Trump 11: Worse than Expected

[Howl]

One thing I think is being missed are people who like what Trump is doing (or what they perceive that he is doing: Shake Things Up in DC! Change! Drain the Swamp! MAGA!) who despise him as a person.  There are more of these folks than we might think; I've run across three of them in passing, in person and on facebook.  Important to keep in mind when pollsters talk about Trump's approval rating.  These people are committed to his agenda, but not to him as a person. 

[fraurosena]

10 minutes ago, AuntK said:

What amazes me is that the Russian connection doesn't seem to bother them in the least!

They're talking now on MSNBC on whether or not there will be investigations of Michael Flynn, no real answer; seems like the Senate should look into it, my God, they had how many hearings on Benghazi?

Well, it seems that they're going to investigate the Mar-a-Logo security breaches at least:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-security-breaches-japan-north-korea-nuclear-football-nuclear-missile-house-a7580541.html

Quote

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has demanded proof of security protocols and how they are kept in place by 28 February

 

[fraurosena]

Double-posting again, sorry. But... well, this is the official White House site posting remarks made by the Tangerine Toddler at the signing of H.J. Resolution 41:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/14/remarks-president-trump-signing-hj-resolution-41

I mean, really? He speaks a lot of words, but says absolutely nothing in rambling unfinished sentences. I have absolutely no clue what the heck he is signing. I only know the name of the thing because it's in the title... And this is the official  White House site posting this. 

Sigh.

[December]

47 minutes ago, Howl said:

One thing I think is being missed are people who like what Trump is doing (or what they perceive that he is doing: Shake Things Up in DC! Change! Drain the Swamp! MAGA!) who despise him as a person.  There are more of these folks than we might think; I've run across three of them in passing, in person and on facebook.  Important to keep in mind when pollsters talk about Trump's approval rating.  These people are committed to his agenda, but not to him as a person. 

1

 

I think many of those same people are committed to him as a person... or at least, how they view him. They decided what kind of person/president he is months ago, and no new findings or facts will change (or even challenge) that view because they feel it's just biased media. 

[JMO]

Who here watched John Oliver this week??  Frickin HILARIOUS.  Put me in a better mood.  He also has great insight into where the Orange Toddler gets his wackadoo opinions and "facts" and why his die hard supporters love him for saying these things.  Be sure to watch through the end because the ending is hysterical. 

 

[iweartanktops]

[JMarie]

30 minutes ago, JMO said:

Who here watched John Oliver this week??  Frickin HILARIOUS.  Put me in a better mood.  He also has great insight into where the Orange Toddler gets his wackadoo opinions and "facts" and why his die hard supporters love him for saying these things.  Be sure to watch through the end because the ending is hysterical. 

 

All those cowboy commercials together kinda remind me of that Baz Luhrmann sunscreen song.

[47of74]

4 hours ago, clueliss said:

http://m.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/5/1630377/-Christian-Pastor-It-s-Time-We-Stopped-Calling-Donald-Trump-a-Christian?detail=facebook

Oh yes.  A pastor has called out Trump Supporters on calling Trump Christian.  More of this needs to happen.

 

 

I wonder if Lord Dampnuts realizes if he gets rid of the Johnson amendment the gloves are going to come off then with the preachers on our side, they'll no longer have to worry about holding back lest the IRS comes after them.

2 hours ago, AuntK said:

Exactly! When will he figure out that you DON'T have dinner with the prime minister of a foreign country in the public dining room at what is basically your country club? (Yes, I know it is super elite, but I saw FB posts from all kinds of random people who were there watching, and were not zillionaires.)  If you're not going to entertain him at the WH, at the least arrange for a private dining room!

One other helpful person POTUS usually has on his staff is a GOOD ATTORNEY! Of course, he had one, Sally Yates, but he fired her. I hope he doesn't rely on the legal advice of Klansman Sessions, but Cheeto needs a lawyer!

Yeah, if I were to ever take legal advice from Klansman Sessions please check me to see if I'm sporting any head injuries.

I'm surprised Lord Dampnuts didn't suggest going to a local strip club with the Japanese PM.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

2 hours ago, AuntK said:

What amazes me is that the Russian connection doesn't seem to bother them in the least!

They're talking now on MSNBC on whether or not there will be investigations of Michael Flynn, no real answer; seems like the Senate should look into it, my God, they had how many hearings on Benghazi?

I think there were something like 453 hearings on Benghazi. Trey Gowdy, the slimy worm, just couldn't let go.

I like the title of this article: "In the early weeks of the new administration, the humbling of a president", however, I disagree To be humbled, you have to have a sense of right vs. wrong and be able to admit you were actually wrong.  Here's the beginning of the article:

Quote

The presidential campaign was a heady experience for Donald Trump: months of triumph and, better yet, disproving all the so-called experts who said he never had a chance of winning. The early weeks of the new administration have been the opposite: the public humbling of a new president.

Trump’s campaign was never entirely smooth, but instincts that served him so well then appear to be less helpful now that he is in office. As president, Trump’s early moves — with some exceptions — have been marked by poor judgment, botched execution, hubris among some advisers, and a climate of fear and disorder all around.

The complexities of governing have quickly caught up with a politician determined to shake up Washington as quickly as possible. The president gets credit from many Americans for keeping his campaign promises, but government by chaos is not a known recipe for success. The result is an administration that begins its second month weakened and on the defensive. What Trump takes away from all this will determine the future of his tumultuous presidency.

Poor judgement and botched execution -- the hallmark of Agent Orange.

Quote

For Trump, nothing has proved as easy as it might have looked on the campaign trail, despite the flurry of executive orders and actions that flowed from his desk in the first days after the inauguration. He has signaled a radically different direction for the country, but only that. Senior policy adviser Stephen Miller’s claim that Trump has accomplished more in a few weeks than most presidents do in their entire administrations should be seen as the fanciful boast that it is. The record is only beginning to be written.

The powers of the president are vast, but they are not unlimited. Trump has come face to face with the checks and balances built into the Constitution and with the difficulty of commanding a huge bureaucracy of federal workers who value their role as public servants. He has seen anew the power of a free press to dig and report and hold those in power accountable. He has felt the power and sting of leaks from inside the government. There’s nothing new about any of this. It has been true for past presidents. Trump is learning the lesson painfully.

Things inevitably move slowly and not always to a president’s liking. Trump ordered a travel ban on refugees and on citizens from seven majority-Muslim nations, but it was hastily and poorly drafted, not subjected to the kind of thorough vetting such a measure requires, and its implementation was poorly done. Challenged in court, Trump could not force the judiciary to bow down and bless the order without independent review.

To the bolded: that would be nice, but he is incapable of learning.

[SassyPants]

5 hours ago, JMO said:

Who here watched John Oliver this week??  Frickin HILARIOUS.  Put me in a better mood.  He also has great insight into where the Orange Toddler gets his wackadoo opinions and "facts" and why his die hard supporters love him for saying these things.  Be sure to watch through the end because the ending is hysterical. 

 

This made my day-thanks!

[RoseWilder]

9 hours ago, clueliss said:

http://m.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/5/1630377/-Christian-Pastor-It-s-Time-We-Stopped-Calling-Donald-Trump-a-Christian?detail=facebook

Oh yes.  A pastor has called out Trump Supporters on calling Trump Christian.  More of this needs to happen.

 

 

I love John Pavlovitz. I've been reading his blog for a while now and it's fantastic (and so is his twitter page!) 

[sawasdee]

Politico seems to feel that the Orange One's administration is more smoke and mirrors, and most of its publicised 'action' is simply reaffirming already existing policy.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/president-trump-has-done-almost-nothing-214775

[Dark Matters]

So Russia is afraid of what might happen if Putin's bro, Orange Chump, might be impeached or killed.

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/russia-worried-trump-will-be-killed-or-forced-from-office/

"What the Kremlin fears most today is that Trump may be ousted or even killed. His ouster, Kremlin insiders argue, is bound to unleash a virulent and bipartisan anti-Russian campaign in Washington,” Foreign Policy magazine wrote this week. “The Kremlin is perfectly aware that Democrats want to use Russia to discredit and possibly impeach Trump while Republican elites want to use Russia to deflate and discipline Trump. The Russian government fears not only Trump’s downfall, of course, but also the possibility that he could opportunistically switch to a tough anti-Moscow line in order to make peace with hawkish Republican leaders in Congress.”

"Nothing short of unambiguous, raving madness or unmistakable scandal (of a much higher order than the raving madness and scandal we’ve already seen) would move the party to admit they erred in bringing a dangerous, corrupt lunatic into the White House and trigger the political catastrophe that ditching Trump would ultimately result in," a Slate op-ed read earlier this month. "The 25thAmendment provision relies on a governing party willing to shoot itself in the foot for the good of the country. Having faith in the Republican Party’s capacity to do this is itself unambiguous, raving madness."

 

[Childless]

27 minutes ago, Dark Matters said:

So Russia is afraid of what might happen if Putin's bro, Orange Chump, might be impeached or killed.

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/russia-worried-trump-will-be-killed-or-forced-from-office/

"What the Kremlin fears most today is that Trump may be ousted or even killed. His ouster, Kremlin insiders argue, is bound to unleash a virulent and bipartisan anti-Russian campaign in Washington,” Foreign Policy magazine wrote this week. “The Kremlin is perfectly aware that Democrats want to use Russia to discredit and possibly impeach Trump while Republican elites want to use Russia to deflate and discipline Trump. The Russian government fears not only Trump’s downfall, of course, but also the possibility that he could opportunistically switch to a tough anti-Moscow line in order to make peace with hawkish Republican leaders in Congress.”

"Nothing short of unambiguous, raving madness or unmistakable scandal (of a much higher order than the raving madness and scandal we’ve already seen) would move the party to admit they erred in bringing a dangerous, corrupt lunatic into the White House and trigger the political catastrophe that ditching Trump would ultimately result in," a Slate op-ed read earlier this month. "The 25thAmendment provision relies on a governing party willing to shoot itself in the foot for the good of the country. Having faith in the Republican Party’s capacity to do this is itself unambiguous, raving madness."

 

The Russians need to worry less about Dems and Repubs in Congress and more about Lord Dampnuts.  If anyone is going to take him down, it's himself.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

14 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Double-posting again, sorry. But... well, this is the official White House site posting remarks made by the Tangerine Toddler at the signing of H.J. Resolution 41:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/14/remarks-president-trump-signing-hj-resolution-41

I mean, really? He speaks a lot of words, but says absolutely nothing in rambling unfinished sentences. I have absolutely no clue what the heck he is signing. I only know the name of the thing because it's in the title... And this is the official  White House site posting this. 

Sigh.

What else could he say?

"I'm signing the cancellation of a law that required American Corporations to disclose the sums with which they bribe foreign governments. Now they will be free once again to corrupt other people's fragile institutions without any oversight. Foreign corrupted officials will let us pay less to take away their resources, wreck havoc of their environment and leave their states broken, democracies shattered. After all why should we give a damn about third world countries, if their officials are corrupt it's their problem and we don't care for anyone but ourselves never mind for poor brown people. Of course we can go on wondering why the US are despised by so many around the world. But most importantly my friend Rex Tillerson is happy!"

Of course this sort of speech is way out Lord Dampnut league, too articulate and sincere. 

[47of74]

45 minutes ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

What else could he say?

"I'm signing the cancellation of a law that required American Corporations to disclose the sums with which they bribe foreign governments. Now they will be free once again to corrupt other people's fragile institutions without any oversight. Foreign corrupted officials will let us pay less to take away their resources, wreck havoc of their environment and leave their states broken, democracies shattered. After all why should we give a damn about third world countries, if their officials are corrupt it's their problem and we don't care for anyone but ourselves never mind for poor brown people. Of course we can go on wondering why the US are despised by so many around the world. But most importantly my friend Rex Tillerson is happy!"

Of course this sort of speech is way out Lord Dampnut league, too articulate and sincere. 

Yeah there's too many multi-syllable words in this.  And it's way more than 144 words to come from the Orange Toxic Megacolon.

[GreyhoundFan]

While all the info about Lord Dampnut's Russia ties is flying around, so much other crap is happening. Here's a scary piece from the WaPo: "The president lays the groundwork for a nationwide voter intimidation program". An excerpt:

Quote

A presidential command to investigate the existence of a phenomenon that has been demonstrated not to exist can accomplish only one thing — a nationwide system of voter intimidation authorized at the highest levels of government. The president and his team have already made clear that they will not let facts get in the way of their firm conviction that voter fraud exists. Whatever body is charged with the investigation will be certain to concoct “evidence” of voter fraud; the administration would not take the risk of launching an investigation unless it could be certain that it would corroborate the president’s fantasy. Along the way, any commission will be charged with aggressively probing the actions of state and local voting officials — and voters — in its zeal to find what study after study has been unable to find.

All of this is especially alarming now that Jeff Sessions is leading the Justice Department. When Sessions was U.S. attorney in Alabama, he used the power of his office to investigate and unsuccessfully prosecute civil rights leaders for unsubstantiated voter fraud. In the black community, this generated fear about exercising the franchise that lasted decades. The results of such an investigation on a national scale could be even more devastating.

I mean, it's no big surprise, but there's so much crap going on, it's hard to follow it all.

[Howl]

Industrial strength media fans are blowing Russia shit all over the court of Lord Dampnut today. 

I think at least some of the Republicans are starting to get extremely nervous that they will be tainted by the Trump administration.  Once it's clear that Trump is a total political liability, anything can happen.  Sen. Lindsey Graham is on the warpath -- relatively speaking -- calling for bipartisan investigation in a very lawyerly, allegedly, if proven kinda way, going after those awful Russians and their attack on democracy everywhere, without specifically implicating the Trump campaign, except that's what he's saying.  Or is he?

Foreign Affairs Committee member Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) Dick is on CNN right now, managing to bring up Clinton Benghazi (!) and Obama Iran (!) while discussing trying to get the Flynn transcripts.  He's a little behind the curve and noted this will likely all go to the Intel committee anyway, but remember: Iran! Benghazi!  Dems pouting over losing the election!   

This could be way beyond damage control already and continuing to expose the complete disarray in the White House.  Nobody can get their story straight about Flynn and now it's becoming apparent that numerous campaign staffers were chatting up the Russians all during the campaign.  

What tickles me pink is that Lord Dampnut can tweet himself silly, but once serious official investigations get underway, there will be no place to hide.  Actually, background  investigations have begun looking at known Russian operatives (overt and covert) and potential contacts with Trump campaign aides during the campaign. 

Paul Manafort, Carter Page, Mike Flynn have already fallen. Who's next?

 

[PraiseDog]

17 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Well, it seems that they're going to investigate the Mar-a-Logo security breaches at least:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-security-breaches-japan-north-korea-nuclear-football-nuclear-missile-house-a7580541.html

 

Oh my god. 

Randos taking selfies with the nuclear football...NE Patriots owner, SCROTUS, family, friends, the President of Japan, and various hotel guests point their cellphones at sensitive documents...Leaving the key to classified info sitting around...

This is way beyond a joke...Playing fast and loose with our National Security like this is absolutely treason. People have gotten the death penalty for less.

Chaffetz in his letter says he prefers the documents in electronic form - SCROTUS will probably tweet them.

The American public - at least those of us who have even an ounce of sense - are so over this bullshit. Is there NOBODY in the White House, Senate or Congress who will do their job and end this travesty? A pack of raccoons would do less harm if they took over the administration.

Seriously, at this point I'll take Pence. I know that's what the repugs really want, but whatever. At least he'll just fuck up this country and not get the whole planet nuked.

 

[sawasdee]

Random comment - there is a very definite strain of anti semitism in this administration - see Holocaust Day speech - a lot of which I think is rooted in the success of Jewish people being greater than their percentage of the population would suggest. Do you think they have ever made a connection between that success, and the emphasis that traditionally Jewish culture has placed upon education? And maybe this is also part of the reason they want to dumb down general education even more - less competition if you are the only one around who can read a balance sheet......and why they love the Christian, home schooled Fundies!

[Howl]

Sadly, the military career of Randy the Nuclear Football Guy is probably over.  

Here's what The Smithsonian says about the iconic black briefcase: 

Quote

Contrary to popular belief, the Football does not actually contain a big red button for launching a nuclear war. Its primary purpose is to confirm the president’s identity, and it allows him to communicate with the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon, which monitors worldwide nuclear threats and can order an instant response. The Football also provides the commander in chief with a simplified menu of nuclear strike options—allowing him to decide, for example, whether to destroy all of America’s enemies in one fell swoop or to limit himself to obliterating only Moscow or Pyongyang or Beijing.

Now let's get to Pay-to-Play!  Apparently a Clinton high crime, but now business as usual with Trump.  His Mar-a-Largo Club (the winter White House!) has doubled the membership fee to $200,000 with $14,000 annual dues.  Hey, if you can bend Trump's ear, meet the leader of a foreign country, play some golf, it's worth it, right?  The potential for corruption in this administration is off the charts, and right out there for everyone to see. 

 

[PraiseDog]

Not just potential. The corruption is here. The only difference between this administration and IDI Amin or Robert Mugabe is the genocide hasn't  started yet.

 

[sawasdee]

@PraiseDog I live in a country where corruption is a way of life. Stopped by the police for drunk driving? About $30 will sort that out - unless you're driving a very expensive car! Need city water to your house? That cost me - over and above the real cost - about $600. At the new monument to past kings, the anti corruption junta paid $10,000 per palm tree - the ones in my garden cost $100 each. Any infrastructure project is acknowledged to use 30 - 40% of its spending on 'sweeteners'.

The US really does not want to go down this road. I have friends who say 'there is corruption in every country', which is probably true - but not so in your face, and part of everyday life, but rather in the higher echelons of Government - and not openly. Once you in the US begin to accept the commercialisation of the Presidency, the lack of transparency over taxes from your President, the continuing involvement of said Cheeto in his own businesses (and his making of political decisions to protect such businesses) - then you are on the road to becoming a third world Government.

FSM help you.

[PraiseDog]

You're right, @sawasdee, we're not to that point here, yet. But we very well could be four years from now, if the slime continues unchecked and spreads throughout the various beaurocracies. And examples like the ones you gave do sometimes happen here, particularly to POC.

[47of74]

1 hour ago, sawasdee said:

Random comment - there is a very definite strain of anti semitism in this administration - see Holocaust Day speech - a lot of which I think is rooted in the success of Jewish people being greater than their percentage of the population would suggest. Do you think they have ever made a connection between that success, and the emphasis that traditionally Jewish culture has placed upon education? And maybe this is also part of the reason they want to dumb down general education even more - less competition if you are the only one around who can read a balance sheet......and why they love the Christian, home schooled Fundies!

Republicans hate public education because it's much easier to either oppress stupid people and/or get them to vote Republican.  When someone actually knows their ass from a hole in the ground it's harder to get them to vote Republican, and they're also better equipped to stand up for themselves. 

That's why we're seeing attacks on education so much now.