mob rule. In other words, the excuse you are making is that people voted for the government to start doing borderline illegal or at the very least highly misguided and self-destrctive things that are against the interest of their c…

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” - H.L. Mencken

Elections matter.

Don’t think I’m a Trump Fan. I’ve been warning about this exact thing since before the first election. But people had to go and stick the butter knife in the wall socket anyway, and they clearly need to learn the hard way what happens.

What do you expect? A coup? I’m sure you know as well as anyone how that would go right now. Too few people are willing to believe what is actually happening right in front of them. And frankly, wouldn’t that just be being the enemy?

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#65

Post by sitkack »

bryant wrote: post #2

Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? The courts are themselves slow and ultimately roll up to allies of the despot. People say that the midterms are crucial, but the midterms are only likely to be won if Democrats truly unify and apply winning strategies. Sadly the only winning strategies now seem to involve tell…

This attitude normalizes giving up, I sure hope that isn't your intention.

The constitution is stronger than a narcissistic moron, these actions are illegal.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#66

Post by gedy »

ivraatiems wrote: post #16
bryant wrote: post #2

Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? The courts are themselves slow and ultimately roll up to allies of the despot. People say that the midterms are crucial, but the midterms are only likely to be won if Democrats truly unify and apply winning strategies. Sadly the only winning strategies now seem to involve tell…

Frankly, I am not at all convinced any further elections in the US will be free or fair given who is currently in power and what they've openly said about elections and what they want to do to them. The only real functional way forward at this point is some form of mass protest or resistance, which I see as unlikely to occur (and which I am not necessarily advocating for here on HN). Barring that, the reality is that…

> The only real functional way forward at this point is some form of mass protest or resistance,

Maybe, just maybe, the opposition party could quit offering these shit sandwich candidates as an alternative?

I can't believe there's no Democrat politicians out there who could've beat Trump handily. But the DNC seems totally disfunctional in picking candidates.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#67

Post by esalman »

spiderfarmer wrote: post #23

The country is gripped by a fever, with 47.9% of the population basking in the heat. These individuals are indifferent to anything that doesn’t directly impact them. In fact, they quietly relish others’ complaints, seeing them as a sign that they’re somehow gaining the upper hand.

47.9% of those who voted, not the total population. I am not a US citizen myself and I did not vote, for example.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#68

Post by motorest »

a-dub wrote: post #53

if they were honestly trying to improve things, the cuts would be phased in over a few funding cycles at a minimum. it's hard to see surprise cuts as anything more than willful vandalism and a gift to global competitors. time to donate time and money to their opposition. one month in and they've already proven themselves a failure.

> it's hard to see surprise cuts as anything more than willful vandalism and a gift to global competitors.

From an outsider's point of view, anything that the Trump administration is doing sounds an awful lot like the total destruction of the United States government, and consequently the country.

Let's put it this way: there have been military coups that did a far better job at preserving state institutions, even after purging the regime. The Trump administration clearly has a different goal in mind, from internal government structure to international relations and even alliances.

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#69

Post by JoshTko »

bryant wrote: post #2

Practically speaking, when the majority of people who decided to vote voted for the person applying these policies, what mitigations are left? The courts are themselves slow and ultimately roll up to allies of the despot. People say that the midterms are crucial, but the midterms are only likely to be won if Democrats truly unify and apply winning strategies. Sadly the only winning strategies now seem to involve tell…

Midterms would be way to late

Re: The NIH is being slashed and burned, not "reformed"

#70

Post by numpad0 »

PKop wrote: post #21
bongodongobob wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

[flagged]

It's the obvious answer in everyone's minds, sensible thing to say or not. Frankly, as someone outside US, I'd think twice before even visiting a US embassy right now.
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