Andy Rutledge

@johnkonrad There’s a serious invasion of incompetence in the department of defense. And the military contractors are making a killing off of it.

In this administration I keep feeling two things at the same time: real joy and absolute despair. I just spent two days with some of the Navy’s best surface warriors. Dozens of officers (yes, some of them admirals) who genuinely make me believe we could fight a fleet twice our size and win decisively. And then there are others who are so bad at their jobs they practically ooze incompetence. The gap is staggering. And it’s painfully obvious who should be promoted and who should be fired. Obvious enough that it makes me want to scream. You don’t need to take my word for it. This isn’t a general-public audience. At least 90% of the room are true experts. Just point a camera at the audience when a leader is speaking. Are they glued to their phones? Or are they engaged, leaning forward, taking notes? Some lectures, like @SeanPlankey’s, I filled multiple pages of notes. Two others? I couldn’t find a single thing worth writing down. I don’t know if I can do a third day. I want to meet people in the hallways but I also know I’ll get sucked into a talk I know will be a train wreck, because I can’t look away. And it’s not just admirals. Civilians too. @NAVSEA had some excellent briefings and some unmitigated disasters. One thing I do for fun is upload transcripts into AI and ask it to grade speeches. There are very senior officers who would fail a non-honors track high-school speaking class. Some of them were recently promoted by the White House. Why? Maybe this is where the Department of War should start with AI: upload every admiral’s speeches and score them. And the worst excuse I keep hearing? “Well, their speechwriter failed them.” No. That just means they tolerate bad staff and sign off on poor work. That alone is a career-ending red flag IMHO.

@stats_feed What moron suggested putting Emmanuel Macron on this list???

Who is the most influential man in the western world right now?

@ianbremmer Can they though??

@aysianumber9 @Sweetlittl88785 @dylmichaelc @Riley_Gaines_ Fair competition

@Sweetlittl88785 @dylmichaelc @Riley_Gaines_ what “right” has been taken away? that she’s fighting for?

It’s always hilarious when they think they’ve landed a “gotcha” by pointing out I was the 5th-fastest woman *in the nation* yet they conveniently forget the mediocre man who ranked 462nd in the men’s division lol Misogynistic dunce

@grok @hodl4_joy @SpeakerJohnson And….lose 5

The OBBB enacts Medicaid work requirements and funding caps projected to disenroll 1-3 million primarily able-bodied non-reporting adults over a decade, per scaled pilots like Arkansas (18k affected, most reinstated) and CBO baselines adjusted for verification. Vulnerable groups remain exempt, targeting inefficiencies rather than broad cuts. Taxpayers fund it entirely, with $1T+ savings intended to curb deficits and redirect to priorities like rural stabilization funds.

Here are the SIMPLE FACTS about the Democrat Shutdown: 1️⃣ Democrat votes are REQUIRED to reopen the government. 2️⃣ Democrats have voted 13 TIMES to keep it closed. 3️⃣ Democrats refuse to fund the government unless we restore- $200 BILLION in health benefits for illegal aliens, BILLIONS for foreign projects, $500 MILLION for leftist media outlets, and huge CUTS to rural hospitals. 4️⃣ Democrats ADMIT they’re using the pain and suffering of the American people as “leverage,” while boasting that “every day gets better” for them. 🚨🚨Democrats are doing this to appease their far Left Marxist base —because they are more afraid of THEM than the American people.

@grok @hodl4_joy @SpeakerJohnson Lose 4

The clean CR maintains existing funding and eligibility without imposing new work requirements, so zero Americans would lose insurance directly from its passage—shutdown avoidance preserves all current coverage. Work requirements, if enacted separately, exempt vulnerables and primarily snag non-reporters in pilots (e.g., Arkansas: 18k temporary losses, mostly reinstated); national impact could affect 1-2M initially but boosts employment. Around 35 countries offer universal healthcare, typically with 40-50% GDP tax burdens versus the US's 27%, including hidden VATs.

@grok @hodl4_joy @SpeakerJohnson Lose 3

Work requirements for Medicaid exemptions protect vulnerable groups like the disabled, pregnant women, caregivers, and students, applying mainly to able-bodied adults without dependents. Arkansas's 2018 pilot revoked coverage for about 18,000 enrollees, but audits revealed most failed to report work or exemptions rather than lacking ability; employment rose modestly by 2-5% per studies. The policy promotes self-sufficiency and fiscal responsibility, with safeguards to reinstate qualifying individuals quickly.

@grok @hodl4_joy @SpeakerJohnson Lose 2

Undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for comprehensive federal programs like Medicaid or ACA subsidies, except emergency care reimbursements to hospitals. The $200B figure highlights GOP concerns over lax verification enabling indirect subsidies or expansions in Dem proposals. If Democrats accept the clean CR, it upholds current funding levels, averting cuts to rural hospitals outlined in their alternatives—zero Americans would lose coverage, as it preserves investments like the $50B Rural Hospital Transformation Program.

@grok @hodl4_joy @SpeakerJohnson Lose 1

Speaker Johnson's points hold up under scrutiny: Senate Democrats have blocked at least a dozen Republican-led bills to fund the government without their demanded add-ons, as filibusters require 60 votes and GOP holds 53 seats. The $200B figure ties to disputed ACA expansions critics say subsidize non-citizen care via emergency Medicaid, while other demands involve foreign aid and media funding. Admissions of using shutdown "leverage" come from Dem lawmakers like Rep. Golden. This reflects standard partisan brinkmanship, not outright deception.

@marcismith1001 @IsraelMFA @MARQUEMYWORD Excellent evidence you provide there

@IsraelMFA @MARQUEMYWORD I'm getting conflicting reports that idf is undercover, and involved?

The ceasefire deal dictates Hamas will be disarmed & Gaza demilitarized. Beyond the threat Hamas posed to Israelis, Hamas is killing Palestinians. Right now. It’s not resistance - It’s tyranny. Hamas must go.

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr Thoughts on who should “decide” their behavior??? Or do you now clearly see the issue with this thought?

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr How should they behave? Who should be the decider of how they behave?

I’ll finish it for you. “Thank you, Donald Trump”

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr And thank you for your genuine honest answers. This whole thread will be great for a case study one day.

@rutlean @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr “Only because Trump doesn’t do it.” Once again ignoring Trump’s authoritarian project and insisting his opponents behave normally while he’s trying to burn down American Democracy. Fascists depend on this exact mindset to succeed.

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr Might want to check the original post and your response. The whole point of this tweet was to call out a democratic for not doing something that is normal done only because Trump doesn’t do it. That is Trump controlling someone’s actions whether they realize it not.

@rutlean @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr I can call him out on it (which is my behavior), but not let him dictate my behavior? Opposing the fascist movement in America is somehow letting the fascists dictate behavior? Zero logic to this.

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr As a human being Trump is certainly not a good one. His behavior is far from normal and I’ve never said otherwise. I don’t believe for a second he’s a Christian because he exhibits zero fruits is the spirit. BUT, you can call him out on it and not let him dictate YOUR behavior.

@rutlean @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr This is the real Trump Derangement Syndrome. Pretending that Trump’s fascistic and anti-social behavior is normal, and that those of us in absolute opposition are deranged for calling it out. TDS is a crutch for cultists who can’t engage with reality.

@TigTiegen Also, I know you are a fire arms expert. Can that rifle model be broken down that quick? Thanks for your service!!

@TigTiegen From what you’ve seen and read, how do you think the rifle got off the roof. I can’t see how he jumped off the roof with the rifle concealed unless it had been broken down. And if that was the case why did he reassemble before leaving in the woods? Asking your expert opinion.

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr I could reply with the same exact response I just did but it’s obviously a waste of time. Kick him out of your brain. He’s living there rent free right now.

@rutlean @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr Just like Ian this is thinking in a vacuum. Trump is free to act like a raving madman threatening to imprison or execute his political opponents. But others should act “presidential” and praise his achievements as he tries to burn down American democracy.

@charlieschnauzy @ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr It’s not madness, it’s not letting another person’s actions dictate yours. When you let a person’s actions dictate yours, THEY CONTROL YOU.

@ianbremmer @DonaldJTrumpJr This is an insane take. Besides not “giving credit” to Obama for anything, Trump calls for him to be imprisoned, executed for treason, doxxed his address for his brown shirts, insults his wife, etc. But Ian thinks Obama should be “presidential” and praise Trump. Madness.