Thoughts for the Day, January 28, 2025: One week in the books

Trump II: My take on Trump’s first week

It has been one week since was sworn in as president. Nothing he has done is a surprise to me. He is doing what he said he was going to do. He is following the Project 2025 playbook. Here are my key takeaways.

· He will surround himself with people who are loyal to him first and foremost, over and above loyalty to the constitution and the country.

· He will not let rules, regulations and laws stop him from doing what he wants to get done. He will push the envelope until forced to stop.

· He will bully people into complying with his desires. Disobedience will not be tolerated.

· He will pit people against people, He will pit employees against employees.

· He will take advantage of cabinet members, federal employees, CEOs, university presidents, etc. natural desire to be compliant with his executive orders.

· He will change the narrative to fit his version of the truth, and he expects all government employees to agree with his version of the truth.

· He is going to remake the federal government to fit his vision and not the vision of our founding fathers.

· He will use his vision of the federal government to strengthen his role as president and weaken the role of congress and the federal courts.

· He will take advantage of the presidential immunity SCOTUS has granted him.

· He is willing to take anything and everything to SCOTUS for a final decision, because he knows that he has five justices who will support him when push comes to shove.

· Most of all he is counting on the Republican congress to look past his discretions, his ignoring of laws, rules, and regulations because of the power he holds over their ability to survive primary challenges if any member of congress steps out of line.

As Joyce Vance said today in her blog Civil Discourse, the question in this critical moment is whether the people with the power to do so, largely on Capitol Hill and in the courts, will stand in his way. The rule of law is meant to be a shield for democracy in moments like this. But Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, a member of the Senate’s inspector general caucus, offered this weak tea: “There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30 day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.” Grassley, who proudly announced he had joined the Senate’s IG caucus, saying, “Inspectors General play an essential role in protecting taxpayer dollars and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the executive branch. I rely heavily on these independent watchdogs when carrying out my constitutional responsibility of oversight, and I’m glad to join Senator Ernst’s effort to support their invaluable work,” Since Trump’s firing of 17 IGs without following the proper protocols, it has been dead silence from Grassley.

Over 50% of the voters decided that this is the America they want. I hope they are happy because 100% of Americans are stuck with it.

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Freezing payments to grants is hitting home with me.

Yesterday a two-page memo from Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget has ordered a pause in grants, loans and other federal financial assistance, according to a memo sent to government agencies on Monday, potentially paralyzing a vast swath of programs and sowing confusion and alarm among the array of groups that depend on them. The freeze will remain in effect until the agencies have completed a review of all grants, loans and federal assistance to be sure they are complying with Trump’s executive orders.

Packard Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center that operates in Washtenaw County that provides high quality health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Two of their physicians have been named the top primary care physician in the state over the last few years.

I first got involved with Packard Health in 2011 when I was named the Interim Executive Director/Emergency Manager. The place was in financial shambles and my job was to save it. I took the job at a 70% discount of my normal consulting rate. I agreed that I would not receive payment until Packard’s financial house was in order and a permanent CEO was named. It took over 8 months for me to stop the bleeding and get Packard back into a positive cash flow. At the time, Packard had less than 20,000 clinic visits per year.

Since those troubled times, Packard has qualified it to be a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), because of the strong Medicaid base of patients it serves. In the last fiscal year, it had over 48,000 visits at the three full time clinics in the county. It also provides health care to the Delonis Homeless Shelter in Ann Arbor and other non-profit organizations. It is one of the few primary care clinics that accepts new patients. It is a place that provides life-changing care to those most in need. It is a place that I have remained on their board of directors and finance committee since 2011. It is a place that is near and dear to my heart.

As a FQHC, Packard receives grants from the federal government to compensate for the low Medicaid payments it receives for providing care to Medicaid patients. Clinics cannot survive on Medicaid payments. Medicaid payments are designed to cover direct cost but provide little contribution to overhead.

Halting grant payments to FQHC clinics like Packard will have a profound negative health impact on those who are most in need. Most FQHC’s have very little cash reserves. Delays in grant payments will be devastating to FQHCs. It will be devastating to the communities they service if the FQHCs are forced to cut back in the patients they see. Emergency Rooms will become the primary care providers for patients currently seen in FQHCs.

As of tonight, a federal judge has issued a temporary court order halting the freeze in payments to grants, loans, and federal assistance. How long the injunction lasts is unknown.

It will be very unfortunate if FQHCs have to cutback or shut down. I am sure most of those who voted for Trump did not understand the important role FQHCs play in a community and that voting for Trump might put FQHCs at risk for survival. Unfortunately, elections have consequences and the shuttering of FQHCs may be an unintended consequence. I hope not.

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Universities acquiescing to Trump’s threat

As I mentioned above, University boards and presidents cannot afford to not comply with President Trump’s executive orders. University boards and presidents do not want to see their grant funding, Pell grant loans, or any other funding put at risk. They will comply with the executive orders even if it means sacrificing DEI programs that they have spent the last twenty years growing.

Today Rutgers University announced it was cancelling a conference with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to comply with Trump’s DEI initiatives.

Per Bridge Michigan, Michigan State University announced a webinar on diversity, equity and inclusion was canceled just one day after newly elected President Donald Trump issued an executive order “terminating” DEI in federal contracting and spending.

The webinar, scheduled for Tuesday and titled “The Future of DEI policy at MSU,” was scrapped Thursday. Organizers hope to reschedule but have not set a date.

Organizers say the university-sponsored event is delayed while the planned speakers — all university employees — try to make sense of a flurry of orders coming from a new administration that has threatened public universities that do not back off DEI efforts.

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Michigan Senator Gary Peters announced he will not be seeking reelection to the Senate following the end of his term in 2026

This announcement will have a major impact on the current political players in Michigan as the top plum jobs in Michigan politics are all up for grabs in 2026. This includes the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and now U.S senator in addition to all U.S congressional offices and state house offices.

With the small Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, expect the race to become Peter’s replacement to be a high-cost affair. Control of the U.S. Senate may depend on the outcome of this election.

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Tush Push

In the past two years the Philadelphia Eagles have created and mastered a new play in football. It is a modified version of the quarterback sneak. The modification includes two running backs who line up the quarterback and help push him forward to make the one or two yards necessary for a first down or touchdown. It is known as the “Tush Push”.

In Sunday’s game with the Washington Commanders the “tush push” was on full display to the point of being comical. The Eagles had the ball first and goal on the one-yard line when they lined up for a “tush push” to score a touchdown. The Commanders had other plans. They decided they were going to try to guess the snap count and beat the Eagle lineman off the ball and prevent any forward progress by the Eagle QB. In a new wrinkle they had one of their defensive backs jump over the line directly at the Eagles QB with the hopes of stopping the QB in his tracks. Unfortunately, the Commanders could not time the snap count properly. They jumped offside four times, each time moving the ball half the distance to the goal line, which is the penalty for offsides. Out of frustration and knowing this could go on forever, the referee announced he had warned the Commanders that if they did it again, he would just award the Eagles a touchdown. He announced this over the stadium loudspeaker and to the national television audience. The Eagles scored on the next play.

I do not know if the rules allow for the referee to award a touchdown to a team. However, he sure did make it convincing. I was hoping the shenanigans would continue indefinitely. It was something I have never seen in all my years of watching football. The sequence is my Video of the Day. Be sure to watch it.

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Quote of the Day: “At 66, Peters is relatively young for a U.S. senator.” This was part of the article announcing Peter’s announcement to not seek election. The quote points out one of the major problems of our U.S Senate. It is not representative of our country when it comes to age, gender and race.

Orchid of the Day: Leah and I enjoyed a swift 11.5-mile bike ride today through Gulf Shores State Park. It was Leah’s first time on a bike in almost three months. She was knocking it out today.

Onion of the Day: Trump’s executive order halting payments for grants, loans, and federal assistance.

Lyrics of the Day: The winter days, they last forever, But the weekends went by so quick. Went ridin' around this little country town. We were goin' nuts, girl, out in the sticks.

One night, me with my big mouth, A couple guys had to put me in my place. When I see those guys these days We just laugh and say, "Do you remember when"

If you think you know the title of the song and the artist/group, feel free to provide your answer in the comment section below.

Answer to Lyrics of the Day for January 27, 2025, LOLA by the Kinks. A song way ahead of its time.

Question of the Day: Do you ever recall an instance where a referee awarded a touchdown when one was not scored on the field?

Video of the Day: Eagles almost get rewarded free touchdown! Due to commanders unsportsmanlike conduct penalty ! #nfl

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