Mike
@forbesmm.bsky.social
2.4K followers 370 following 160 posts
Baseball fan. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
forbesmm.bsky.social
I am generally in favor of Paying The Troops, but just saying (if anecdotal reports are accurate) whoever at DFAS did this is doing a lot of crimes! SCOTUS may have given the president godlike immunity, but that doesn’t apply to anyone else 😬
forbesmm.bsky.social
- 31 U.S.C. § 1350: “An officer or employee of the United States Government … knowingly and willfully violating section 1341(a) or 1342 of this title shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.”
www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/...
forbesmm.bsky.social
- 31 U.S.C. §1341(a): “an officer or employee of the USG may not make or authorize an expenditure or obligation exceeding an amount available in an appropriation”
www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/...
forbesmm.bsky.social
In case anyone needs these reference this week for whatever reason:

- Article I, Section 9: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law”
constitution.congress.gov/constitution/
Reposted by Mike
mikeblack114.bsky.social
The executive is usurping a core Article I function, this should be treated with the same amount of alarm as if he declared he's disbanding Congress, because that's functionally what he's doing/done
Reposted by Mike
mikeblack114.bsky.social
since there's reports on social media of money hitting accounts worth reiterating that this is illegal and unconstitutional as shit, it's not a close question, and while I don't expect anyone on H/SASC or H/SAC will do anything, anyone performing this 'reprogramming' should face criminal penalties
mikeblack114.bsky.social
It's also worth reiterating that absent this reprogramming authority being written into law it would be not just illegal but flatly unconstitutional for DoD to expend money in any fashion not explicitly specified (by both type/use and quantity) by Congress in an appropriations bill
mikeblack114.bsky.social
Since we're getting a crash course in DoD reprogramming authority, CRS has a good report on it linked below. Some important points:

Congress gives DoD reprogramming authority because when you're dealing with a trillion dollars, some stuff is probably going to need to be changed over 12 months
forbesmm.bsky.social
christ, how embarrassing

and is that last one a pitch for something to do with a … rucksack? to the SECARMY? fuck offfffffffffff
forbesmm.bsky.social
lol yes (Doug 👇)
A black dog with a yellow collar. His name is Doug.
forbesmm.bsky.social
I get texts from Kroger “DOUG DOG, your prescription is ready for pickup…”
Reposted by Mike
kenwhite.bsky.social
ICE is thug trash.
anotherjonah.bsky.social
This morning I was filming ICE abducting sometime in Petworth. One of the agents told me "the last US citizen that did this he put in cuffs all the way to the courtroom".
forbesmm.bsky.social
forbesmm.bsky.social
*Even if* this VC-shark tank-rapid iNnOvAtiOn model were actually better at buying things, I feel like constantly shoveling new Tech™️ and apps and shit into The Hands Of Warfighters is … bad? At this pace how are end users going to train and integrate the new thing before the NEXT thing comes along?
forbesmm.bsky.social
Cairo, a famously low-crime city.
atrupar.com
Trump in Egypt: "This country is doing very well. It has good leadership. It's nice when you say, 'How is your crime situation?' and they don't even know what you're talking about. Because if he has crime he puts it out very quickly. Some people think that's not nice, but I think it's great."
forbesmm.bsky.social
*Even if* this VC-shark tank-rapid iNnOvAtiOn model were actually better at buying things, I feel like constantly shoveling new Tech™️ and apps and shit into The Hands Of Warfighters is … bad? At this pace how are end users going to train and integrate the new thing before the NEXT thing comes along?
forbesmm.bsky.social
I mean it says “QUALITÉ SUPERIEURE” right on there so that means it’s probably good, right
Reposted by Mike
uticaeric.bsky.social
If there’s ever been a moment to go all in on “America is different and we reject this” it’s right now.

It’s the only American Exceptionalism worth backing.

If your candidate can’t say it or won’t say it, they’re running for the Applesauce Party, which caucuses with Stephen Miller’s men.
Reposted by Mike
uticaeric.bsky.social
There’s not a tradition of masked police in America,

Ds saying “this is not right; we will hold those responsible & those participating accountable” is the message.

It is a kitchen table issue.

It is inflation.

It is schools.

It is the price of gas.

It is Support The Troops.

It’s the shot.
grahamformaine.bsky.social
We have armed secret police kidnapping people off the street based on the color of their skin.

When we win: we will haul them before a Senate committee. The masks will come off. There will be consequences.
forbesmm.bsky.social
Hmm if you don’t remember last week that probably explains also not remembering the same conversation a month before that
forbesmm.bsky.social
The traditional phrase baseball fans use to express this is “[amount of time in days] until pitchers and catchers report”

(which as of now is 120)
forbesmm.bsky.social
the salmons’ performance in the ALCS is gonna determine if they are heroes in mariners lore for decades

or if they are late October specials at Pike Place Market
forbesmm.bsky.social
I’m not the one who ran a second salmon race! playing with fire imo
forbesmm.bsky.social
“Look son. I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.”

“What”

“Exactly”
forbesmm.bsky.social
“sure, I may be bad at my job. but have you considered that you could get the same bad output while also not paying me? checkmate, libs.”