Welcome to the nonprofits.
In our second segment this week, we look at one of the latest cabinet level nominees that has a concerning history. Our newest nonprofit ejector Seat is here to tell us all about it.
EJ.
So, today we have a story from Mother Jones by Isabella Das Russell Vaught, head of the Center for Renewing America think tank, was confirmed as the head of the Office of Management and Budget for the United States of America. Today, I want to bring you a look at what this
office does, what they're responsible for, and possible ramifications. Of course, a quick background on vot himself so we can see who is at the helm of this beheamoth a man with links to Project twenty twenty five and has openly sided with anti constitutional, anti human and even as evangelical types tend to do anti Christian values. This will be a roller coaster, so.
Strappan definitely, definitely a roller coaster there. So EJ.
So, let's set aside for a moment that this person and would have the ear of the person in the White House. What other than that, Other than have that, I mean, that's a huge thing right there. But setting that aside what specifically would fall under his control as director of the OMB.
So as leaders of the OMB, the OMB has a critical role in the executive branch, overseeing and managing the president's budget. However, the policies and programs of federal agencies, including everything from the Department of Defense to the North American Space Agency NASA, are also firmly in its wheelhouse. This means that the OMB has a thinker in every federal pie, which means any federal work can be defunded or stopped by the OMB or the head of it.
This in addition to the federal grants, which can be revised or scrapped based on the omb's recommendations or direct action. This includes grants for things like low income housing, food stamps, and many more things millions of Americans rely on to live. A quote from grants dot gov goes as follows be, along with other bodies, has continued to play an important part in interpreting and implementing the laws among the federal
government awarding agencies. Today, coding grant policies have been largely shaped by a range of statutes, regulations, executive orders, and data.
All Right, so it sounds like fingers and lots of pies there, fingers and lots of pies and lots of strict control over that kind of thing.
Next, I want to go over to down to Helen real quick.
Here.
What kind of baggage does Vought himself? What kind of baggage is he bringing to the table.
Oh oh, there's so much I can talk about.
Let me let's just start.
Let's just start. Okay, everybody. This is from his Wikipedia page, So I highly encourage all of our wonderful viewers to go look this up.
Okay.
Also, John Oliver on his recent episode of Last Week Tonight also talked about mister Vought highly recommend that you should do both things because this mofo. Oh my god. So the Center for Renewing America combats CRT critical Theory will provide the ideological ammunition to saying Trump's political movement after his departure from the web House in twenty twenty one. So this is something they were planning, you know, when
Trump was president and when he left office. In October of twenty twenty four, pro Publica reported that Vaught's proposals included plans to reshape the government by using military force against protesters if it deemed necessary. So that goes against our freedom to assemble right defending agencies like the US protect Environment Invitation Agency to reduce federal influence, and casting
silver servants as obstructive to conserve conservative agendas. His cra aims to enact an aggressive policy approach, and he talked about this on John Oliver the other night, cutting bureaocracy and focusing on trumbleline conservative governance. He said he would aim for a shadow office of legal counsel anything. When I heard somebody says shadow, right, please be aware that that is not a good thing.
Right.
In July of twenty twenty four, Smoke candily to journalists team is to a guest conservative donors. They pose I saw this interview. They pose those conservative donors to get him to talk about what his plans are. And the tour interview he revealed the details of his plan to take control over the government through presidential power. He send up his core belief as Christian nationalism. Please watch this interview. You just don't put in void journalist interview with just
look it up, it will come up. You need to watch this. It is very important to because this guy's in charge of our budget. Everybody, he needs to be aware he is a self subscribed Christian nationalist. Oh my god, yikes, yikes, yikes.
Right yeah, wearing that as a badge right right on the front, just you know, proud of it, proud of it. Even that's that's definitely disturbing. They're definitely disturbing.
I want to jump back to EJ for a second here. EJ.
Helen was talking about some troubling things, obviously about Russell Vott. Can you add anything to what she said or can you give us your perspective on his past and his intent his intentions with this new found power.
Of course, what is now heading the unb a beheamoth of wealth, red tape and bureaucrats. So let's see how this man wishes to wield the sword has been given mentioned above. He heads a think tank, which are organizations that are usually used to obfuscate donations and heavily pushed agendas, called the Center for Redeing America. This think tanks mission
statement as as follows. Our mission is to renew a consensus of America as a nation under God fuck off with unique interests worthy of defending that flow from its people. Institutions and history where individuals enjoy free, enjoy freedom, enjoyment of freedom. Sorry, it's predicated on just laws and healthy communities. Their website also contains quite a large graphic frond and center on the home page saying for God, Country and Community, which reminds you of a certain regime from Europe a
while ago. And I don't know.
These rings some bells. I think does ring some bells?
You know.
It's almost as if there's some sort of comparison to be made there that escapes me figure anyway.
Sorry, They make it known that their calls are for an American Christian theocracy and dismantling of organizations like the Cybersecurity and Infra Infrastructure Security Agency CISEA, which is put in place or at least had a lot of power after there was some attacks on the grid showing how how weak America's infrastructure power infrastructure was through physical and CyberSecure it means, you know, which is something we quite need, right. But they also want to get rid of the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau the CFPB. I'm sure I don't have to explain why that's a bad idea for anyone who is a billionaire. Has also made comments saying that Trump is sent by God because apparently the fucker run out of locusts. What has also helped co author Project.
Sorry, sorry, I'm just picturing like, so, he's the eleventh plague, is what you're saying?
Yeah, little Lucus's face, it's terrible, like CGI, Okay, I don't blame you, but also helped co author Project twenty twenty five.
How much of it I was unable to ascertain though, which detailed plans on cutting federal funding by acting things like social welfare, energy solutions, and more, along with defiling for schools and the abolition of subjects which teach includesivity diversity, along with the hampering of reproductive rights. You know, could you imagine if there was an agency that could do that, that manage things like money and budgets, You really shouldn't put them in charge of something like that.
Yeah, no, shit, jeez.
Yeah. However, Trump in the House of Congress have given a man with clearly horrid intentions film control over such an eggragency which regulates and controls many federal agencies through policy and money. I wonder how this can go wrong?
Well, just I suppose we'll just have to ride this one out right, see you? Assuming we can continue riding right, Steven?
Yeah. Can I ask a questions?
Please?
Do?
Like, because I hear that Congress controls the purse strings and that's why everything that the boys are doing in the White House is really unconstitutional.
What how?
What?
What's How does this balance that we've got this guy who's in charge of money stuff, but also it's Congress who is in charge of money. What's how does that work?
I think it's a Congress is and I'm definitely not an expert in this in this area, so this is just my thoughts on it. I think Congress allocates the money, and I think the OMB is in charge of putting that into effect.
If I may so, please do. While I was researching this, I thought the same thing because I've heard similar things. So, as far as I understand it, their whole argument is that the budget is given to them, and how they allocate it is mostly up to them. It's also why Trump wants to do things like get rid of the penny, which is a bit the only good idea he's had.
So the budget is given to so the O and B is acting on behalf of the president. So so Congress basically hands the money to the OMB.
What you're saying, as far as I understand it, yes, they give the OMB money and they tried to Well, they should try to work with what Congress has given. However, evidently rules that were written before any of us were born haven't taken into account that it could be hijacked.
Okay. Is is it something along the lines of like laws?
I mean, because Congress makes the laws and then the executive branches in charge of executing those laws and enforcing them.
Is it kind of a relationship similar to that or.
Kinda so with policies sot inter agency policies and stuff, a lot of it goes through the executive branch, and thus the UNB they have general say on stuff like well, you want to and you want to have best policy, will allocate so much funding so they can essentially just strip agencies away by saying we're going to severely underfund you to where you can.
Do your job right right? All right? All right?
Yeah, thanks, I learned something new today, EJ. I do want to jump over to Steven here real quick. I want I want to get your opinion on this as a Canadian. I want you to lend us your your Canadian eyes here. I mean, how does this look from from up north? What does what's your take on this?
It's it's it's wild, it's weird, it's strange, Like I am very it just it makes me really cognizant of the fact that I have never had to worry about like things like social welfare and healthcare being jeopardized because of the religious beliefs that influence one given political party. Like it's just so hardbak into our structure, into our systems that of course we won't have healthcare. Of course we're going to be looking out for the social well
being of people. That that isn't up for grabs, that isn't on the table to be negotiated with. It isn't a chip that can be put into can be anted up to get what someone wants. So it's just it's it's wild, and it makes me really appreciate. Like here in ours we have multiple parties that run for a federal office, and since two thousand and eight, sorry since the year two thousand eight, of our years have been
controlled by a minority government. Means that one of the one of the political parties has gotten the most votes, but they haven't gotten the majority of the votes. So if they want to get anything done, if they want to get a majority, they have to work with other parties. They have to get other people on board, they have to be making their coalitions, and there's no chance under a minority government for one party to make all the rules and snowplow their way through what the other parties
are representing, what they're wanting. And it just makes me really grateful that we have a system that allows for that kind of diversity and then shakes up the ability for one party to be the ruling party, and in some cases it's not. In every case, we had a conservative government for a great number of years and that was an authority and that's something that we all fear.
Now.
Sorry, that's what a lot.
So you're saying there's advantages to having a multi party system, right, it's so that way, if it's one on one, it's always going to be kind of one lopsided one side over the other one, right.
YEA, well yeah, and like that, and especially as an outsider, like that's all that I see when I look towards the South at the system there, and it's always like a forty nine fifty one percent split, and especially in recent years, it's always going to be Okay, well, we're going to either completely stop you from doing anything that you want to do, or we're just going to do exactly what we want to do and you be down and it's weird and disheartening.
Interesting.
Interesting, Well, we're fortunate enough today to have two non Americans on our panel today. So Stephen, as we mentioned, is Canadian and ejector's seat is from Scotland, and so EJ. I would like to hear as someone from Europe, a part of the world that has kind of been through the whole fascism authoritarianism thing before. I mean, what's your what's your take on this?
So, first of all, I've seen marches in America. We're openly fascist groups feel freedom, and I am horrified of that. In Europe. The last time we allowed fascist to march,
we marched them to the galops. It's not fair on Americans to allow these to allow horrible people like this to be out like in public and saying that their agendas, which usually involved the deaths of millions, if not hundreds of millions, is completely fine to do, and that they feel comfortable doing it with the current government, and I'm sorry that you all have to go through this. Europe and many other nations will always stand against the fight
of fascism. We've been through it. We know what we're going we know how to help. We're not going to let America fall to an elness we thought we got rid of in forty five. There's already political machinations at work inside America and outside of it working to put a stop to this in any way we can keep your chin up. This can't last forever.
That does That is kind of reassuring. Actually, I mean knowing that you know, the world has our back kind of, or at least much of the world. That that that is very That is very reassuring. I do want to jump down to Helen now here, down, I say, down on my screen. They're all vertical out here, all right over here, over this way, this way here, this way over.
To Helen here.
So in the previous section, I asked whether or not the new regime in Washington was merely giving lip service to religion, or if it really did take religious perspective seriously.
Now, let's flip that.
Do you think Russell Vott is hitching his cart to this particular wagon merely out of convenience, or do you think their ideologies aligned? Do you think Vought is in alignment with the current regime, or do you think that it's just a it's a.
You know, my enemy of my enemy is my friend kind of situation.
I mean, he was part of Project twenty twenty five that is like uber religious and like this is the thing about like this whole governmental structure. I don't know where the griff ends and the belief begins. I don't know. Because you can be a very conservative want all all the power to go to the executive branch and not buy into the religious crap, or the religious crap aligns with your politics. I don't know anymore. I honestly do not know, because we've obviously with Trump, who by definition
reminds me of the Antichrist if you've read Revelations. So that's happened. But a lot of Christians think that he is their you know, embodiment of their Lord and Savior. So again I don't know anymore, and I don't and at this point, I don't think if fucking matters.
I honestly don't think it matters. This dude is terrible.
The fact that he wants all the power to go to the executive branch, which is a real problem because that was against our constitution and the whole way that we said up our country that we do not have a monarchy, we do not have a king, we don't have a theocrisy, we don't have a god you know, god given right king. That is very important to point out, and I think it's very concerning when we're looking at this from that lens.
And as each a pointed out, they've.
Been through this, They've been through these people that think they are given God given powers, you know, or they're like super special boys, and you know, they get to have all the power and it usually blows up in their face, which gives me hope because fascism does not last. It never does, It never ever does. And I and I'm sorry people like this is what we're facing right now. And though it the reason why he does not last, because the rest of us stand up to it, we
say like no, sorry, uhh, that's not a thing. And Void wants to be part of that regime because he thinks is even if he is not, you know, a religious person, his politics align with Project twenty five because guess what helped me helped write it?
Right?
Okay, So it was like you watch my back or you scratch my back.
Yeah, because biggest stick together. I'm sorry, they stick together. And he wants he wants an authority in government. Like I've watched him. I've watched this interview people. He he's in it to win it.
Okay, all right, EJ. Did you want to add something onder what Helen was saying there?
Yes, just on the Revelations prophecy. It says that there will be a false Messiah who comes and tracts most Christians and they will wear his brand on their forehead. And I've never seen a Bible Bible prophecy is right, but fuck me if there's one.
I'm just saying, maybe that's the evidence we need, right, that's the evidence we've been waiting for.
There is a God and he's a fucker.
Right now, I'd be like, actually, your prophecy is true. Blah blah blah blah blah.
Now all right, I have one more question and I'll direct this one to Stephen first. So is this this one nomination and confirmation? Is this the result of a democratic process?
If not, how is it not? But if it is, shouldn't we respect that?
I mean, as as people that support democracy and you know, that want to see democracy prevail in the world. If this is a democratically the process here, right, the confirmation process, the nomination process, and all that kind of thing, are we actually by standing by, you know, talking against this nominee this, or actually he's not a nominee anymore, he's a cabinet member. By by talking against this, are we poo pooing the whole democratic process or what?
Well? Yeah, you've got forty five in office there that was allegedly democratic. Yeah, Like the system is broken, absolutely, But it's a system of defunding and not prioritizing education that I think has really played a big role in allowing people to be manipulated and brought to this place. So is a democratic Yeah? Is it broken?
Yeah?
It doesn't need to improve.
Yeah.
How many people have to die before that happens?
Time will tell, right, Right, Well, I think that's excellent, an excellent point to end at. Right there, that's a very poignant thought to bring up, and so I think we'll just stop there. So I want to thank all of you for being on the panel with me here I want to thank all of you for watching us