this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2025
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331
'Lost absolutely all touch': Gobsmacked lawmakers react to Noem's luxury purchases (www.rawstory.com)
submitted 2 days ago by Redditsux@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world
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[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 124 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The US Coast Guard has purchased two luxury private jets for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a total cost of more than $170 million in taxpayer money as the federal government remains shut down, imperiling food aid and other assistance for tens of millions of Americans.

Also aren’t they spending like a billion dollars retrofitting that Qatari jet for Trump which he gets to own in his name?

[–] tburkhol@lemmy.world 105 points 2 days ago (2 children)

$170M is such small change. According to my local food bank, that's barely enough to feed the entire state of Maine for a year.

[–] MrVilliam@sh.itjust.works 24 points 2 days ago

But that would be socialism. We can't feed people who didn't sell their time and bodies and energy to one of our godly job creators. It's way better that the dog-killing immigrant-torturer who can only ride one plane at a time gets two private jets. Peasants like yourself just don't understand, I guess.

Sadly necessary these days: /s

[–] justsomeguy@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What is that, three bananas?

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Well, maybe if they were duct taped to a wall. That, or they are priced by Lucille Bluth.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, they are. To replace Air Force One.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 days ago

Only as long as he's in office, then it goes to his Presidential Library (so he wouldn't technically own it, but you know he'll be flying around in it)

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 48 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So the party that's supposedly against government waste and is 'America first' is buying lots of luxury stuff for the Secretary of Puppy Murder and pouring billions into Argentina. Got it.

[–] timmy_dean_sausage@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago

It's all about what you value. Healthcare and food for the poorest citizens? That's waste. Private jets, overpriced office furniture and 5 star meals everyday? All necessary when what we value is transferring as much wealth as possible from the peasant class to the robber baron class.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 54 points 2 days ago (4 children)

How much more blatant can the corruption get, carried out entirely on the people's backs?

[–] UniversalBasicJustice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 2 days ago (2 children)

His second term is roughly 19% complete.

Project 2025 is approximately 48% complete.

ICE is still set to "Government black-bagging." I'm not looking forward to the "Government death squad" setting, personally.

Make friends with your neighbors and watch each others backs.

[–] SARGE@startrek.website 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Make friends with your neighbors and watch each others backs.

My neighbors fully support government sponsored death squads that get to go around indescriminate lynchings of LGBT and POC.

Lucky for me, the closest one is about 1/4mile away.

[–] UniversalBasicJustice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I moved away from that exact situation so I feel for you. That sort of isolation from your immediate community feels so fucking terrible.

If you own the property you could act as a safe haven for less isolated, nearby friends/allies/good community. It may feel far-fetched now (or not, sounds like you're in the shit) but better to plan and prepare now. A spare room in your home, a weather-proofed garage or shed, even some tents and sleeping bags could make a difference for a vulnerable human.

[–] SARGE@startrek.website 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I have a few LGBT friends who come over for range time, away from the type of people who normally frequent the public ranges around here. We have a loose plan of action if they need somewhere to hide, and low profile tents and 3-day packs are on standby for a couple close friends. Funds are tight, otherwise I'd be making sure there's a tent, sleeping bag, and 3 day survival pack for all of them, their partners, and their friends.

I have been told my entire life that I am "overreacting" because "that will never happen/you'll never need that", and in nearly every instance, it's been simply a matter of time.

I can very easily present myself as someone very far down the "first they came for" list, but I'll be cold and buried before I disguise myself and let the people further up fend for themselves.

While I'm not expecting death squads to be roaming the street this year, I'm also not going to wait for it to happen before I begin preparing.

If I can't directly shelter people in need, I'm damn sure going to get them heading in the right direction, with the knowledge they need, and with more than just the clothes on their back.

[–] UniversalBasicJustice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago

You fucking rule. Remember that. Even if somehow, some way this doesn't go hot you are still a compassionate, empathetic, loving human being and I'm glad your personal community has someone as caring and alert as you.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

FWIW I didn't mean how complete the corruption can get, I meant how much more obvious it can get. Seems in that respect we've been at 100% for a long while now.

That said, I'm not complaining that outlets are reporting on it. The more the merrier.

[–] UniversalBasicJustice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago

Agreed. The media hasn't been entirely compromised yet and reports on some of the more blatant corruption. There's still absolutely corruption happening in the background (check out the OMB) but the true worry will kick in when the reports stop.

That said large portions of the population have been silo'd into echo chambers. That includes us (the royal us), frankly. The reports we see come from sources conservatives have written off years ago. Same for reports we see coming from sources that we have written off; Fox News et. al.

I believe our grievances with conservative sources are more founded in reality than the grievances conservatives have with "liberal media." I also believe corporate- and billionaire-controlled social media eclipses traditional reporting in scope and engagement. They are the true arbiters of what is truth or mis-truth and that scares me more than Fox News.

[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I wouldn't be surprised if they arranged it in such a way that the plane originally is Trump's and he gracefully loans it to the government under the agreement they totally redecorate it for him.

[–] Kyrgizion@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

This is only the first year, so I expect it to get exponentially worse still.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

You had to ask.

[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 56 points 2 days ago

I'm GLAD the Government is Shut Down right now! OTHERWISE she may NOT have Been Able to get her Luxury TAXPAYER FUNDED planes!

[–] CobblerScholar@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Made by Boeing? fingers crossed

[–] possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 2 days ago

They're Gulfstream jets, subsidiary of General Dynamics.

[–] Redditsux@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Yeah let's hope!

[–] bagsy@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago

The protests were great, but we should organize to have 100 people constantly following every congressman and senator 24/7.

Make them constantly defend why they arent impeaching these traitors.

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 27 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Why the fuck does someone need two jets? Is one supposed to be a decoy for angry US citizens? Fuck it, take them both down then. The pilots are just as big of a shit she is for not refusing to fly them.

[–] satanmat@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Sigh. Actually it is worse than that.

You’re correct in that she doesn’t need them — because all travel related to her position could use government (Air Force or coast guard) aircraft

What the fsck does she think she’s a televangelist needing two planes?

[–] MrVilliam@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 days ago

I have less hate for the televangelists who pull this shit. They at least sorta kinda earned their money in that they convinced people to get swindled into their grift to get them to freely give up that money to them. I didn't get a choice in how much money to pay in the form of taxes or where they went to. I voted for not doing this, and my money still gets yanked from me and gets spent on shit like this. If I decided to stop paying for this, I'd get kidnapped. Televangelists don't kidnap people for not tithing. Yet. Idk, maybe that changes one day.

[–] devolution@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Can we accept that Beastiality Barbie has expensive taste?

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

She's more of a Klaus Barbie.

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 days ago

Lol! Jesus fuck, you just made me choke in laughter on my breakfast!!

Nicely done and thanks for the morning laugh.

[–] devolution@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Call me stupid but I don't get it.

[–] seitzer@piefed.social 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)
[–] devolution@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yikes.

[–] seitzer@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

Yikes, indeed. The entire complex around this monster is a deep and horrifying rabbithole.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Damn, wish I'd though of that. Brilliant.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

How else is this dog and goat murderer supposed to get around to all of her bigly important cosplay events meant to "own the libs"?

[–] Hellotypewriter@retrolemmy.com 9 points 2 days ago

One for her, one for her face.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Well they can always impeach