Sounds like a cheap hit. But maybe it wasn’t a great time to freeze hiring of new air traffic controllers for no reason why there was already a shortage. I’m not sure this is a stretch.
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Cheap hit? Nope. Reality. Can't prove it wouldn't have happened anyway but can't deny the actions taken and atmosphere created by the planned chaos and sabotage of the federal workforce had no impact...
The hawk was on a training flight so could also be something there. It is too soon to call IMO. However the issue you raised re: hiring, is very concerning
even if it's 100% pilot error - DCA air lanes are unsafely overcrowded. local reps, FAA, DOT, etc all raised this last year opposing legislation effectively adding 5 flights a week at DCA; Ted Cruz pushed it through. https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6180
Actually DCA was supposed to be closed when Dulles was completed but the politicians whined so much about the long drive from Dulles that it was left open.
Good catch. See Senator Moran (KS-R) says he lobbied for adding the flight about 1 year ago so your post re Cruz was probably right & this was 1 of the flights added over objections.
There he goes again my jerk of a US Senator imposing his priorities over the concerns of safety or local concerns. I wouldn't be surprised if 3 of the 5 flights were required to be out of Houston to DC or if he was carrying the water of 1 of the airlines. He is a horrible person
“God the almighty has lifted his mighty protection from the United States of America for its embrace of the Antichrist Donald John Trump as president.”
Doesn't matter, we should relentlessly hit. Because we all know that is exactly what Republicans would be doing *right now* if this happened 2 weeks ago.
Cut this shit out.
We’re not dealing with a normal Republican Party anymore.
No more niceties.
No more staying within the bounds of propriety.
Just stop it.
Do you know the definition of the word “preening”?
I have no audience.
I’m not performing.
I’m expressing my disgust for squishy weak-kneed takes that don’t suit our time, and I absolutely don’t give a shit if you or anyone else agrees with me.
Even if it’s not legit looking backwards (nobody hired in last 10 days would’ve prevented it), it should absolutely be pointed to as an example of what degrading federal agencies can do and linked to their attempt to slash and burn people who keep things running safely
Certainly "In light of this crash why the fuck are you freezing ATC hiring" is a reasonable thing to ask, even given the most charitable reading of events
And remember, this memo came out after Elon Musk forced the head of the FAA to resign.... So staff were under the stress of uncertain jobs with no leadership while also receiving emails asking them to resign
It does. He doesn't actually get to defy gravity.
I do not believe that the bulk of the American people will just let him slide this time. His approval rating was already just 47% last week, before hell week II even started.
I am 100% not suggesting this has anything to do with Russia, but I saw both of these headlines earlier this month and was disturbed that people were just not talking about it. I’m still very concerned and I hope air safety is take much more seriously now! I am heartbroken + mad for the lives lost.
My only qualm is after a decent title they go into senate speak. Dems have to learn to talk in sentences instead of paragraphs citing subsection A of bill 2384 paragraph C.
Trump cut funding, people died. Connect those dots and keep drawing that line between them.
Senator Moran indicated he had fought for the flight from Kansas to DC & it had been added "about a year ago" so it could be 1 of the 5 new flights Cruz got added over objections of local officials & fellow Democratic members of Congress. "Cancun Cruz" & now air safety Cruz.
It's not cheap. This is exactly the shit that anyone paying attention before the election was yelling about. It was clear the plan was to strip the government for parts, complain it doesn't work & that there would be all kinds of horrible consequences.
Definitely not a cheap hit. It’s reality. Aside for the air traffic controllers they just confirmed an incompetent drunk to run the department of defense.
Not remotely a stretch, and it is imperative that this moment be used to remind Americans of the fact that actually the government makes our lives better in some pretty frigging important ways
Yes, it’s what the republicans would do. But maybe more importantly, even if the freeze isn’t to blame for this accident, it’s just a matter of time before it’s to blame for a lot more.
Exactly! Imagine what republicans would say if the collision happened during a Kamala Harris administration. The Dems should yell it from the mountain tops. Trump’s incompetence is on full display.
It's not a cheap hit. These people are part of the federal work force wich has been decimated recently. I don't want people who need to be at the top of their game to coordinate multiple aircrafts moving at appreciable fractions of the speed of sound lying awake at night worrying about their jobs.
I think "cheap hit" in this kind of abbreviated method of communicating may come across as more approving than you meant it and notwithstanding the following sentences. Social media tends to flatten nuance.
In this circumstance, it is a tragic lever. Removing experienced people and replacing them with incompetent people has consequences. The crash might not be one of them, but Trump's people are going to kill Americans. Democrats need to pound that drum.
It seems like the helicopter pilot didn’t listen to the air traffic controller and not sure what the FAA could have done differently. I wouldn’t ding president DeSantis over this.
But when Trump is saying “this seems bad” instead of showing any ownership? Hit away.
The thought that you are an overworked ATC and now there is a hiring freeze and possible layoffs is mind numbing and has to affect you and your work. The morale has to be horrible there right now, more so with this tragedy. It was bad before and only made worse in these last 2 weeks.
Not only that, but this ATC are also dealing with a barrage of EOs that directly impact their lives including the EOs regarding the so called “buyouts” (and the threats within) and the EO regarding feds on probation who are about to get a pink slip. These folks are stressed enough without nonsense
If it serves to slow them down in their rush to dismantle safety for the sake of blind loyalty and the sadistic incompetence that comes with it, it's worth it.
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they’ve spent a week decapitating, gutting and traumatizing these agencies
We need to be hiring MORE federal workers, not cutting them.
Otherwise we will see more horrible incidents like this.
I'm tired of "now is not the time."
It's sad we are in a place where I think this.
EVERY Dem needs to say that Trump did this. He and Hegseth are 100% responsible.
I don't care if DC is hit with an earthquake, everything is Trump's fault for at least 4 years.
We’re not dealing with a normal Republican Party anymore.
No more niceties.
No more staying within the bounds of propriety.
Just stop it.
I have no audience.
I’m not performing.
I’m expressing my disgust for squishy weak-kneed takes that don’t suit our time, and I absolutely don’t give a shit if you or anyone else agrees with me.
Blame it on Biden🙄
I do not believe that the bulk of the American people will just let him slide this time. His approval rating was already just 47% last week, before hell week II even started.
Trump cut funding, people died. Connect those dots and keep drawing that line between them.
It doesn’t matter the situation details
this is on Trump
This is his plane crash
This is his fuck up
This is his fucking disaster
Democrats- blame him
That’s the culture they’ve created.
That’s what we’ll do.
I'm reading that there was only one flight controller on duty.
Normally, there are two:
one for planes;
one for helicopters.
Being fair is being woke and being woke is being weak.
And yes, it's fine and important to criticize the admin for this (even if some might *call* it a cheap shot/hit); that's exactly his point...
Besides, Trump's already got his racist/sexist explanation in. The term "cheap" has been devalued like a blue chip stock on Black Tuesday.
KNEECAP THESE FUCKS
He wanted a carnival atmosphere? That's what he deserves.
It’s how republicans win and it works
We need to be all gas, no brakes from day-one. No honeymoon period. No benefit of the doubt.
These are malign actors bent on undoing 240 years of American democracy.
They must be stopped at all costs.
But when Trump is saying “this seems bad” instead of showing any ownership? Hit away.
I remember the first term, the rabbi from the synagogue where his family belonged did a sermon calling out his intolerance.
Could you imagine your childhood priest or rabbi disowning you from the pulpit?
It’s a new employment program for business messaging consultants!
Don't apologize.
This is their fault.
Repeat that message ad nauseam.
Fight back.
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