Progressive Thinking

Trump used Musk as the face of brutal budget cuts and will gladly throw him under the bus.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - It’s not a question of if Elon Musk will step down from his so-called “government role” — it’s a question of when. And if you’re paying attention, you already know why.

Musk is expected to resign by the end of May because the law requires that, after 130 days, a special government employee like him has to disclose his personal finances. And there is no way Elon Musk is going to let the American people get a peek behind that curtain. He’s not about to reveal how much he’s profiting while fronting Trump’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) and its brutal, sweeping budget cuts.

But here’s the part that should make everyone furious: this was Trump’s plan from day one.

Bringing in Musk was never about “efficiency” or “innovation” — it was about putting a billionaire tech celebrity in front of the cameras to make the gutting of vital federal programs look like some kind of Silicon Valley makeover. Musk was the shiny object Trump dangled in front of the public while slashing services and selling off our government piece by piece.

And now that the cuts are in motion and the damage is done, Trump will do what he always does: turn on his own guy and deny responsibility. As soon as Musk walks away — conveniently before he’s forced to disclose any financial conflicts — the Trump administration will toss him aside like yesterday’s trash. Every blunder, every failure, every outrage will get pinned on Musk. It’s the same playbook Trump has used over and over again: use people, let them take the fall, and walk away clean.

Elon Musk was nothing but a decoy. And when he’s gone, the Trump machine will happily throw him under the bus, blame him for every mess, and pretend they had nothing to do with it.

The truth is, we were all played. And we’re the ones left holding the bag.

Summary

Elon Musk’s upcoming exit from Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) isn’t surprising — it’s part of the plan. In this scathing op-ed, Laura Kiefert exposes how Musk was used as a political pawn to front devastating budget cuts, only to be thrown under the bus when the heat turned up.

That money could have changed lives — instead, it was wasted buying power.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - In 2025, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election wasn’t just ugly — it was obscene. A jaw-dropping $92.1 million was spent fighting over one seat on our state’s highest court. Not to improve justice. Not to serve the people. But to weaponize the court and turn it into a political pawn.

This election wasn’t really about Wisconsin at all. It became a national proxy war, a playground for billionaires, political machines, and out-of-state interests looking to buy influence. And they did it on our backs.

Who Paid to Control Wisconsin’s Court

The money poured in from every corner of the country:

On Brad Schimel’s side:

• Elon Musk’s political network: $12.5 million, including a shameful $1 million “voter lottery” scheme meant to bribe voters.
• Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein: $8 million — Illinois billionaires bankrolling far-right causes.
• Judicial Fairness Network & Wisconsin Liberty Alliance: $16.4 million from corporate PACs.
• Schimel’s campaign fund: $8.2 million.

Total pro-Schimel spending: $45.1 million

On Susan Crawford’s side:

• George Soros-backed PACs: $9.3 million — more out-of-state billionaire influence.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker’s network: $6.5 million — more Illinois money meddling in our court.
• AFSCME & NEA unions: $10.7 million — unions buying their seat at the table.
• National Democratic PACs: $11.9 million from Washington, D.C. Super PACs.
• Crawford’s campaign fund: $6.5 million.

Total pro-Crawford spending: $44.9 million

When you tally it all up, it’s clear this wasn’t a Wisconsin race. It was an all-out bidding war — and Wisconsin voters were caught in the crossfire.

How the Money Was Wasted

Here’s where that $92 million really went:

• $14.7 million in official campaign funds.
• $36.2 million from conservative PACs & billionaires.
• $25.9 million from liberal PACs, unions, and mega-donors.
• $3 million on Musk’s unethical voter lottery scheme.
• $52.4 million on ugly, mudslinging attack ads.
• $8.6 million on voter outreach.
• $1.3 million on legal fees and compliance.

The money was almost evenly split, but that’s not the outrage. The outrage is that it was spent at all.

What Wisconsin Could Have Done With $92 Million

Just imagine if that money hadn’t been torched in a political arms race. It could’ve:

• Paid full tuition for 9,200 in-state college students.
• Replaced every lead water pipe in Milwaukee’s poorest neighborhoods.
• Fully funded free school lunches across Wisconsin for two years.
• Opened five new mental health clinics in rural Wisconsin.
• Expanded Medicaid to cover 40,000 uninsured Wisconsinites.
• Or simply refunded $16 to every person in Wisconsin.

But instead, it was vaporized — spent on ads, attack pieces, and dirty tricks.

Why Every American Should Be Furious

This isn’t just a Wisconsin problem. When nearly $100 million floods into a judicial race, democracy doesn’t stand a chance. The courts become a marketplace, and justice is sold to the highest bidder.

This isn’t free speech. It’s legalized corruption.

There Should Be a Law

I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, Republican, or Independent — every American should be outraged. There should be strict laws banning this level of political spending in judicial elections. No billionaire, no union, no corporate PAC should have the power to buy judges.

Because when justice is for sale, democracy dies a little more every day.

No matter what you see or hear on TV, social media, or even talking to neighbors, check out the facts and think for yourself.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Every time I hear a Republican repeat something that I know is flat-out false, it drives me nuts. These aren’t little white lies — they’re huge, proven-to-be-false statements that people repeat like gospel. I honestly don’t know if they’re lazy, scared, or just don’t care about the truth.

So I’ve done the work for you.
Here’s a short, simple list of common lies, the real facts, and the receipts — actual links to the truth.

LIE: The 2020 election was stolen.

TRUTH: There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. More than 60 lawsuits were filed by Trump and his allies — and all of them failed. Even Trump’s own Attorney General, Bill Barr, said there was no fraud that would have changed the results.

AP Fact Check: No, the election wasn’t stolen
https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-99371c9b79b43a102bd7c99c42b0e6dd

Politifact: False claims about 2020 election debunked
https://www.politifact.com/article/2021/jul/12/fact-checking-false-claims-about-2020-election/

LIE: Democrats want to “defund the police.”

TRUTH: This is a scare tactic. The Democratic Party does not support defunding the police. President Biden and other leaders have repeatedly called for funding the police — with better training, community programs, and accountability.

FactCheck.org: Biden’s position on defunding the police
https://www.factcheck.org/2022/02/the-facts-on-defunding-the-police/

Reuters Fact Check: Democrats on police funding
https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-usa-biden-police-idUSL2N2XV25N

LIE: Immigrants are bringing crime and violence to the U.S.

TRUTH: Study after study shows that immigrants commit fewer crimes than U.S.-born citizens. There’s no link between immigration and rising crime.

Cato Institute: Crime Rates Among Immigrants and Native-Born Americans
https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-research-policy-brief/crime-rates-among-immigrants-native-born-americans-1990

FactCheck.org: Illegal immigrants and crime
https://www.factcheck.org/2018/06/illegal-immigrants-and-crime/

LIE: Climate change is a hoax.

TRUTH: 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is real and caused by human activity. It’s not a debate — it’s science. Rising temperatures, melting ice, record-breaking weather — it’s happening right now.

NASA: Scientific consensus on climate change
https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

Politifact: No, climate change is not a hoax
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/30/facebook-posts/no-climate-change-not-hoax/

LIE: Trump never tried to cut Social Security or Medicare.

TRUTH: Trump proposed cutting both multiple times in his budget plans. He has openly said he would consider cutting them again if reelected.

Reuters: Trump budget proposals included cuts
https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-trump-socialsecurity/fact-check-trump-budget-proposals-included-social-security-and-medicare-cuts-idUSL1N2ZA2LE

CNN: Trump’s comments on Social Security cuts
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/politics/fact-check-trump-social-security-cuts-davos/index.html

Bottom Line:
These are just a few of the biggest lies I hear over and over again.
They’ve all been fact-checked. They’ve all been proven false.
But some people keep believing them — because they want to.

You don’t have to.
The truth is right here.
Click the links. Read for yourself.
Stop letting people lie to you.

This is not politics. This is a con. It’s a deliberate, calculated attack on American democracy and the U.S. Constitution.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - There’s a dangerous and downright disgusting scheme brewing in MAGA circles — one that should make every American’s skin crawl. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s a plan being openly discussed by Trump loyalists and right-wing operatives: run someone like J.D. Vance (or another Trump crony) as the Republican presidential candidate in 2028, put Donald Trump in the vice-presidential slot, then once they win, have the president resign so Trump can slide right back into the Oval Office.

Let me be blunt — this is not politics. This is a con.
It’s a deliberate, calculated attack on American democracy and the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution is Clear — No Third Term

The 22nd Amendment says:

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice."

Trump’s allies think they’ve found a loophole. They argue that since Trump would "only" be elected vice president, not president, they can force him back into power after the fact. That is nothing but legal wordplay and bad-faith manipulation.

The 12th Amendment closes the door even tighter:

"No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President."

If you can’t be president, you can’t be vice president. Period. End of story.

This entire plot is a pre-planned constitutional crisis.
The founders never imagined a man so obsessed with power, so shameless, that he’d try to bypass term limits by propping up a placeholder and sneaking back in through the side door. But here we are.

A Cheap, Corrupt Power Grab

Let’s call this what it is: a political coup dressed up as a technicality.
It’s a scam, pure and simple — the same kind of stunt you’d expect from a corrupt dictator in a collapsing country, not a former president of the United States.

Trump’s people will say it’s "just a loophole." That’s a lie.
This scheme is an insult to every American voter, an assault on the rule of law, and a spit in the face of every person who believes in fair elections and peaceful transfers of power.

Legal Experts Agree — This Won’t Fly

Don’t take my word for it. Legal scholars across the country have already said this plan would violate the Constitution and collapse under the weight of lawsuits and public outrage.

A recent article from ABC News makes it clear:

"[Scholars say] the suggestion of a third term is unconstitutional and would likely trigger a legal battle if attempted." (Source)

The Times UK went further:

"Trump’s plan for a third term is no joke. It’s an open challenge to the Constitution." (Source)

This Should Terrify Every American

If this plot is attempted, it won’t just trigger court battles — it will tear this country apart.
The last time Trump refused to leave office peacefully, we got an insurrection. If we let him get away with this stunt, we’re not a democracy anymore. We’re a banana republic with better branding.

If the Republican Party has any backbone left, they should shut this madness down now. But I’m not holding my breath. Too many of them have already sold their souls.

The American people must stand up and say enough is enough. No more games. No more stunts. No more Trump. Our democracy depends on it.

#ConstitutionUnderAttack, #NoThirdTerm, #DefendDemocracy, #22ndAmendment, #StopTheCoup#ProtectTheVote, #NoLoopholes, #TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw, #RuleOfLaw, #DemocracyMatters

Since Trump’s re-election, his behavior has only grown more extreme, and the Republican response has been lockstep obedience or cowardly silence.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - At this point, there’s no more benefit of the doubt. If you’re a Republican still standing behind Donald Trump, you’re either willfully ignorant, blatantly weak, or some mix of both. And if you’re an elected official with power and a platform, your silence—or worse, your loyalty—isn’t just embarrassing. It’s dangerous.

Since Trump’s re-election, his behavior has only grown more extreme, and the Republican response has been as predictable as ever: lockstep obedience or cowardly silence. Trump has openly promised a “day one dictatorship,” pledged mass deportations, and threatened to use the Department of Justice to go after political enemies. He’s even said that he plans to “gut the deep state” and “restructure” the Constitution to “restore presidential power.” These are not veiled threats—they are declarations of intent. And Republicans? They’ve greeted it all with applause or shrugs.

Take Speaker Mike Johnson, who once called for “election integrity” but now parrots Trump’s lies about 2020 and supports efforts to suppress the vote in key states. Senator Josh Hawley, who raised his fist to insurrectionists on January 6th, continues to push the idea that Trump is a victim of a corrupt system. Elise Stefanik, once a moderate, has rebranded herself as MAGA’s most loyal attack dog—going so far as to call Trump the “law and order president” while he faces over 90 felony counts.

Let’s not forget Senator Tim Scott, who campaigned as a man of faith and unity, yet now dodges every opportunity to criticize Trump’s plans for mass retribution. Or Ron DeSantis, who folded like a lawn chair once he realized criticizing Trump would cost him the nomination. And Lindsey Graham—the man who once warned Trump would “destroy the Republican Party”—now spends his days praising Trump’s “strength” and calling for his enemies to be prosecuted.

This isn’t politics. It’s cult behavior.

And it’s not just the politicians. Every Republican voter who still supports Trump is part of this mess. If you’re cheering for someone who’s promised to become a dictator, you are helping to pave that road. If you dismiss his threats as “just talk,” you’ve learned nothing from history—or from Trump himself. He means what he says. He wants the power. And the GOP is handing it to him on a silver platter.

Look around. Public education is being slashed. Women’s reproductive rights have been gutted. Book bans are spreading. Climate policy has been reversed. Immigrants are being targeted. LGBTQ+ rights are under constant attack. And all the while, Republicans claim they’re the party of freedom and patriotism.

Let me be crystal clear: This is not conservatism. This is authoritarianism dressed up in red, white, and blue.

And the price will be paid not by the rich or the powerful, but by working Americans—especially seniors, students, immigrants, the poor, and the sick. Those relying on Medicare, Social Security, and affordable housing. Those who can’t afford to weather a storm created by reckless leadership and blind loyalty.

History will not be kind to this era of Republican cowardice. It will remember who stood up—and who stayed silent.