Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

A GOP lawmaker announced his retirement --

"You just posted that."

'nother one. From Texas this time, been around since 1987.

"For several reasons, this seems like a good time to pass on the privilege of representing the 21st District to someone else. At the end of this Congress, I will have completed my six-year term as Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. I have one new grandchild and a second arriving soon!! And I hope to find other ways to stay involved in politics," Smith said in the statement.

Hmm. The guy who was Chairman of Science, is leaving the Trump administration, "for several reasons". Hmm.

[Garnier Fructis]

A GOP lawmaker announced his retirement --

"You just posted that."

'nother one. From Texas this time, been around since 1987.



Hmm. The guy who was Chairman of Science, is leaving the Trump administration, "for several reasons". Hmm.

Good fucking riddance.

[Breccia]

TRUMP IS LEADING THE MOST CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION IN U.S. HISTORY, ONE OF FIRST-CLASS KLEPTOCRATS

The article is far too extensive to quote the whole thing. It does point out objective issues with pretty much every person in Trump's campaign, despite Trump promising transparency and draining the swamp. But here's an example:

So as the presidential inauguration approached, anticipation bubbled through the sulfurous nexus of Capitol Hill politicians, special interest groups and their K Street lobbyists, the media, the establishment and just about everyone else who had dismissed Trump and his slogans as a publicity stunt. There was now a question, rather urgently in need of an answer: Was he serious about all that “swamp” stuff?

Not really, revealed former House Speaker and loyal Trump supporter Newt Gingrich, admitting to NPR on December 21 that “drain the swamp” was never a genuine promise. “I'm told he now just disclaims that,” Gingrich said a month before Trump was to assume the Oval Office. “He now says it was cute, but he doesn't want to use it anymore.”

Someone from Trump Tower must have placed an angry call, because the former speaker soon tweeted that he’d overstated the case. But that didn’t kill the story. That same day, Politico wondered if “drain the swamp” would be Trump’s “first broken promise.” It cited the access-peddling lobbying firm of Trump’s first campaign manager, Corey R. Lewandowski, as well as the consulting firm with troubling foreign ties run by his incoming national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn. “Trump and his allies have engaged in some of the same practices they accused Hillary Clinton of exploiting and vowed to change,” Politico wrote.

Also this:

The most significant action by Trump to drain the swamp was taken a week into his presidency. On January 28, he signed Executive Order 13770, titled “Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Appointees.” All such appointees had to pledge that they would not lobby the agency to which they were appointed for five years after leaving it; they would abide by restrictions regarding contact with agency officials; would not lobby foreign governments after working for the administration; would not accept gifts from lobbyists; and would follow other regulations.

Shah calls it “the most sweeping Executive Order in U.S. history to end the revolving door” between 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the lobbying firms of K Street, singling out the injunction against foreign lobbying in particular. In some ways, the order is not dissimilar from what was in place during the Obama administration.

But Eisen thinks the widespread granting of ethics waivers by the administration—that is, permits to violate the new rules—completely undermine the executive order. “They’ve made a mockery of the executive order and of ethics in general,” he cried out when I called him, claiming that the Trump administration has “virtually no standard” on how such waivers are granted. Fourteen such waivers had been granted as of May 31.

While Trump officials have described the executive order as being not much different from the one that guided the Obama administration, Eisen finds that assertion preposterous: “It’s an ethics calamity of a kind we have never seen in modern presidential history.” In June, a liberal super PAC called American Bridge 21st Century found 74 lobbyists working in the administration, 49 of them in agencies they once lobbied on behalf of clients. The new deputy administrator of the EPA, for example, is former coal lobbyist Andrew R. Wheeler.

“This will not take away one vote,” says Sam Nunberg, a longtime Trump associate who was fired from the presidential campaign in 2015.

The article goes into exhaustive, objective detail. It doesn't even really bring up Russia. All it does is point out how Trump is objectively selling out America.

[Paranoid Android]

Rick Perry, whom Trump appointed head of an agency he didn't even know what it did, is now suggesting fossil fuels fight sexual assault.

No, really.



Question: were the lights on in Trump beauty pageants? Did Trump forget to pay his electric bills?

- - - Updated - - -

Trump's DC hotel is refusing to turn over records to the House Oversight Committee, therefore, refusing to prove whether Trump is in violation of its lease and/or whether he is profiting from his federal position.

Damn you! I stay off Twitter and not up on the news and miss out on this beauty.

I mean this effin administration.

[Breccia]

When asked about the lack of nominees (not appointments -- nominations) to the State Department, Trump said

"Let me tell you, the one that matters is me, I'm the only one that matters because when it comes to it that's what the policy is going to be. We don't need all the people that they want. Don't forget, I'm a business person and I tell my people, well you don't need to fill slots, don't fill them."

"What anonymous source claimed Trump said that?"

Trump said it on Laura Ingraham's show. Wanna see the video? So Trump has flat-out admitted, even bragged, that he doesn't want diplomats deciding policy.

Which diplomats don't do.

And then he blamed obstructionist Democrats for his lack of nominations. Again.

[Dontrike]

When asked about the lack of nominees (not appointments -- nominations) to the State Department, Trump said



"What anonymous source claimed Trump said that?"

Trump said it on Laura Ingraham's show. Wanna see the video? So Trump has flat-out admitted, even bragged, that he doesn't want diplomats deciding policy.

Which diplomats don't do.

And then he blamed obstructionist Democrats for his lack of nominations. Again.

What boss doesn't hire people to manage the parts he doesn't? What business man does this?

[DarkTZeratul]

What boss doesn't hire people to manage the parts he doesn't? What business man does this?

A shitty one. Which Trump is. Objectively.

[Paranoid Android]

When asked about the lack of nominees (not appointments -- nominations) to the State Department, Trump said



"What anonymous source claimed Trump said that?"

Trump said it on Laura Ingraham's show. Wanna see the video? So Trump has flat-out admitted, even bragged, that he doesn't want diplomats deciding policy.

Which diplomats don't do.

And then he blamed obstructionist Democrats for his lack of nominations. Again.

I wish Trumpkins knew what an effin moron this guy is. Trumpkins brag about not being a Washington outsider like. Yeah so outside he doesn't understand the job.

I mean I'm almost done. I can't do this shit much more longer.

God forbid the Democrats elect such an effin moron anytime soon. Trumpkins should never bitch about any future President again.

[Deleted]

Haha just saw the news about how some twitter dude banned trumps twitter on his last day. I'm sure in these 10minutes crazed yells could be heard around white house... "DEATH PENALTY! DEATH PENALTY!!!"

[Gestopft]

God forbid the Democrats elect such an effin moron anytime soon. Trumpkins should never bitch about any future President again.

Any Republican who has supported Trump at any time has lost their right to bitch about anything the next Democratic president does.

And I really, really hope we don't get a "Democratic Trump." I like to think the Democratic base is better than that.

[Dontrike]

Any Republican who has supported Trump at any time has lost their right to bitch about anything the next Democratic president does.

And I really, really hope we don't get a "Democratic Trump." I like to think the Democratic base is better than that.

I'd like to think we would never have another Trump, democrat or republican, but we'll see in due time.

[Breccia]

Trump raises doubt about Tillerson's fate ahead of crucial Asia trip

President Trump embarks on a 12-day trip Friday that will take him to five Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, but the tour will likely be dominated by the North Korean nuclear threat, CBS News' Margaret Brennan reports.

In a show of force ahead of the president's trip, the U.S. is stationing three aircraft carriers in the Pacific and on Thursday sent two B1 bombers in exercises with Japanese and South Korean fighter jets. North Korea's state media called the flight a "surprise nuclear drill" and accused "gangster-like U.S. imperialists" of trying to start a nuclear war.

On the eve of the longest and most consequential foreign trip of his young presidency, the president raised doubt about the fate of America's top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Thursday night the president said the buck stops at the Oval Office and called unfilled slots in the State Department a cost-saving measure.

"Rex is in there working hard. He's doing his best, he's doing the best he can," Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump, who has criticized his secretary of state, left Tillerson's future open-ended.

"Well, we'll see," he said in an interview airing Thursday on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" -- a non-endorsement of America's top diplomat on the eve of the president's overseas trip.

There it is again. "We'll see." That passive attempt to deflect from the fact that it's his job and his decision, my implying he, too, was going to have to wait and accept whatever happens.

Based on past uses of "we'll see" Tillerson has a 50/50 shot here. Of course "I'm the only one that matters" plus "we'll see" isn't looking good for Tillerson.

[Felya]

Any Republican who has supported Trump at any time has lost their right to bitch about anything the next Democratic president does.

And I really, really hope we don't get a "Democratic Trump." I like to think the Democratic base is better than that.

GOP posters said the same thing during Obama... there is no reason to keep setting the bar lower... we are not trying to race to the bottom... right? Don’t you mean the next president would be better?

[ati87]

Haha just saw the news about how some twitter dude banned trumps twitter on his last day. I'm sure in these 10minutes crazed yells could be heard around white house... "DEATH PENALTY! DEATH PENALTY!!!"

This guy should get a god dam medal, a true American hero who has by his own actions managed to prevent bigger disgrace to humanity then Donald Trump's staff.

Also a pro-TIP for the Trump staff don't try to take away his phone for a long period anymore, just next time remove his account and blame it on rogue twitter employee and ''fake news''.

At least if you do that I can sleep at night without having to worry that this fucking moron starts a actual nuclear war on twitter (the fact that this is a scenario at all just shows how low the bar is right now)

- - - Updated - - -

GOP posters said the same thing during Obama... there is no reason to keep setting the bar lower... we are not trying to race to the bottom... right? Don’t you mean the next president would be better?

Screw that ''it's equal''

The right-wing complained about Obama using mustard.....so no the only thing equal between Obama and Trump is their days in office, not days in the white house mind you since Trump hasn't spend a weekend in that ''dump''

[Skroe]

Trump raises doubt about Tillerson's fate ahead of crucial Asia trip



There it is again. "We'll see." That passive attempt to deflect from the fact that it's his job and his decision, my implying he, too, was going to have to wait and accept whatever happens.

Based on past uses of "we'll see" Tillerson has a 50/50 shot here. Of course "I'm the only one that matters" plus "we'll see" isn't looking good for Tillerson.

Yeah I don't think Trump's "We'll see" is a non-endorsement.

I think his "we'll see" is almost universally "I've been too busy watching Fox News and tweeting to give it any amount of thought".

[PACOX]

Not at home to post screenshots but the daycare was left unattended this morning looking at the tweets 45 pushed today. He even confirmed that his Twitter got taken away from him

[mvaliz]

I'd like to think we would never have another Trump, democrat or republican, but we'll see in due time.

I said the same about George W. Bush... then the Deplorables epically proved me wrong.

Which still is my greatest concern... even with Dumbass Dump gone - we still have the Deplorables to deal with as they'll just vote in the next horrible dumbass that tickles their hate-feels.

[Dontrike]

I said the same about George W. Bush... then the Deplorables epically proved me wrong.

Which still is my greatest concern... even with Dumbass Dump gone - we still have the Deplorables to deal with as they'll just vote in the next horrible dumbass that tickles their hate-feels.

True, although to be fair we didn't get another Bush, we got something far far far far far far FAR, far worse. Almost anyone would be willing to take Bush back right now.

[Breccia]

I said the same about George W. Bush

He said the same thing about himself.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefi...n president’

[Spectral]

True, although to be fair we didn't get another Bush, we got something far far far far far far FAR, far worse. Almost anyone would be willing to take Bush back right now.

Trump is, obviously, a much worse human being than Bush and makes Bush look like a spectacularly competent leader. That said, from a pure policy perspective, what do you prefer about Bush? By the middle of his first term in office, Bush had put in place tax cuts that created a deficit chasm that our government still has no plan to meaningful close, and embroiled us in a stupid, expensive, unproductive war based on shaky information (and plausibly outright lies). I could list off a broad range of other awful Bush policies as well. Trump's complete incompetence has mostly prevented the same level of destructive policy.