General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis was sometimes called the most powerful thing I ever wrote. I thought we had mothballed it for good six years ago.
How bad do things have to get that it suddenly is current again??
Performance and production by my brilliant collaborator, Don Caron.
CaliforniaPeggy
(156,490 posts)You've written many good songs, my dear DFW, but this has to be the top or very near it. Somber, melodic, full of grief and sorrow, this is an amazing bit of music.
In its approx 2 minutes, it covers a lot of our experience these days. So much truth!
DFW
(60,005 posts)I had just intended for it to be meant as a warning.
How very naïve of me.
KS Toronado
(23,607 posts)ShazzieB
(22,458 posts)
cachukis
(3,820 posts)erronis
(23,435 posts)QED
(3,337 posts)"Three US Military service members have been killed in action... There will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is."
New Trump statement:
— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) 2026-03-01T21:23:08.871Z
"Three US Military service members have been killed in action... There will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is."
karin_sj
(1,356 posts)But so sad and depressing as hell to think that its happening now. Its already resulted in some terrible tragedies, with more to come.
IF EVER! MOF, extreme vetting much?
Bumbles
(429 posts)Sadly, history repeats itself.
struggle4progress
(125,914 posts)February 20, 2026, 10:53 am
The Trump Administration has radically slashed the federal civilian workforce, sidestepping Congress and causing disruptions, slowdowns, and fragility in a range of critical public services that people and communities depend on. Veterans have been affected by these cuts both as members of the federal workforce and as recipients of federal health care and other benefits available to them based on their service.
The federal government has been a large employer of veterans for many decades, with veterans accounting for roughly 30 percent of all federal employees in recent years. Between September 2024 and December 2025, the number of veterans working in the federal government fell by nearly 10 percent. This loss of roughly 62,000 veterans from federal service including 13,000 fewer veterans serving at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has resulted in the lowest number of federal employees who are veterans in over 15 years, according to historical Office of Personnel Management data no longer available online.
Veterans have felt the impact of the Administrations chaotic and sweeping personnel policies across the federal government, including at the IRS, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Department of Education.
But its at the VA the federal agency dedicated to running programs and services that benefit veterans and their families, including providing care through nearly 1,400 health care facilities where the harm to veterans may be most acute. The Trump Administration cut nearly 28,000 VA employees (about 6 percent of agency staff) between January and December of 2025. Included in these losses were over 2,700 nurses, over 1,000 medical officers, and more than 1,000 psychologists and social workers, as well as over 1,800 people tasked with evaluating veterans claims for benefits. As a result, VA health centers and offices in every state have seen staffing declines ...
https://www.cbpp.org/blog/veterans-have-borne-trump-administrations-deep-cuts-to-federal-personnel
Joinfortmill
(20,837 posts)Damn!
leftstreet
(39,909 posts)BurnDoubt
(1,608 posts)Youre ALWAYS what happens when were out of ideas.
Its like drinking your troubles away.
You know when you wake
Epstein is still there.
Have we reached High Crimes and Treason yet???
Just asking
for Johnny.
At least he got his Obama Moment
check Bucket List.
GigiLeigh
(198 posts)Hauntingly beautiful. I made sure to go to YouTube and hit the like button. I have chills! Thank you for posting.