[worry]

It's a bad decision because it overemphasizes the 'injury' to the federal government (whih is essentially nil) and minimizes the 'injury' to eligible voters (which to every individual affected, is massive), but it's not a catastrophe for the midterms (like the USPS thing would have been if they sided with Trump). The SAVE database itself isn't new and is used to inquire about status for all kinds of government programs, and eligibility to vote isn't one of them, at least directly. Indirectly it can be, in that Citizenship status is one determinant of eligibility, but it's not the only one and SAVE's limited number of status codes aren't specific to any one program or benefit (or right).

Trump's EO is certainly meant to help red states kick certain classes of eligible voters -- namely naturalized citizens -- off the voter rolls, but neither the database nor the law really work to do that in a mass purge kind of way. For one, if a state enters someone's info into the system and it returns a non-Citizen status, the state has an obligation to contact that person to clear things up before they're removed from the voter register (and I believe this point is reiterated in the SCOTUS decision). That's kind of where the poll tax type stuff comes in here, having to prove yourself again, that kind of thing. But also, separately from all of that, since we're under 90 days before the election states can't really mess around with voter rolls anyway, so they can't do anything with SAVE to affect the midterms.

@Garak: We aren't issued any kind of card at any point unless we request them, and they typically have costs associated with them. Even Social Security Numbers are opt-in, though for most people born in the US that's usually handled pretty immediately at the hospital. The Social Security Card is free, and is one of the main things used to register to vote. But also non-citizens of various statuses can also get Social Security Numbers, so what Trump's EO is hoping to do is stop naturalized citizens from voting because the SAVE database hasn't updated their status from permanent resident to USC. Basically the hopse is to disenfranchise people due to bureaucracy issues outside their control.

It's a nasty, dirty trick for sure -- and again, the disenfrachisement of anyone from pursuing their right to vote is a massive injury on the individual level -- but it's not really a midterm issue. Post-midterm elections, in tandem with other devious efforts that exacerbate the buraucracy stuff for instance, could be an issue so this remains a bad decision. I guess also worth noting SCOTUS didn't decide the merits of the case, just the administrative stay, and the case is still in lower courts. But that's continually been one way the Roberts court has helped the GOP.

[worry]

Unless, you know, Red States do other things they're not supposed to do, and it throws a massive spanner in the works, but what's the likelihood of that?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

worry, on 25 September 2026 - 10:59 PM, said:

since we're under 90 days before the election states can't really mess around with voter rolls anyway, so they can't do anything with SAVE to affect the midterms.

... but Trump will use the discrepancies as an excuse to contest the election results...

[worry]

For sure, but that was inevitable. And also under any scrutiny, the discrepancies approach zero. For instance: https://thenevadaind...zens-state-says

I'm not suggesting anyone should trust SCOTUS, or the SAVE database, or Republicans at any level of government, or even that good will win out in the end.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Quote

Trump's White House has made 13 taxpayer-funded ads glorifying the president, including one that solemnly declares: "God made Trump."

[...] posing with fighter jets [...] and even celebrating the UFC spectacle he hosted on the White House lawn. The administration calls the spots "public service announcements," [...]

The ads have drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with lawmakers questioning whether taxpayer money can legally be used to promote the president and his political message.

[...] Their titles include [...] "King of the Jungle," [... and] all end with the message: "Paid for by the U.S. Government." [...] A 13th ad, "Final Battle," which CNN did not obtain, has also aired.

Donald Trump Cranks Up His Propaganda Ad Blitz - The Daily Beast

And what might he want to aid him in the "final battle"?...

Quote

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday the launch of a new U.S. military command with "service-like authorities" to facilitate the rapid adoption of autonomous and robotic assets across the entire joint force.

The Autonomous Warfare Command emerges as Defense Department personnel have been confronting severe technical and structural bottlenecks as they hustle to buy and deploy affordable drones and associated unmanned capabilities en masse for modern combat operations.

[...] Hegseth billed the new command as a response to major recent advancements in drone warfare and AI-enabled targeting.

U.S. creates new Autonomous Warfare Command to fuse and enhance military drone ops | DefenseScoop

The US Department of War posted "AI-First War Department":

Quote

Americanism, not effective altruism.

The United States will continue to be AI DOMINANT!

https://www.instagra...Tc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Well, at least that will make it easier for superintelligence to eventually take over... but if it replaced Trump with a humanoid robot, would Melania notice?

In the meantime, Trump is again trying to bribe midterm voters by giving elderly people about 2 billion dollars:

Quote

Trump promises $100 checks for 20 million seniors for Medicare

[...] Facing the worst economic polling of any president in the last decade, and with the midterm quickly approaching, Trump is actively trying to put money back in Americans' pockets.

Zoom in: In early September he promised $5,000 for every adult citizen if Republicans win the midterm, a promise he reiterated Friday night but one that most voters don't believe.

He's floated $500 Obamacare rebates for more than 1 million people who were purportedly overcharged for their benefits.
He also recently suggested a less-specific dividend of some kind for those living near data centers.
These ideas come on top of rebates he proposed in 2025 that were not ultimately paid, including tariff rebates and DOGE dividends.

Trump promises $100 checks for 20 million seniors for Medicare - Axios

Trying to bring down inflation by giving people more money... OTOH government payouts are probably going to start making up the majority of most peoples' income within our lifetimes, and these are baby steps towards that.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 03 October 2026 - 05:05 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Quote

[Trump:] "[Iran] can take out a city. Let them take, let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego. That's — this is a very small price to pay" [...]

The audience cheered when he said "let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego," and the moment instantly went viral. An uproar ensued among critics — both Democrats and Republicans — who interpreted Mr. Trump's comments as either inviting Iran to "take out" cities in California or as his seeing those cities as collateral.

What, Exactly, Did Trump Say About Iran Taking Out Los Angeles and San Diego? - The New York Times

... but he'd probably prefer it if they waited until early on election day... and did blue cities in multiple swing states.

[Nicodimas]

As of today the ATF and federal government wave decided to not seek enforcement of short barrel weapons , silencers and ANY other weapon too. Interesting verbiage too boot..very clear guidance.


A win for freedom !

Now lets see which next gun law we can ..remove from existence next...Autos/Type two should be at very least reclassified and then once shown to be safe to society.


Sidebar: Watching the collapse of Europe is something I very adamtly did say. When you give up your ability to defend yourself you put your whole culture at risk of being conquered. A little but important part of your brain turns off. This will grow of course and western way of life in Europe will most likely end in the next years. Sadly. Bill Maher is one hundred percent correct here. Culturally speaking that's one of the most important reasons we keep the second around. It instills a sense of self direction , agency and knowledge that you always must remember your on your own. As people we see this daily and wheres people's support. LA is a good example 8.5k cops for 4 million people.

Nobody is here to actually protect you..but yoursef. Keep your head on swivel and plan accordingly. Getting interesting now!


Hope you all stay safe !

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[Tsundoku]

Nico, while I appreciate your forthrightness, I'm not sure whether or not your tongue is firmly in cheek in this one.

You mention the word "safe" a couple of times, but I'm pretty sure doing this means society will be a lot LESS safe.
I mean, against the very small chance of Govt deciding to go full totalitarian (admittedly a lot higher under Trump and the Reps, but still small), you will have a much, MUCH higher chance of school shooters and other sorts of spree killers and criminals in general doing MORE damage. Be careful beeping that guy who cut you off in traffic if you don't want your car and family turned into Swiss cheese.
And of course, since there's pretty much zero obstacles to the mentally ill getting their hands on one or more of your "freedom dispensers", I'm sure that won't go horribly wrong.

Oh, and when it comes to that possible Govt overreach - do you think a guy upgrading from a semi-auto to an auto means diddly squat to whatever the military have? I assure you, it does not.
Personally I think the USA military would refuse most such unlawful orders, but you never know, especially in a few years time. They have purged a lot of decent officers and installed lickspittles in the military as well as the rest of the Govt, and it just takes a bit of "death by a thousand cuts" or the "slowly boiling frog" to convince the less-educated and more zealous among them to follow an order that may a year earlier be obviously completely unlawful.
Especially if the corrupt evangelical whackjobs and dog-whistlers get behind it.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 09 October 2026 - 10:52 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

Nico is an unhinged maniac who doesn't believe any other country in the world actually has freedom and has fully drank the US gun lobby propaganda. I find it best to ignore rather than engage because there's no good faith engagement from him.

[Garak]

The US is overspilling with guns but they let the goverment do whatever evil crap it wants (I have a suspicion most gun nuts are also MAGAs). Meanwhile the French have no guns and make their goverment shit its pants every time they are upset about something.

[Maark Abbott]

It's sort of Kirkurious isn't it.