DC Media Group

Washington DC—City Council unanimously voted 13-0 to rename the DC Blue Plains Water Treatment Facility in honor of President Donald Trump. An amendment to the bill also calls for installation of a giant golden throne in his honor. The vote came late on Monday night after most administrators had left for the day. The bill was to be forwarded to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s desk for approval on April 1. But Mayor Bowser had already approved it before the DC Council did, in keeping with the DC Government’s new policy of anticipatory obedience.

Blue Plains administrator Richard Pugh said the water treatment facility was the largest and most modern in the world and it was befitting to name it after someone who was larger than life.

“Naturally there was only one person we could think of to bestow this honor so we had to pick someone who has made a big improvement on the lives of so many in the Nation’s Capital and that was Donald Trump.”

Whenever Donald Trump comes to visit his facility he’ll have his own golden throne he can pause on,” said Pugh. “That’s a good thing. We want him to be comfortable and feel right at home.” Pugh also remarked the ribbon cutting ceremony for the rebrand is being planned in a few days once the throne is installed.

Plans are underway to build the throne in a conspicuous place where everyone can see him when he comes by. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Art of Yew York City has provided detailed artwork on how the throne will look once construction is finished, he noted. The golden throne is not anything like those thrones you’d typically see in other monarchies,” said Pugh. This throne is very classy and will be 24 carat gold not the watered down 18 carat gold previously used at the Guggenheim Museum.

“It has to be solid gold because Donald really likes golden things. You know he has added a royal finish throughout the White House with golden curtains, upholstery, and gold on the ceilings. There’s even gold in the Oval Office with a lot of golden vases and eagle figures.”

The New Trump Water Treatment facility will process over 370 million gallons of water per day (mgd)—it really clears up the waste water coming from DC just like President Trump has cleared up a lot of government of its waste and eliminated slacker bureaucracy. “He’s done away with a lot of unwanted and unnecessary things in DC and we want to honor him for it,” said Pugh.

An earlier amendment to replace the tar at the Blue Plains Water Treatment Facility with yellow bricks spelling Trump’s name was tabled because of Federal worker cutbacks.. It would have been visible from space. When asked about the Blue Plains rebrand White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was at a loss for words for the first time ever.

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Washington DC—Hundreds of Tesla electric vehicle dealerships saw lines of citizens line up outside them urging consumers to boycott the flailing car company. The decentralized grassroots actions have targeted the world’s richest man, Elon Musk over his continued interference in Federal government operations.

A surge of anger towards the mega billionaire has fueled the Tesla dealership boycott actions which are now in their seventh week. The boycotts are credited with at least in part taking down over 40% of the car company’s stock value.

In Washington DC over 100 danced outside the Tesla dealership in Georgetown drawing many new participants to the festive block-party atmosphere along the busy M Street shopping corridor. Passing motorists joined in the celebratory mood by honking, giving thumbs up approval, and slowing to take photos and videos. The mood couldn’t have been described as a protest but more of a celebration in defiance of an increasingly authoritarian presidency.

The Tesla boycott lines are one of the remaining actions left for a citizenry stunned by the speed at which Elon Musk and his so called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has taken apart multiple government agencies, bureaus, and essential functions. Where Congress has failed to take decisive action against the Executive branch power grab, the citizens are taking actions on the streets.
The Trump-Musk president union is growing more desperate to assert its authority as it gets rebuffed in the Federal courts over nearly every one of its policy objectives. The judiciary is the last part of government still functioning in a constitutional separation of powers role and the last institution capable of culling any Trump-Musk power. It is there that the official decision on Federal government operations will be decided.
The growing Tesla boycott actions in the streets demonstrate restlessness in the people in that many genuinely disapprove what has transpired in the Federal government over the past 3 months.

Meanwhile at the Arlington Virginia Tesla, hundreds also joined in a community boycott line became more of a block-party celebration with over 100 citizens wearing costumes and holding hand-made signs, as passing motorists honked approval.

Tesla actions were also reported in many countries in the European Union, including France, Germany, and the U.K.

We will add video reports to this story later in the day. You may also visit our Bluesky channel for periodic video updates throughout the day.

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Arlington, Virginia—Its 4:15 on Tuesday afternoon in front of the Tesla dealership on South Glebe Road and the sidewalk is already lined with nearly 70 cheering for passing motorists to boycott Tesla electric vehicle dealerships. More keep coming with their odd assortment of signs, and spirit. They have been coming to the dealership for a solid 6-weeks as an opposition response to Elon Musk’s butchering of Federal Government agencies, taking down or dismantling government functions, capturing terabytes of classified information, and illegal firing of tens of thousands of Federal employees.

The numbers are still growing each week as more Tesla boycott stalwarts join the boisterous line waving signs and cheering for motorists to honk their approval. Many honk as they pass but some occasional thumbs down also pass by. They don’t blow their horns.

There’s nothing uniform about the odd collection or sidewalk collaborators condemning the Trump-Musk government takedown. There are retirees, youth, a lawyer, business professionals and union workers, Federal workers, single mothers, an elderly woman in her 80s sitting in a folding chair barely able to stand, someone with an LGBTQ flag, another carrying a Black Lives Matter sign, and a man wearing a gold Guy Faulks mask. About the only uniformity among these concoctions of resistors is a desire to see Elon Musk taken down the way he’s taking down the order of their government and their financial futures.

About 40 feet away a man has set up an ancient wooden box camera on a modern metal tripod that looks like it could have been used to photograph the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promintory Summit in 1869. Mac Cosgrove-Davies is hunched under a thick blanket hood sliding a silver nitrate covered metal plate into a slot and readying to expose it to light for a moment. He removes the lens cap and then replaces it. He leaves his camera set up on the sidewalk as he takes the plate to a nearby table on which he will develop it.

He lays the metal plate into a series of three square plastic containers and within minutes a black and white image appears on its white surface. He observes it a moment and then places it in a container of water to rinse off the chemicals. It’s a bit dark—possibly over-exposed. The light this afternoon is dim and it is a cloudy day after all, so maybe it wasn’t over exposed as much as it just a dark day.

The finished image is a reversal of the real life scene playing out before the camera. It’s a metaphor for the sequence of events in society over the past two months. Nothing seems to be anything like it was.

He uses no meters and no electric devices. The entire process is all analog and the resolution of the photographs he develops is infinite. The finished photographs even capture the blurry movement of those in the boycott line as they wave their signs and move about, an aspect that is impossible to capture with today’s digital technology.

Part artisan, chemist, and historian, and a throwback photographer from an era long past, he explains the chemistry behind the process commonly used between the 1850s and 1870s while he prepares another plate for exposure. He pours a strong mixture containing ether onto an aluminum metal plate while holding it flat in one hand and waits a minute until it sets. It’s known as the collodion wet plate process and it must be completed within 15 minutes. So he works from a portable dark room out of the back hatch of his car.

He goes into a detailed description of how the process works, describing the chemicals used and the history behind them.

“Once this collodion starts to set I’m gonna put this plate into a bath of silver nitrate. So there are hallides salted into the collodion and the silver from the silver nitrate is gonna join with the hallides and that becomes a silver hallide which is light sensitive,” he says, finally.

The Tesla boycott actions are crossing over to the mainstream as evidenced by the comming of folks like Cosgrove-Davies to record the boycott line. He has travelled to document the movement of the people. He explains that he has been using this ancient technique known as the collodion wet plate process to create images for many years but decided to begin documenting the resistance ever since the U.S. Agency for International Development was shutdown by Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency acolytes.

He says that one image of about the size of a large postcard, about 6”x 8” costs about $5 by itself to create without adding in the cost of the camera and other equipment he needs to develop the collodion wet plates. He does portraiture for about $100 per plate which enables him to continue his craft, but with this project he is documenting an historic moment which will be over sooner than later. And he’s here for it.

A Tesla salesman comes up to him from inside the electric vehicle car business and politely asks him to move his camera from the driveway entrance as he fears someone may knock it over. Its the first time anyone has come outside to speak to anyone involved in the boycott actions.

Nearby many on the boycott line snap instant digital color images from their built in cellphone cameras, completely oblivious to the artisian-chemist-photographer at work nearby. He’ll have taken and developed a series of four photos with his camera from a bygone era while the others will have taken dozens of photos and videos in minutes. They’ll upload their digital images to social media platforms. He’ll have images that capture the movement of the people and their movements in real time in black and white.

The post Tesla Tuesday Boycott Draws Ancient Styled Photo Man appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Arlington, VA—At about 12:30 on Saturday afternoon about 20 arrived early and circled up nearby the Arlington Tesla dealership to discuss safety and security of the ongoing weekend boycott rally which was to begin at 2 pm. The main organizers of Third Act of Virginia asked participants to agree with a thumbs up of a short list of positive behaviors that would keep the boycott action inclusive, safe, and non-confrontational towards Tesla customers. They discussed deescalation as a method of diffusing tensions during conflict.

Third Act of Virginia is a grassroots organization dedicated for those 60 years and older, or in the “Third Act” of their lives and wanting to give time and resources back to their communities. But many members are much younger and like the stability and wisdom the organizers bring to the table.

During the school circle, there was a discussion of sign-making techniques and free materials provided to make them. Someone brought homemade cookies and there were drinks and snacks for everyone. A box of Budweiser non-alcoholic energy drinks was set out again—the same box left out the week before—and several were opened and gone as it was much warmer than last week. A street medic volunteered to provide care in case of injury. There were flyers and information passed out and several joined in the action for the first time.

Then the main organizers stood back while the line of boycott resistors walked to the Tesla dealership and did their boycott thing; they danced to a playlist over a sound system, cajoled motorists to blow their horns and cheered when they did; and they gave out magnet bumper stickers to Tesla owners who agreed to take them. A woman with a bubble making toy returned to spread bubbles everywhere. Someone brought their dog and he rolled in the grass. Many took pictures and short videos to share with others on social media. But the number one reason they keep growing is because there isn’t anything the Trump-Musk regime can do to stop them. And they feel empowered to take legal street action against Elon Musk’s illegal takedowns of democratic agencies and institutions by protesting his most profitable business. They’re urging the public to boycott Musk’s electric vehicle company. It’s called the Tesla Takedown boycott action and it’s going on across the country at other dealerships.

Several stepped up to be volunteer safety marshals to keep participants from getting too close to passing traffic and several others designated as police liaisons. No police showed up. Police didn’t need to show up. That’s because, there were no incidents, no confrontations, no vandalism, and there was even someone who stayed to pick up stray pieces of trash after the boycott action had mostly cleared out at 4 pm.

Over the past two weeks the Attorney General has spoken out against the First Amendment Tesla boycott actions by conflating their actions with “terrorism” because there have been several unrelated incidents of vandalism at Tesla dealerships usually late at night. The vandalism has not been linked to any of the Tesla Takedown boycott actions. Despite the Attorney General’s veiled threats, many of the participants have expressed desire to keep up the momentum of the actions by returning next week, March 29, when there will be an effort to expand the boycott actions to 500 locations globally.

For this, the sixth week the boycotts continued expanding as more joined in the actions. The boycotts are an improbable success story. They continued captivating attention, and they are gaining popularity. They are improbable in that they are one of the few prominent resistance actions that continue flourishing against a backdrop of institutional failures to repulse the spreading web of Trump-Musk authoritarianism. They are gaining popularity and captivating attention because those participants that are coming are actually creating a safe space for others to have fun blowing off steam despite the stress of watching their democratic institutions taken apart by Trump and Musk. The stress of watching democratic institutions and legislative opposition leaders fold has burdened everyone. The mainstream media is beginning to report on the Tesla Takedown boycott actions and that as well as a spectacular drop in Tesla stock value over the past three months gives evidence that the Tesla Takedown actions are successful too.

According to a published report in the Guardian, 20% of Americans support boycotts of corporations supporting Trump policies. This includes firms that have backed away from diversity and equality human resource hiring policies. A national boycott of Target stores beginning on March 6 over its rescission of diversity and inclusion human resource policies resulted in billions of lost sales. Tesla owners are turning in their cars as public pressure builds on the Tesla brand, increasing the percentage of market trade-ins for the brand according to a published report.

The Tesla Takedown boycott actions are an effervescent grassroots response to the failure of the legislative government and its institutions to protect the people against power hungry authoritarians who want to takeover and steamroll democratic institutions. They are composed of ordinary citizens who will not sit quietly while this is allowed by others too weak to stand against it.

At the end of the action, a person who goes by the name “Mac” read a quote by Gil Duran, a journalist who writes about tech fascism. He read the quote by Duran in its entirety but the salient points are,

It’s not just about money, it’s about power. Silicon Valley’s favorite word is disruption and tech companies have disrupted communication, shopping, travel, and many other aspects of our lives and some of those changes were good connecting us across cities, states and continents as we’re doing right now, but now Silicon Valley billionaires don’t want to just disrupt markets. They want to disrupt democracy itself. A small group of tech billionaires, people like Elon Musk and Peter Teal under the influence of a man named Curtis Jarvin and other right wing philosophers, believed democracy is obsolete.

“Their vision is to replace democratic nations with corporate dystopias under billionaire control. These are ideas that sound crazy, but they have been openly discussed in Silicon Valley circles for years. Its a dangerous ideology of tech supremacy.
These billionaires believe they are destined to the rule of the world. They believe the time has come to capture existing governments and remake the rules in their own favor. They seek to collapse democratic societies like the United States and replace democracy with corporate dictatorships.

“They want to replace the dollar with crypto, giving them even more power over our world. They desire to control every power center, government, police, media, academia, even religion, and they are already trying to build new corporate controlled cities, which Trump calls freedom cities, but they’re not talking about freedom for us. They mean freedom for billionaires who want to escape democracy, rules, and the law.

“This sounds unhinged, but look at what’s happening in the news. They’re trying to do this right now. These men pose an existential threat to our freedom and our way of life.

“But here’s the thing they built their empires with help from our labor, our government, our money, and our public trust, and we’re not going to allow them to use that power that we gave them to dismantle the very democracy that enabled their success.
That’s why the Tesla takeaked down matters so much because you’re proving that even the world’s richest man can be held accountable and can be cut down to size but this isn’t just about one man or one company.

“This isn’t about being the opposition or the resistance. This is a moral movement in defense of freedom, justice and human rights, and this is a mission to defend our country, our democracy, and our future. And we’re going to win, because ours is not a government of by and for billionaires.

It’s a government of by and for the people, and together we have a moral destiny to make sure that Elon Musk and his weird cronies learned this lesson and never forget it.”

https://youtu.be/zZpONedcgIo?

The post Tesla Boycott Actions Keep Going And Going Six Weeks On appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Arlington Virginia—On week five of the Tesla Takedown protests one could be led to believe a block party was in full swing outside the Tesla dealership in Arlington, Virginia. Many went with their signs and banners but some brought sound systems with playlists and boomed the line with resistance dance music. And the music was in the right key of freedom to dance. Someone even brought a case of Budweiser nonalcoholic energy drinks in the classic aluminum cans.

The community got a large share of favorability ratings from passersby honking their support and thumbs up for the block long protest line. The protesters were near capacity on the sidewalk outside the dealership. One woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty. A man wore a brown shirt and pants with Elon Musk references symbolizing Hitler’s Nazi Germany. See video.

The grassroots leaderless Tesla Takedown action is in its fifth week with no signs of slowing. And the community is feeling good about what they are doing although they are not happy about why they’re doing it. Elon Musk’s car company is the target but ironically protesters target it by ignoring it altogether and concentrate on encouraging the public towards a national boycott of his electric vehicles. And it’s working.

Sales have plummeted in the U.S. as well as internationally. Prominent figures have announced they are selling their Teslas. The latest high profile online promise to sell their Tesla was Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who said in a self-recorded online post, “Elon Musk kind of turned out to be an asshole and I don’t want to be driving a car built and designed by an asshole.” Cheryl Crowe announced online she too was getting rid of her Tesla and watched as it was towed away. She contributed to sale proceeds to National Public Radio.

Tesla cars have become politically taboo because Elon Musk has become politically toxic.

There were scores more this week at all the Tesla Takedown actions outside area dealerships than in all the previous actions last month. In Rockville MD and at Tyson’s Corner, Virginia as well as Washington DC, record crowds showed up for the Tesla Takedown protests. They were attended by good spirted participants and there were no incidents involving any kind of property damage.

Just before the action in Arlington a group of protesters met to discuss safety and security protocols. Someone read a list of behaviors that would be acceptable and everyone there signified with a thumbs up of their agreement with the informal code of behaviors. A certified medic joined them as well as designated safety marshals and police liaisons.

The Tesla Takedown actions are becoming so popular that more boundaries for group safety and security are needed. A core group of activists has stepped up to define what constitutes a safe environment for those wishing to participate. And it will become more useful as growing numbers join in the Tesla actions.

But since the beginning of the Tesla Takedown actions in early February, the safety and security protocols have been a natural part of the community understanding and practice of those showing up. There has been no one going onto the lot or harassing customers or employees. There has been no vandalism reported either.

On Friday, in response to an incident of vandalism on Inauguration day, nearly 2-months ago, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warned protesters if they engaged in property vandalism they would be punished under anti-terrorism laws. “[I]f you’re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out, because we’re coming after you,” she said. Bondi’s comments were designed to have a chilling effect on the growing number of protesters by threatening First Amendment rights with arrests.

Bondi also threatened so-called funding of protesters, without offering any evidence whatsoever that the grassroots protests were funded. Bondi said, “[I]f you’re funding this, we’re coming after you. We’re going to find out who you are.” There were two other reports of isolated reports of vandalism. These did not occur during any of the Tesla Takedown protests.

On Tuesday Trump said he would consider labeling anyone “domestic terrorists” who used violence against Tesla owners or dealerships, according to a published report.

But the protesters are showing up and their numbers continue to grow. The actions are becoming increasingly popular and the community is drawn to them for resistance as well as an outlet for the stress of seeing their government dismantled by Elon Musk.

The Tesla Takedown actions are likely to grow as the weather warms and the Trump-Musk duo continue to unravel the Federal government agencies, disregard U.S. Federal Court orders, and exceed the constitutional limits of their power over the Legislature and the Judiciary.

The Tesla Takedown actions are only one part of a broader resistance movement bubbling towards a boil against the executive branch in this post-constitutional era and Tesla Takedown protests are not likely to fade away anytime soon.

The post Tesla Takedown Protests Grow With Grassroots Spirit For Fifth Week appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Arlington, Virginia—Its 4:15 pm on Tuesday afternoon and one can hear car horns blaring a block away from the Arlington Tesla car dealership. Some motorists toot a few times but others blare their horns down the entire length of the protest line, fueling the protesters to cheer back loudly at the passing cars. There are about 50 spread along the sidewalk of South Glebe Road holding an odd array of hand made signs. Across the street there are about 10 more. Others continue arriving, some by bike, others by foot.

The traffic is jumping along the busy road but a traffic light a short distance away slows and stops it for a moment, then it ebbs and clears out. The traffic passes less than a foot from the protest line. A woman worried about safety walks the line with a clipboard listing safety tips. She warns the line away from the street. But it creeps close again a few minutes later. Their enthusiasm pushes them forward.

Some sprint across South Glebe to take photos and videos of the line on their cell phones. They’ll post them on social media later in hopes that next week even more will come. A man is dressed like Uncle Sam and his stars and stripes top hat stands out. Some are Federal workers. Most are just there because they are shocked at what has happened in the country since the inauguration.

I ask several if there is any organization behind the Tuesday Tesla protest but there is none—everyone I speak to is from the local DMV community and heard about the chance to hit back at Musk’s electric vehicle company by word of mouth or from social media. Everyone there knows Tesla stock is dropping as word of the protests has spread from coast to coast.

Some say they have come because Elon Musk’s takeover of Federal government agencies and shutdown of many agencies has worried them about the future of the government. Some are so angry they didn’t know what to do. Calling their representatives was fruitless. They cannot understand how an unelected billionaire got inside the Federal government and has dismantled it piece by piece. They are frustrated that Congress hasn’t acted to get Musk out of government as several of their sign say. So they’ve joined the Tesla protests for a few hours. It’s their last resort.

Most of the signs they brought are an odd assortment of messages mostly critical of Musk. But other signs could lead one to the believe that there are many issues driving them there other than Musk’s transgressions within the network of classified government information systems.

Along the protest line someone is waving a Canadian flag while someone else waves the flag of Mexico, These are two countries Trump targeted with tariffs for reasons no one there seems to understand.

There’s even a flag representing transgender rights—pink, light blue and white emblazoned over the words “Change the CIS-tem.” This references the attack on the marginalized Trans community, a minority targeted by the right essentially because it exists contrary to their beliefs or for reasons too ambiguous to understand. Yet here the protesters are, set between protecting an almost defenseless community and defending the Federal government from being burned down by a billionaire megalomaniac.

Another sign being held reads, “Black Lives Matter,” an issue playing out in Washington DC across the Potomac River just 5 miles North. On Monday DC street crews paved over the symbolic civil rights memorial letters “Black Lives Matter. This request came from Trump acolytes without so much of a fight from DC City Mayor Muriel Bowser. This issue matters because during Trump’s first term the Black Lives Matter Plaza was the local ground zero for hundreds of arrests and uncounted skirmishes between DC police and activists following the Minneapolis Police murder of George Floyd.

The many signs form a tapestry of issues gnawing at the hearts of the protesters which seemingly lay disconnected entirely from the reason the protesters have come to be outside the Tesla dealership: to get the public to boycott Tesla electric vehicles to somehow affect sales and force the worlds wealthiest billionaire to lose something—or anything—for destroying the Federal government. But this is the essence of protests in this difficult time. There are so many issues and they are all interconnected in some way.

One of the protesters is a DC government retiree who left his position last year. Marcial Lever commented that what Musk was doing was just crazy. Of Musk he said, “He came out of nowhere. He’s dismantling the government. He’s getting all of our data and personal information. That’s crazy.”

Musk’s behavior has harmed his brands as much as Wall Street fundamentals and some of the signs protesters carry reflect that. “Stop the Billionaire Grift,” reads one, “Nobody Elected Musk,” reads another,” “Elon Musk Out of Our Government,” and “Clean Up After Your Doge,” reads yet another.

As for Tesla, its stock value has lost over 50% of its market value over the last two months since the Trump-Musk duo came to power. It equates to $800 billion in paper losses, over $140 billion of which was Musk’s.

The protesters talk among themselves about Tesla stock, reinforcing their rationale for being outside Tesla. They ruminate Musk and Trump while claiming the dramatic crash of his Tesla stock is their doing and perhaps it is they who triggered the massive losses.

Wall Street reporting has up to now barely mentioned the Tesla protests in its daily analysis of the Tesla stock crash, if at all. In fact Wall Street has been playing up its long term value. As for value sake, Tesla stock was already heavily overrated and vastly oversold with low sales. The company had a price to earnings (P/E) ratio more than 120 and many times that of other car companies before protests erupted and its stock cratered. Tesla stock was more likely than not to correct at some point near term.

The Tesla protests may not have caused the precipitous drop to go as fast and quick as it has. But the protesters were on the scene when it began and they helped spread tarnish on Tesla’s reputation and therefore they are claiming some credit for the tanking stock and worsening sales.

But it was Elon Musk’s attitude and behavior towards millions of Federal government employees and if there’s anyone to be personally blamed for the Tesla stock collapse, he is at least in part to blame. His nazi salad salute at Trump’s inauguration did much to harm his image. His chainsaw demonstration at CPAC as a metaphor to government hasn’t endeared him to Federal workers either.

So the protesters are there enjoying their moment in the sun for now. They are taking credit and giving themselves big props for having been there for one of the biggest corporate owns ever in terms of losses for one of the most reviled industrialists have ever lived and it has been some prominent doing that got them here.

Musk has lost $140 billion in two months, that’s more wealth than the individual GDPs of the world countries ranked from 62 to 185.

There has been no major media coverage and it confounds the protesters. Two local journalists walk between several protesters asking questions and taking notes on spiral pads. Up to now the Tesla protests have been covered by the large news organizations only when there has been vandalism or police activity but that’s about to change.

On Tuesday Trump sat in a Tesla next to Musk to hawk the billionaire’s brand at the White House. He said that the protesters who vandalized Tesla dealerships should be targeted for “domestic terrorism” for going after Tesla. He said that those involved would “go through hell.”

It was clear the protesters had finally struck a nerve leading all the way to the White House. And within 24 hours on Wednesday, every major news group was reporting about the Tesla protests.

The protesters had finally struck the right chord for the attention they sought and it was Trump himself who had done that for them.

The post Tuesday Afternoon Protests Take Arlington VA Tesla To Task appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—The Tesla dealership protests are still going strong across the Region as hundreds of protesters continue to show up outside the electric vehicle (EV) dealerships. The grassroots Tesla Takedown actions are growing fast as spring weather brings out more people. Protests were repeated at Tesla dealerships in four locations across the region, Arlington, VA; Tyson’s Corner, VA; Rockville, MD; and Georgetown, Washington DC.

At the Arlington, Virginia Tesla, record numbers of protesters showed up to urge the public to ditch their Teslas and not to buy them in the future. Hundreds of cars passed the Tesla dealership every five minutes on the busy four lane South Glebe Road. Many motorists were blowing their horns in support of the good spirted protesters.

Protesters did not go onto the Tesla property or otherwise have interactions with Tesla employees.

The protests have lassoed a rare moment of public fury towards a specific brand—in this case Elon Musk’s EV car company is the intended target because he is its largest shareholder. Most of his paper wealth is tied up in the over-priced Tesla stock.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) invasion of dozens of government agencies, takedown of agency operations, and firing of or barring from work spaces as many as 100,000 Federal workers so far over the last 6-weeks, has created chaos throughout government and is tantamount to a coup. It is this takeover that has prompted the Tesla takedown actions—giving to Elon Musk what he has given to every U.S. citizen—chaos and lost fortune.

The damage DOGE has done to the information arm of the Federal government, often referred to as its bureaucracy, is incalculable. Gone are the privacy of hundreds of millions of citizens as Musk’s DOGE team has over the last 6 weeks forced access to nearly every computer database in Federal government agencies and taken the information in those databases for his own purposes. But even more damaging is the destruction of intricate government networks and systems themselves which were developed and improved over the last 80 years since the Federal government began providing many services communities depend on. The true value of these systems could be in the trillions because the value of the technologies built into these systems over this period are more than the sum of its costs.

Musk’s takeover and takedown of many agencies has left many wondering what is left in them to safeguard and protect, whether or not they can be rebuilt after Musk is gone, and whether U.S. allies will continue to trust U.S. Federal government operations in the future.

Lawrence MacDonald, an organizer with the group Third Act, put Elon Musk’s DOGE activities in the Federal government bluntly. “Elon Musk hates America. He’s out to destroy our country,” he said. MacDonald also took issue with the entire premise of DOGE being either efficient or cost saving. “No one voted for Elon Musk. Its a fascist coup and we’re here to stop it by damaging his brand.”

Lisa, a participant in Saturday’s action said “this is how we’re gonna make change, by people coming out here and all over the country.” She said that Congress had in effect lost the initiative and it was now up to the people. “The Democrats in Congress don’t have the attention, we do. We need to use it. We need to do this every day.”

DOGE isn’t just taking over Congressionally authorized agencies, unconstitutional and illegal as that is—the DOGE actions are also extending into agencies of the Department of Defense where 10s of thousands of Federal employees face elimination actions, buyouts, or reductions in force.

Tesla stock value is a good measure of how the company is performing, and it doesn’t look good. Tesla stock value has blown to bits like a crashing dick-rocket—down 45% from its high on December 17, 2025. It has lost value every week since the Trump regime came to power in January. That’s seven consecutive weeks of losses.

Since the last closing day before the inauguration on January 17, Tesla stock has dropped over 30%, taking with it a quarter of Musk’s wealth since the Trump regime came to power.

Incidentally, SpaceX performance isn’t doing very well either. Two of its rockets have failed during ascent since January. SpaceX is a privately owned company, and therefore access to its private stock is very limited. This also means it is not required to publish quarterly earnings, performance, or describe future expectations.

The post Tesla Protests Go Big In Fourth Week As Its Stock Drops appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—Saturday marked the third week of Tesla protests in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DC-MD-VA) area as the protests outside Tesla dealerships continued growing and spreading across the country. The protests reflect the extent of the rage many feel towards mega-billionaire Elon Musk for his role in the takeover and takedown of vital Federal agencies and functions. Protesters are urging car owners to sell their Teslas or boycott the electric car company altogether. They are calling their actions Tesla Takedown in response to Musk’s Federal Government takedown.

The fact that there are so many drivers honking their horns in support of the protesters shows that many who are not themselves directly involved in the protests support the cvil actions because they feel the same way as those on the sidewalks holding signs and banners, and chanting from bullhorns.

Elon Musk has led a 6-week effort to unconstitutionally deconstruct congressionally authorized Federal Government agencies, while illegally firing tens of thousands of Federal workers without due-process. The second and third order effects are just beginning to be felt by millions as financial and regulatory services begin to slow and funding for many programs has been slowed or halted.

Other Federal workers have been barred from entering their workplaces altogether. Federal workers at U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Treasury, Department of Education, NASA, FBI, Department of Labor, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, HUD, NIH, and many others have been barred from entering their offices or fired.

Most of Musks actions are being challenged in Federal Courts but some of the temporary restraining orders have been ignored.

Musk has also led an effort which has in effect harassed those Federal workers still remaining in agency workplaces by sending them ambiguous email updates titled “fork in the road,” outlining requirements for them to accept deferred resignations or face an uncertain employment futures. Another email sent en masse created chaos when it ordered the entire Federal workforce to report back their weekly accomplishments within a few days even though Federal workers already report accomplishments to supervisory staff for annual evaluations.

Another policy letter sent on Thursday was circulated which outlined further actions yet to be taken against Federal workers which included plans to relocate many agencies far outside of the DC-MD-VA region to other States in the coming year.

These Twitter-styled communications mimic the reduction in force rollouts enacted against the social media company before Musk fired most of the staff at that company and rebranded it “X.”

Musk’s burn it all down actions in the Federal government infrastructure has triggered an unusually spirited response from ordinary citizens who normally would not take part in first amendment demonstrations. For many it was their first time ever going to a protest. But in this case, the ordinary citizens included mothers with their children, grandparents, Federal workers, and private sector professionals who would usually be home completing their regular weekend activities. They are showing up with hand made signs along with activists who have done this kind of thing before and they are bearing their displeasure towards the mega-billionaire.

The protesters have targeted Tesla dealerships because it is where Elon Musk has most of his wealth tied up. The protests are exposing a a deep vein of emotion and anger and those who are showing up are exchanging information on how or organize and get others to join the protests.

Musk’s cruel treatment of Federal workers and their families, along with his arrogance towards those affected has fueled the rage and it has built more each week as more join in the protests.

The protests also seem to have a significant impact on Tesla stock, although it is not possible to scientifically measure the extent protests have on stock values. They have dropped from a value of $424.07 per share on January 17 to a value of $290.80 per share as of Thursday (February 27) since the inauguration. Thats a $133.27 drop in value per share or a decrease of 31% in Tesla’s total stock value. This represents a significant loss in the billionaire’s wealth, and it was a cause for celebration among protesters this Saturday.

The embarrassing foreign policy disaster that unfolded in the Oval Office on Friday between Trump, Vance, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also tapped into the resentment towards Trump and Musk. Several brought Ukrainian flags which they waved at outside the Arlington, VA Tesla dealership.

The post Tesla Protests Grow, Tap Rage Towards Elon Musk appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—A couple of witty activists spun up a rebrand of Trump’s DC area International Golf Course Country Club with a giant banner on Saturday, renaming it the “Golf of Mexico.” They welcomed anyone who may happen to join the president today for a round at his to posh club—in Spanish with a warm “Bienvenidos!”

Their act of defiance went straight to the heart of all the chaos and ego driven silliness surrounding Trump’s rebranding of the Gulf of Mexico. It also poked fun at and split wide open the issues underlying his policies and treatment of migrants.

The ongoing first Amendment right of a free press and the court battle between Trump and the Associated Press for refusing to acknowledge the renaming of the body of water is a far more serious matter.

Trump has so far managed to keep the AP out of the West Wing press pool and off of Air Force One based solely on their refusal to comply with his arbitrary rebrand of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”

All other major U.S. news outlets have conceded to Trump’s demand to rename the body of water to the Gulf of America. AP is the only news agency barred from the West Wing and from Air Force One and in its court filing stated it would be “irreparably damaged” by this bar.

Video credit: GolfofMexico.bsky.social

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Washington DC—The Federal workers illegally fired and unconstitutionally shutout of the work spaces of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were given a warm send off by colleagues, family members, and the public on Thursday. The sidewalk outside the main entrance was adorned with flowers, supporting messages on signs, gifts, bags of treats and food, and most importantly the warm embrace of hundreds who cheered their decades’ of public service as they left their offices at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building for the last time.

The public gathered early on Thursday outside the USAID offices after a message was issued Monday outlining clear-out procedures to USAID Federal workers. Workers were instructed to go to their offices at specific times based on their bureau and floor and would be given 15 minutes to clear their belongings from their desks. The clear-out orders included an exhaustive list of prohibited weapons they were not permitted to take into their offices. Federal workers are already aware of workplace restrictions with regard to weapons so this portion of the order could be seen as another degree of humiliation from a regime already demonstrating itself hostile towards public servants.

Many of the workers were overcome with emotion as they walked out the doors with the few office mementos they had retrieved and into the arms and accolades of cheering admirers. It was the first opportunity they had been given to retrieve their office belongings since they were first locked out on Monday, February 3.

But if one small symbolic gesture could be seen as a revolutionary act then this was it. The hundreds of supporters demonstrated that even in a moment national disgrace there could be poise and grace in showing up for those that were suffering injustice and maltreatment.

The USAID takeover and shutdown was part of a larger takeover and shutdown of agencies all across the Federal Government. Over a dozen agencies have already been taken over with tens of thousands of Federal workers fired or barred from their offices. The Federal workers of these agencies are also suffering through sudden economic hardship as their jobs, salaries, healthcare, and livelihoods are taken from them without due process.

Carol Bannerman, a citizen who came out in support of the USAID Federal workers said that the shutdown of USAID will have far reaching consequences not only from the standpoint of the Federal workers harmed, and the services many millions depended on abroad, but also by the harm it will do to the reputation of the United States abroad.

“USAID provided soft power around the world which made people want to be like us. It served the most vulnerable people around the world. Soft power is just one element. Yes we use military power and yes we use economic power but soft power is a way of making people join us and it has the same role as military power,” Bannerman said.

Bannerman outlined some of the many ways USAID assistance helped developing nations and millions globally, from food and health assistance to assistance for women’s entrepreneurship and family health programs. These were a few of the programs being authorized from USAID before tens of thousands of employees and contractors working in developing countries were fired in late January.

A USAID Federal worker who has not been barred from their office spoke anonymously to DCMG about the current status of USAID Federal workers. “Right now at USAID many are still employed but have been placed on administrative leave. So we are still getting paychecks but are not allowed to go into the offices,” they said.

“We value your work and respect the contributions you have made to the betterment of humanity, and we see you,” they said.

The post USAID Federal Workers Get Warm Thanks For Their Public Service appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—The Federal workers of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were notified today they would be given a short period to clear out their desks over a two day period. The email detailed the process over 2 days for USAID bureaus to split the workday into 15 minute increments for each worker to retrieve their belongings.

Many Federal workers have been located at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building, the headquarters of USAID, for decades and would have naturally accumulated many belongings and mementos of their employment over that period. The Federal employees will not be provided any packing materials such as tape or boxes.

This is part of a DOGE plan to dissemble government agencies and reduce the Federal workforce to a fraction of what it was. This is the newest DOGE attempt to humiliate Federal workers who have been in public service for much of their careers.

But the public can show up and support the Federal employees by bringing boxes and packing tape, food, snacks and coffee, to help them through this difficult moment. The public can also bring signs of support and thank the Federal workers being released.

By showing up for the Federal workers the public can show that many citizens firmly reject the irrational and inhumanity of the DOGE takeover. It is also a subtle was to resist DOGE by giving power to Federal workers who have served the needs of developing countries through war, famine, and disease, and oppressive regimes since 1961. Even the smallest act of resistance can be a revolutionary act.

The staff will have Thursday and Friday, in one-hour windows by bureau and in 15-minute increments per person. No boxes or packing materials will be provided. It This will be an extremely emotional two days for the workers so any support from the public would be significant.

An announcement published on behalf of the USAID Federal workers read,

”We would like to encourage anyone who is able to join us at the (Ronald Reagan International Trade Building) to “clap out” staff, with signs of support. If you’re able to bring extra packing materials and/or drinks and snacks please do. We want to show these people how you treat public servants who have given their lives to the important work we do.”

The mandatory clear out schedule for USAID Federal workers is Thursday, February 27, from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm and Friday February 28, from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. The public should show up early with supplies at:

Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

There is public parking in the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building garage, and the closest metros are Metro Center (red line) and Federal Triangle (orange/blue). If you are planning to park in the garage please make sure to have a government-issued ID (driver’s license).

The USAID offices were among the first taken over by DOGE thee weeks ago on February 3.

USAID was created by an act of congress in 1961 and signed by President Kennedy. Several court cases challenging the legality of the Trump-Mush takeover and shutdown of USAID remain open.

We covered the actions outside USAID on February 3 and February 4.

The post USAID Federal Workers Given 15 Minutes To Clear Out Desks appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Arlington VA—Local grassroots organizers stepped up actions on Saturday for the second weekend outside Elon Musk’s Tesla electric vehicle dealerships in hopes of spurring a boycott against the company. At least four dealerships were targeted in the region as fury rose against the mega-billionaire and world’s richest man. The protests were part of a national effort by many grassroots groups.

Local dealerships of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DC-MD-VA) at Georgetown, Washington DC; Rockville, Maryland; Tysons Corner and Arlington, Virginia were among those sites of the weekend protests. The protesters stood on sidewalks outside the dealerships holding signs and encouraging passing motorists to boycott the electric vehicle car company. Many motorists passed blowing their horns in support of the protesters.

The community is responding to Elon Musk’s corporate raider styled takeovers and shutdowns of government agencies and firings of tens of thousands of Federal employees. Many joining the protests in this region are Federal workers or former government workers worried about the future of government operations. Some are citizens concerned with their government and services that will be delayed or eliminated altogether.

At stake are the careers and futures of millions of Federal workers, the regional economy of the DC-MD-VA region, and the economies of other regions employing Federal workers. But also at stake and more importantly, is whether the function of Federal government agencies will remain sustainable or whether they will be subsumed and eliminated by the Trump-Musk regime. The Trump-Musk regime has not published, at least publicly, any plan of how or with what they will replace the many services Federal employees provide to the country.

So the protests are aimed at making Musk feel a bit of the economic pain he is causing others. Most of his wealth is tied up in his Tesla EV car company. His net wealth was $403 billion at the end of 2024, making him the wealthiest person who ever lived, but his wealth began slipping after the inauguration and his ascendancy to silent partner in the Oval office.

The price of his Tesla stock was $422.60 per share one month ago but had crashed by $80.20 to $337.80 or by 19.3% as of Friday, February 21.

Elon Musk has also paid no taxes in the many years the company has been in business.

The post Locals Hit Elon Musk Tesla Car Dealers Again As DOGE Axes More Fed Jobs appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—One month ago no one would have dreamed citizens would defend the Internal Revenue Service. It is the one governmental agency that has probably cost most everyone more money than anything else. But on Friday afternoon a group of ordinary citizens did just that—they stood outside the IRS to defend it against the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) takeover. Several Federal employees joined the protest for an afternoon demonstration.

A few spoke over a low volume sound system about how DOGE was creating the government crisis and the cascading effects it would have on everyone. They sang songs and held signs and a few police showed up from the Federal Protective Service, the agency overseeing the security around Federal buildings in Washington DC. The demonstration was much less of a threat to the security of the IRS than presently being posed by the DOGE infiltrators taking down and shutting Federal agencies.

Above the demonstrators, at the base of the ionic columns of the towering IRS edifice is the inscription, “Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society—Oliver Wendel Holmes.” It is somewhat difficult to read because of dark runoff soot from auto exhaust had blackened some of the words. The building has lost is once white alabaster finish because it has not been jet cleaned in some time.

In ordinary times past it would have been easy to scoff at Holmes’ words because no one wants 25% of their wages to be taken from the top, and to pay another sales tax on the leftover earnings for goods and services.

These are no longer ordinary times. And Holmes’ inscribed wisdom should give one pause to ponder the true value and the cost of a functioning government and whether they should want to pay for it.

As the infrastructure of government order is taken down by a handful of Musk’s unvetted corporate raiders and hackers, and the government services on which every American relies ceases, the true value and cost will become much more clear.

One Federal employee who spoke, wore sunglasses and a hat, to cover their face. They said that much of what the Trump-Musk regime is saying about Federal workers is false. They expected to be fired any day now. They urged the public to take a stand against the agency takeovers if they still wanted to have a functioning government.

Regarding the rumors started by Trump-Musk that Federal jobs are easy and Federal workers don’t work, they said it took them six months to get hired and six months to pass security credentialing. DOGE “special government employees” walked in with security clearances or badges. The ITS was not the most beloved agency but workers have paid a lot in taxes while billionaires like Elon Musk have paid none.

Elon Musk Not Beholden to Any Civil Society

Elon Musk’s electric vehicle car company Tesla grossed $2.3 billion in 2024, yet his company paid no taxes last year. It paid no taxes in the years before that either. The same applies to his rocket company SpaceX. Most of his $403 billion wealth is tied up in his car company Tesla and his rocket company SpaceX. But because he pays no taxes he has no stake in the civil society working Americans pay for.

DOGE continues to run amok through the federal government, its latest target is the IRS. DOGE fired 7,000 federal employees, most of them hired in the last year. These layoffs come during tax season which is the busiest time of the year for the IRS.

Trump’s chief economic advisors say that the number of IRS employees fired could be as many as 35,000. There were 90,000 workers across the country prior to the layoffs.

Axing so many employees could impact millions of taxpayers. The deadline for filing tax returns is April 15, but disruptions are expected.

Saturday, February 22, grass roots protests will continue outside Musks Tesla dealerships across the country.

The post Citizens Defend Internal Revenue Service From Latest DOGE Takedown appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—A coalition of Federal workers, allies, and a network of unions gathered at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center to denounce the Trump-Musk shutdowns and takeovers of Federal agencies, and firings of thousands of Federal workers.

Several hundred then marched a few blocks away to the 1200 block of F Street where the Elon Musk SpaceX rocket headquarters is housed. They stopped at the front entrances shouting “Hey hey, ho ho, Elon Musk has got to go!”

As they arrived at the doors their furry was evident. Over the past three weeks nearly every Federal worker had been affected in some way by the billionaire’s takeover and takedowns of Federal agencies and his DOGE “special government employee” disruptive actions inside agencies. Their anger reached a boil outside the SpaceX lobby building.

Unions included the ACLU and the Federal Unionist Network (FUN). Many Federal workers also took part in the action which was mirrored in other cities across the US.

DC Police quickly closed off streets as protesters arrived at SpaceX headquarters. The protesters crowded into the street as many others passed by on their way home from work and videotaped the fury of those taking part in the demonstration.

Most major corporations have lobbying offices along the K Street corridor in Washington DC. SpaceX offices happen to be about five blocks from K Street. The SpaceX location in Washington DC functions primarily as a public affairs and lobbying arm of the corporation.

Speakers, some of which identified themselves as Federal workers who had watched many colleagues lose their jobs, spoke about the coming disruptive changes to services Americans depend on.

Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants said of Elon Musk, “You can build all the dick rockets you want to go to Mars while you leave the rest of us on the burning Earth. We’re gonna take control. This is our world, and it’s our government, and it’s our money.”

Another Federal worker who asked not to be named, said, “I think one of the misconceptions that I’ve seen a lot talking about Federal workers is we’re paper pushers in Washington DC. We actually work on the ground in communities all over the place.” She described how Federal workers safeguard air traffic, food production and processing, regulate air and water contamination. She said that they want to keep doing their work because they understand the risk posed to communities when such work is not completed.

Protesters were angered over Elon Musk’s statements and tone earlier this week in that he took some sort of pleasure in shutting Federal agencies. He erroneously implied that since Federal workers were unelected and as part of a bureaucracy they were therefore a threat to democracy.

But this statement went to the core of how misinformed Elon Musk is about the role of Federal workers and the competitive hiring process they undergo to get hired. There has never been any criteria for Federal workers to be elected for public service. There has never been a role Federal workers take in sharing power between the three branches of government. Federal workers have always been nonpartisan and under the Hatch Act may not take part in pubic campaigns for candidates running for public office.

There was no property damage or arrests reported.

The post Hundreds March On SpaceX Building in DC As Anger At Elon Musk Comes To A Boil appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—In a time of crisis it is natural to look outward for wisdom to guide us through uncertainty. But that wisdom can come from the most unexpected place and in the most unexpected way. And on Monday during the FiftyFiftyOne protest in Washington DC no one expected children’s book writer Tara Hoot to deliver what turned out to be excellent advice to help them navigate the world in this difficult time of fear and uncertainty. Her message was to find it within by looking at the courage and strength and the “gorgeous” already inside each of us.

To begin, the government crisis in the DC-MD-VA region is making many lives here much more difficult as hundreds of thousands of public servants are or will soon be suddenly and needlessly unemployed. This will have second order effects on many others who run businesses fulfilling government contracts. Then, for the country itself, many millions will soon begin to notice vital services on which they depend cease as systems falter and fail. Next there is certain to be recession as funding is cut and many begin to move out of the region. And so there is much trepidation about the seeming insanity taking root in the country’s leadership.

And so many came from around the region to join the growing protests because they are afraid and anxious about the takeover and shuttering of government agencies and institutional collapse, and worried about what is to come.

Many speakers told of the issues already in plain view and striking us from straight ahead. The rise to power of a fascist regime, a mega-billionaire who cares about others and the consequences to millions of Americans but cares more about his businesses, and the apparent lack of Congressional action on behalf of Federal workers, were all the main topics.

When Tara Hoot stepped up to the mic, everyone was waiting for a little piece of hope, assurance, and advice that everything was going to be ok. But that’s not actually what she came to do. She said she wanted her “version of Drag to be the kind of Drag that lifts people up, gives them joy, gives them hope.”

She told of the many threats to her marginalized community and to herself. These came from extremists as the result of her community service in reading books to children during Drag Queen Story Hour venues she had organized over the past four years. And she told of her own distress that a president could take over the venerable arts institution of the Kennedy Center to direct hatred on marginalized communities like hers.

“The world is so hard sometimes,” she began.

She read her children’s book because “children’s books often contain lessons for all of us, not just children.”

Take a leaf and read a bit from it or listen to it from the authors voice in the video below:

“Darlings! Ding dong. Who’s at the door?
It’s someone I don’t think I’ve met before.
Oh my goodness, my gosh, my stars, what to do?
I was hoping I’d see the gorgeously you!
Lets just take a moment to welcome you here.
This gorgeous human being so radiant so dear.
But gorgeous my goodness what does that word mean?
It’s not just about your shine and your sheen.
Because you can be gorgeous in multiple ways.
Let’s take a close look at them what do you say?
You could be gorgeously smart, know just what to do.
Like knowing four is the sum of two plus two.
You could be gorgeously kind, a friend to those near.
Lift them up, cheer them on, lend them your ear.
Be gorgeously clever what will you do?
Pull the lever, climb the rope, watch out for that goo!
Be gorgeously thoughtful. Is that someone in need?
Share a coat, some joy, do a good deed.
Be gorgeously strong. Be true to who you are.
Don’t change just to change I’m sure you’ll go far…”

Tara Hoot’s full reading of her as yet unpublished book is the video link below. All unpublished work in her book is ©️ by the writer and owner.

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Washington DC—Federal workers, their families, and supporters continued their grassroots demonstrations in opposition to increasing aggressive agency takeovers and takedowns by the Trump-Musk presidency. Thousands took part in the President’s Day protest at the US Capitol Reflecting Pool demanding Congress act now against what many say is an illegal and unconstitutional power grab by the executive branch of government.

The group 50501 organized the Monday afternoon demonstration at which speakers warned in no uncertain terms that the multi-billionaire Elon Musk was on the verge of permanently disabling by dismantling the Federal government without any legal authority and with no transparent plan to replace it. No members of Congress showed up to defend their own roles in government power or to speak out on behalf of the Federal workers being dismissed from public service. The FiftyFifty One website reads it is a decentralized organization with limited or no budget which was conceived over social media to stop executive overreach.

The assembly was part of a series of actions taking place across the country in every State, according to the 50501 website.

A lineup of Federal workers, Veterans, and activists spoke from a makeshift sidewalk stage with a sound system much too small to reach the thousands assembled in the permit area but their messages were clear: the Federal government was teetering on the verge of complete takeover and replacement by proxy of authoritarian rule from unelected mega-billionaire Elon Musk.

Although the permit granted to 50501 organization did not allow a street protest, many walked around the Reflecting Pool chanting and carrying their signs, many of which were handmade. Two things were clear: the size of the grassroots movement is growing from its initial inception two weeks ago and the anger and rage is mounting against the continuing Trump-Musk Federal agency takeovers, takedowns, and Federal worker reductions in force.

One speaker told of his family’s three generations of public service and how he was a Veteran who followed them into public service. Another told of how fascism gains footing and robs a republic of its life and takes away freedoms.

But the keynote speaker who stole the mic was Tara Hoot, a Drag Queen who has recently stepped up and into the resistance spotlight to encourage those assembled to be “brave,” be “strong,” and believe in yourself. It was some much needed advice for many who were in fear of what was happening in the world around them.

Tara Hoot did not mention the Government takeover or the struggle going on over power and access within the many agencies affected but she condemned Trump’s hostile takeover of the venerable Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and ousting of its Board. She also announced her run for the “People’s choice” to run the Board at the Kennedy Center.

She gave some practical advice by “doing something controversial” she had not publicly done before. She read her children’s book she authored because “Children’s books often contain lessons for all of us.” She began by saying,”The world can be a difficult place,” and read what she had told children at Drag Queen Story Hours. A link to her speech is here.

Her reading gave the thousands assembled there a moment to pause and reflect on themselves, and their value in a time of uncertainty and fear. She has not yet published her book.

Meanwhile the thousands there sought connections through the crowd in an effort to coordinate further actions and mobilization against the Trump-Musk regime.

The post Thousands Rally On Presidents Day Against Trump Musk Government Takeover appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—Citizens angry with Elon Musk’s DOGE takeover of Federal government agencies rallied outside multiple mega-billionaire Tesla dealerships Saturday to tell him they aren’t putting up with his Federal government cuts and his explanation for the cost cutting “mandate“ policies. It was the first salvo in what may become a grassroots movement targeting the billionaire’s commercial interests and empire as the result of his bullying tactics of Federal government agencies, workers and operations.

Protesters rallied outside Rockville MD Tesla, Georgetown Washington DC Tesla, and Arlington VA Tesla dealerships while drivers honked in support as they went by. (Video below). Tesla protests were reported at dealerships from coast to coast.

About 50 crowded in front of the Georgetown Tesla for about two hours holding signs and others chalked the sidewalk outside the upscale dealership. In Arlington VA about 100 demonstrators stood outside on the sidewalk in a cold drenching rain as motorists passed on South Glebe Road as many drivers honked in support of the demonstrators.

Dealers were seen through the giant pane windows watching from windows and speaking on their phones as the spectacle of protesters disrupted the usual calm outside the high-windowed dealerships. It was the first time in this region protesters organized against the business operations of major car company dealerships, at least in living memory, but these are not normal times and in these times its not business as usual.

The billionaire Musk and a team of a self-described DOGE “special government employees’ has taken over, taken down, and fired thousands of Federal employees from many agencies in key Federal government departments which have been tasked with providing a wide array of vital services to every American. Musk-Trump presidential team (it is difficult to tell for sure which is actually the president) has offered no alternative to what system or organization will replace the vital services of the agencies being shuttered and it is certain to create social and economic disruption as government services are eliminated and agencies cease to function.

Over 200,000 Federal employees have been laid off or fired since Trump took office on January 20, just 26 days ago. Another 2 million more Federal employees are in the cross hairs of his reductions in force. The mass job loss in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia region is also almost certain to crater the economy here in the coming months, although no significant data on the Federal employee losses will be available for some time.

The demonstrations at Tesla dealerships were not organized by any one group but were the combination of many groups acting in concert. Citizen anger against Musk’s Federal government takeover and aggressive employee reductions has welled up online over the past two weeks and many groups came together in multiple demonstrations over that time. Targeting Tesla dealership with demonstrations could be seen as a natural reaction to that anger as many just showed up for the solidarity actions.

Most of Elon Musk’s wealth is connected to his Tesla Car company. As the world’s richest man, he controls about $395 billion, 75% of which is attributed to Tesla stock and his Space X corporations. According to a published report in Forbes his wealth was estimated to be $403 billion in December 2024. The price of his Tesla Car company stock dropped 17% to $356 per share as of February 14 from $424 per share on January 20, in the weeks after Trump was sworn in as president. In that time Trump initiated a trade war with Canada, Mexico, China, and Europe. Canada responded specifically targeting Tesla with 100% tariffs. Musk’s popularity has also dropped significantly according to a published report in Economic Times.

The post Protesters Target Elon Musk Tesla Car Dealerships Over His Federal Agency Cuts appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—Don’t be fooled about who’s really in charge at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. The Drag and Trans community put on their own street show of resistance right out in front of the arts center Thursday night. A Drag Queen entourage led street dances and a protest in response to Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center Board.

Hundreds of supporters joined them despite a blustery cold windy night as they danced and protested the Trump regime oppression of the Trans community from rights to access healthcare to erasure of their identity. The ouster of the venerable arts center Board, and Trump’s own appointment as their Board chairman was the lightning rod for this street action.

One could no doubt hear the raucous protest inside the nearby Watergate Complex as they shouted “Whose Streets? Our Streets!” and “Whose City? Our City!” It was just a preview of what’s likely to come. And after two weeks of agency takeovers and takedowns, DC needed a little street dancing to relieve some of the tension. But this is also a serious matter especially given the nature of the targeting of a community already struggling with high rates of hate crime and prejudicial treatment.

The Drag Resistance action was in part a response to the Trump Regime takeover of the Board and subsequent replacement of its Board members. (Does anyone really believe its still an administration after two weeks of over a dozen agency takeovers?) A new Board appointed by Trump consisting of his political supporters took over its operations. Up to this point and ever since the Kennedy Center opening in 1972 there has never been a political ouster and takeover of the arts center Board.

The Trump regime has adopted policies designed to erase the Trans community. It has removed the option of Trans identity from passports, it is attempting to eliminate medical care for those in transition, blocking entry for Trans community into the military, and this week the Nation Park Service removed references to Trans and Queer from its Stonewall Memorial website.

If Trump wanted to pick a fight with a community he is bound to lose against then the Drag and Trans Community is it. No other community is as much skilled in the art of shade and street fighting strategies, and he and his political appointees in the arts center Board are likely to end up with a figurative fat lip and bruised ego.

Why does a non-political venerable institution like the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts matter anyway? It’s the last place anyone would try a corporate raid styled takeover—that is anyone except an authoritarian enamored with world dictators who feels threatened by anyone or anything that stands up to him.

Popular Drag Queen Tara Hoot joined in the resistance march along with the street dancing and vowed she’d be the one running things there when everything is said and done. She’s running for its Board Chair and although it’s a long shot as to whether or not she’s going to be end up as Board chair, the fact that she’s in the running for it will likely catch on and gain a lot of support as the Drag and Trans resistance movement begins in earnest against the Trump-Musk presidency.

Drag Queens and the Black Trans Community have a rich history in the U.S. fighting aggression and standing up to bullies and that history goes way back to the June 1969 Stonewall ‘Riots’ on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, New York City.

On June 23, 1969, NYC police raided the Stonewall Inn Bar, a popular place the LGBTQ Community went for drinks, dancing and fun—only it was run by the mob without a liquor license. The police hard-arrested and publicly abused patrons and this infuriated the LGBTQ community. The next six days and nights were back to back skirmishes, leading to the birth of the LGBTQ movement. Stonewall is also why Pride month is held in June.

This chapter of the resistance fight is just being written and still on its first pages. And it’s going to be a show one won’t need high-priced Kennedy Center tickets to watch. So stay tuned because it will be a history lesson you’ll not want to miss in the performing arts of resistance. It’s going to be one hell of a show.

The post Drag Community Steals Spotlight Outside The Kennedy Center appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

Washington DC—On Thursday afternoon the advocacy group Democracy Forward achieved a victory in its epic battle against the Trump regime over its attempts to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

On Wednesday Democracy Forward filed suit against the Trump regime (case 1:25-cv-00458-ABA) over acting Director Russell Vought’s removal of funding for CFPB earmarked for its operations.

The current suit was brought before the U.S. District Court of the State of Maryland on behalf of the Mayor and the City of Baltimore by Democracy Forward and is a legal matter involving the CFPB acting Director, Russell Vought’s attempt to remove previously approved Congressional funding for CFPB operations for use other than for what it was approved.

The Trump Regime agreed to comply with the petitioner’s requests with the Court for a temporary restraining order in that acting Director, Russell Vought:

—will not transfer funds from the CFPB reserves

—will not give control of CFPB funds to any other party

—will not transfer CFPB funds back to the Federal Reserve, the independent parent agency that provides CFPB its funding

—will not reduce CFPB funds beyond what was available as of February 13

This development marks another victory, albeit temporary, for plaintiffs against the Trump regime and Elon Musk, the mega-billionaire involved in the takeover and takedown of many Federal government agencies. This also marks another set back in Elon Musk’s plans to deconstruct Federal government agencies. There are over 20 ongoing cases concurrently filed by organizations on behalf of Federal employees and the agencies currently under siege.

Another organization, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) 335 is pursuing another related matter on behalf of Federal employees of the CFPB involving the lockout and removal of over 1000 Federal employees from their workplaces. We have been reporting about this action since last weekend.

See previous reports here and here.

Elon Must has so far offered no public plan on replacing the Federal government agencies and services he has taken over and attempting to shut down. He has not indicated that he even plans to replace services at all. He stated in the Oval Office yesterday that his plans were transparent and available on his DOGE website but a visit to the site showed no plans and offered no vision other than his intent to deconstruct the Federal government.

The CFPB is the only agency that provides oversight on dishonest businesses and returns money fraudulently taken from consumers through the courts. The CFPB was created in 2011 under authority of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Consumer Protection Act in response to the 2007/8 financial meltdown. It is a bureau of the Federal Reserve.

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Washington DC—The mega-billionaire Elon Musk and his posse of 20 something year-old DOGE “special government employees” are inside government agencies and departments right now slinking through the halls, taking control and taking it down, piece by piece. They’re removing Federal employees, occupying their offices, accessing the personal information of millions, copying or transferring it, shutting down the computer systems that shepherd the data, and 404ing vital government websites providing important government services we all depend on.

They’re not vetted government employees and they certainly haven’t followed security standards ordinary Federal workers adhere so let’s just refer to them as the ordained Trumpian crap weasels and muskrats stinking up the halls of our government.

By stopping congressionally-approved transfer of payments from the Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) they’re about to make life much more difficult and expensive for millions who depend on services. By blocking agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from providing important oversight and stopping the regulation by other agencies of programs millions more depend on, many Americans will suffer, as well as many abroad. Even the MAGA voters who helped put Trump in office in the first place will suffer although it’s not likely to dawn on them until later.

If you want to you can go online and throw shade and vitriol at those in your circles in the MAGA vote pool or jab word darts at anonymous MAGA voters you don’t know. It may make you feel better for a minute but that won’t improve the situation much and it won’t get us where we need to be—dragging the Musk rodents by their smelly hind parts out of venerable government agencies and kicking them back to their Elon owned dungeon corporations where they spawned.

Elon Musk and his DOGE gigachud rat-bastard basement dweller wannabe gangsters may make you feel disempowered and hopeless. They want you to believe there is nothing you can do to stop their government interference and malfeasance because, in the words of Elon Musk at the Oval Office today they have a “mandate” from the voters to eliminate most Federal employees and their agencies, take away services we all depend on, rewrite and eliminate vast portions of government, and replace it with…whatever surprise solutions he has up his sleeves. He said the DOGE actions are “transparent but a visit to the DOGE “official government” website takes you to what looks like a Visual Basic beginner’s project from a computer science 101 class. It begs the question: who is actually the president because it looks like Elon Musk is the one running things in the Oval Office.

Here’s the catch: by making you feel disempowered, anxious, and confused about how this unfolding government crisis could happen, they want you to feel and be unable to act. They think that disempowering citizens keeps them from getting involved and therefore green lights their lawlessness to break and sideline even more agencies as they choose.

But here’s the other catch: the law is on our side. The Trump ordained muskrat despots keep losing in US District court lawsuits, at least at the initial stages. Court cases filed by States Attorneys General and Unions against the Trump Musk presidency are resulting in injunctions and keeping these wounded agencies intact by threads for the moment. The US District courts are going to buy agencies time and delay Federal employe reductions but for only so long.

But there are more of us than them—they know this so they’re rushing their gangster plans through quickly, on the weekends and in the dark of night in the agency buildings where they’ve locked out regular Federal employees.

In the meantime there’s much you can do to help. But you must get involved and you can help, even if it’s just a little bit.

Things You Can Do To Empower Yourself And Others

Necessity is the mother of invention so says the old proverb. But if something is already invented you’re halfway there. Here are a few things you can do to empower yourself and share with others. The time is short. Hitler only required 53 days to take down the Weimar Republic and convert it to a fascist state in 1933. If at this stage of our government crisis one doubts we are heading in that direction then listen to the words of Holocaust Survivor Marione Ingram.

Tactic One: Save Your Resources

The University of Virginia has created a website of archived government websites—bookmark it—you’re going to need it later.
Link is here.

Tactic Two: Call Your Representatives and Congress Persons

Five Calls Organization created a website to connect to your representatives. It connects you to them so you can tell them about issues important to you. Call them. Engaging with them makes a difference. Tell them what you are thinking and what you think they should do.

Some are saying Congress isn’t acting decisively enough or isn’t working to stop the government infiltration by Elon Musk and his DOGE government takeover. This is defeatist thinking. It’s going to take actions by everyone to work within their capabilities to defend democracy. This is one tactic.

Tactic Three: Get Involved

Want to get involved in an action? The Movement Infrastructure Project created a website to help you find an event, time, and place. You can meet others and plug into the organizations of the event with your resources. It is also empowering to get out with others to challenge those trying to destroy our government institutions. You will meet others with your shared interests and you can exchange information. That is the key to movement building.

Tactic Four: Provide Resources to Existing Organizations

If you are limited in what you can do because of lifestyle or life conditions, consider sharing resources with organizations on the front lines fighting the court battles.

Electronic Frontier Foundation website here. EFF is suing DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management to Halt Ransacking of Federal Data.

Fight For the Future, a digital rights advocacy group of artists, engineers, activists, and technologists who have been behind the largest online protests in human history, channeling Internet outrage into political power to win public interest victories previously thought to be impossible.

The National Treasury Employees Union 335 is presently leading a coalition of unions, representing hundreds of thousands of employees, in filing a lawsuit challenging the administration’s dangerous efforts to gut the federal workforce.

Idavox a grassroots civil rights organization educating communities about oppression, racism and fascism.

The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) has filed suit on behalf of Federal employees locked out of their workplaces and/or fired. Support their efforts by donating to their union to cover attorney costs or join the union if you are a Federal employee. The NFFE site offers helpful tips on advocacy and other advice such as guidance for new Executive Orders and Deferred Resignations. (Note: the Fork In the Road email IS NOT a buyout as is being reported in mainstream media.)

(More will be added as we find links for the organizations working together to see us through this crisis.)

Tactic Five: Take care of yourself.

During times of high stress one thing often overlooked is self-care. It is easy to overlook this vital link during difficult times such as the events going on around us now. It is natural to feel anxious, restless, and lose a sense of balance. A self-help guide published in Psychology today lists a few ideas one can take for maintaining balance of the Self. Take breaks, breathe, move-even just a little, eat wisely, and doing something nice for yourself, are a few subcategories of this tactic.

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