Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Whhhooooooooo's ready for a Trump Shutdown (tm)!?

At least we know this one will be capped. The last Trump Shutdown, we had no idea how much damage Trump wanted to do to his own country.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, you all already knew this. But let's make it official.

Why 2020 really was the worst year ever

"Whoa, don't you normally warn us before posting an OP ED?"

Yes. This isn't one.

Enumeration mine for ease of reading.

When 2020 passes into the history books, it will carry more superlatives than a high school yearbook — and none of them good. Most deadly, hottest, most stressful, worst.

It is not your imagination: By a host of measures, 2020 was the worst year many Americans will have experienced in their lifetimes. It was a year of loss, of anxiety, of poverty and of disease. Recovering from the last 12 months is likely to define the entire decade ahead.

Americans will remember this year by the pandemic that has infected millions of friends, neighbors and family members. As of publication, nearly 18 million Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus, a number that is growing by a quarter-million a day.

(1) More than 318,000 people in the U.S. have died of the novel coronavirus that emerged sometime in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, spreading across the globe with alarming speed and changing life as we know it.

The economic damage the virus has wrought doesn’t show up in stock market indices, which zoomed to record highs this year. But it has reverberated for millions of Americans who have lost jobs, income and stability.

(2) Nearly half of Americans say they have lost income since March, when the Census Bureau began tracking the economic fallout of the pandemic. The impact has fallen disproportionately on minorities — Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to say they lost income than are whites — and on those who make less than $50,000 a year and those who do not have a college degree.

(3) There are fewer jobs in America today than there were in November 2015. There are fewer private sector jobs in the country than there were when President Trump took office.

And while the unemployment rate has fallen from its highs in the immediate aftermath of the harshest lockdowns, it appears so low because a startlingly high number of Americans have given up looking for jobs. The

"Whoa whoa whoa! Didn't you call out Trump for saying 42% unemployment? And Spicer for 'the numbers weren't real before'? You can't do that, it's disingenuous!"

First of all, I'm quoting a well-respected source. You can take it up with them.

Second of all, they didn't even need to go that far. Unemployment is still pretty high for the JOBS! tenure Trump said he'd provide.

Third of all, they're about to clarify in detail, so shut up and keep reading.

And finalyth of all, once Trump opened the doors to "the numbers aren't real" it's 117.5% fair to shove the exact same treatment up his ass.

(4) The labor force participation rate — the percentage of civilians over the age of 16 who are in the workforce — was lower in September than at any point since the summer of 1976, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The leisure and hospitality sectors have been hardest hit, as tourism ground to a halt to stop the virus. Almost half of tourism-related jobs in Hawaii have vanished; 49 states and the District of Columbia saw their leisure and hospitality sectors decline over the last year, according to an analysis by the demographer Cheryl Russell.

(5) Almost 1 in 6 restaurants in the United States are closed, either permanently or for the long term. That’s a loss of an estimated 110,000 businesses — and it’s not just new places that haven’t established themselves yet. The average restaurant that has closed was open for 16 years, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Those business losses are translating into very real pain for low-income families who were struggling to get by even before the pandemic.

(6) Almost 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty since March, reversing a years-long trend of falling poverty rates. Poverty has risen every month since June, according to a report from scholars at the University of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame and the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities. Almost a quarter of those with a high school education or less now find themselves living below the poverty line.

Between February and April, the last month for which statistics are available, more than 3 million households and 6 million individuals signed up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called food stamps. (7) More than 27 million people told Census Bureau interviewers earlier this month they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat over the last week.

(8) Nearly a quarter of households that rent have not paid any rent this month, the lowest rate all year, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council. Eviction moratoriums have kept millions in their homes, but those eviction bans will expire at some point in the new year, risking a wave of homelessness at a time when homelessness is already on the rise.

At the same time, there are signs that the pandemic is disrupting normal life in ways that could have longer-lasting consequences. Data from 33 states analyzed by Chalkbeat and The Associated Press shows enrollment in K-12 public schools has declined by about 2 percent, or half a million students.

The number of students who filled out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, an early indication about the number of students who will apply to college, is down 18 percent — and down most significantly in rural states such as West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alaska, Arkansas and Oklahoma, according to The Hechinger Report, a publication that covers the education system.

Around the country, (9) violent crime has surged to levels not seen in a quarter-century. After years of declining crime rates, murder rates are at multidecade highs in both big and small cities, from Houston and Chicago to Tacoma, Wash., and Albuquerque, N.M. Final data from the FBI won’t be released until next year, though the trends are uniformly higher.

(10) Law enforcement and health officials are reporting an alarming rise in the number of overdose deaths

"So Trump was right!"

Maybe. But despite his efforts to push the economy back open, he still saw record overdose deaths. In addition to, of course, @Benggaul 's increasing COVID deaths and a failing economy. Perhaps he should have, you know, taken this seriously? The lack of federal leadership can only come from the Oval Office. At some point, this became his problem, and its horrifying lack of results is his fault.

reversing the earliest glimmers of hope that the country had gotten a handle on the opioid crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors 38 jurisdictions that report overdose rates; in 37 of those jurisdictions, the number of overdoses has risen this year. Ten Western states are reporting overdoses nearly doubling, led by a resurgence in the use of methamphetamines.

In San Francisco, many more people have died of overdoses this year than have died of the coronavirus.

Even the climate is showing signs of getting worse before it gets better. This year is on track to be the warmest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations body that keeps tabs on climate data.

In the Western Hemisphere, residents of the Caribbean and the Southern United States experienced the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. The 30 named storms that barreled across the Atlantic this year topped the 28 that occurred in 2005.

In the Western United States, firefighters battled one of the most active wildfire seasons in recorded history. More than 10.2 million acres burned; in California alone, almost 4 percent of the entire state caught fire.

There are more troubling signs even beyond the scope and scale of the disaster seasons: (11) Both the wildfire season and the hurricane season started earlier and ended later than has been typical in recent years.

"You're blaming Trump for fire and wind?"

No. I could make a point about his response, and about how his science denial are leading to this and worse. But "2020 is the worst year" has a lot of evidence, some is just not 100% political.

The cascade of terrible trend lines that has marred 2020 is taking a toll on Americans. (12) One in 5 say their mental health is worse now than it was at this point last year, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association, including more than a third of Generation Z. About two-thirds of Americans told researchers they felt nervous, anxious or on edge for at least several days in the last week.

There are silver linings encircling the very dark clouds gathered over the year: (13) Federal officials have approved two vaccines against the coronavirus. (14) Economic fundamentals appear poised for a robust recovery once the health crisis passes.

But after a tough year of loss and suffering, no one will be sorry when the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31. Go home, 2020.

I'll be counting the days till the 1st, too. Then the 6th. Then the 20th.

[Adam Jensen]

I guess dumbfuck thinks he'll somehow win the Presidency on Jan 6th:

See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!

To quote one of the guys I worked with at the airport a few years ago . . . "fuckin' retard."

[Benggaul]

127,740 new cases and 1,215 deaths, bringing the total to 341,138. It's a Sunday so low numbers are expected in any case.

Yes, these are still way underreported and probably won't be corrected until the middle of the week at least. Testing is also likely WAY down thanks to Christmas so I expect the corrections for new cases probably won't be too jaw-dropping. The smarter among you already know that this doesn't mean there WEREN'T a shit ton more cases--just that a lot of them will go unreported. Those that don't end up a casualty, that is.

Stay safe, folks.

[Breccia]

I guess dumbfuck thinks he'll somehow win the Presidency on Jan 6th:

Sounds like just another rally.

[Kaleredar]

Sounds like just another rally.

He’s gotta squeeze every last dime out of them to cover his upcoming legal battles.

The problem isn’t just that Trump is a moron, it’s that there are people somehow even dumber than him.

[Adam Jensen]

He’s gotta squeeze every last dime out of them to cover his upcoming legal battles.

The problem isn’t just that Trump is a moron, it’s that there are people somehow even dumber than him.

I literally don't get it. He's the most obvious conman in the history of conmen. You can smell his grift from a mile away (and probably his BO too.) How the fuck are people dumb enough to fall for it?

[Kaleredar]

The

I literally don't get it. He's the most obvious conman in the history of conmen. You can smell his grift from a mile away (and probably his BO too.) How the fuck are people dumb enough to fall for it?

Tell them to be afraid of enough things and that you’re the only way to stop it, and unfortunately they’ll believe anything.

[postman1782]

I guess dumbfuck thinks he'll somehow win the Presidency on Jan 6th:

See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!

To quote one of the guys I worked with at the airport a few years ago . . . "fuckin' retard."

And there is a lot of supporters that are dead set on thinking that if the House or Senate members refuse to certify that they think they can just hand it to Trump. They can't. This day is only there for if there is a tie of 269 to 269, then congress does the voting to see who wins. Anything else, it certifies for one person or the other. There is nothing these dumbasses can do.

[Felya]

And there is a lot of supporters that are dead set on thinking that if the House or Senate members refuse to certify that they think they can just hand it to Trump. They can't. This day is only there for if there is a tie of 269 to 269, then congress does the voting to see who wins. Anything else, it certifies for one person or the other. There is nothing these dumbasses can do.

They can... a bit over a week after blocking 2k payments that Trump demanded... show which part of Trump they support, by tossing a fit at the election. I’m sure Fox News and YouTube centrist will have a field day covering up, how these same GOP house members, went against Trump when it came to direct payment increase to American people... but, were on board to steal the election from American people...

[Dontrike]

I guess dumbfuck thinks he'll somehow win the Presidency on Jan 6th:

See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!

To quote one of the guys I worked with at the airport a few years ago . . . "fuckin' retard."

Taking bets on what the next conspiracy theory is. Deep State Big Foot fighting along with Loch Ness Antifa as Elvis gives them all +1 to all their saving throws by playing a banjo.

[Felya]

Taking bets on what the next conspiracy theory is. Deep State Big Foot fighting along with Loch Ness Antifa as Elvis gives them all +1 to all their saving throws by playing a banjo.

After that, all hope will be on the 20th. After that, the campaign will shift from ‘stop the steal’, to ‘take back what is ours’. Oooohh... after 20th, Trump will have all new merch to sell... this time with ‘take it back’... that should help with his debt.

[Breccia]

While Trump passed the larger spending bill (the "disaster" he still signed) he vetoed the defense bill because it didn't censor Twitter.

No, really.

The House and Senate are, therefore, put in the position of overriding it.

"Didn't the NDAA pass with ridiculous votes in both chambers?"

Why yes it did, 335-78 and 84-13.

So the question is, now that it has been vetoes, which Party of Trump members are going to flip their vote and attempt to let the veto stand, meaning that they will become the reason the NDAA doesn't pass, and that defense doesn't get funded?

"You really think it won't pass?"

I kind of do, yes. Or, this might be like the tax cut for the rich -- a few token GOP members were allowed to vote "no" once they cleared the votes needed to pass. But yeah, I think we'll see a sudden change of heartless and our men and women in uniform will get a Christmas present of no paycheck.

[pathora44]

While Trump passed the larger spending bill (the "disaster" he still signed) he vetoed the defense bill because it didn't censor Twitter.

No, really.

The House and Senate are, therefore, put in the position of overriding it.

"Didn't the NDAA pass with ridiculous votes in both chambers?"

Why yes it did, 335-78 and 84-13.

So the question is, now that it has been vetoes, which Party of Trump members are going to flip their vote and attempt to let the veto stand, meaning that they will become the reason the NDAA doesn't pass, and that defense doesn't get funded?

"You really think it won't pass?"

I kind of do, yes. Or, this might be like the tax cut for the rich -- a few token GOP members were allowed to vote "no" once they cleared the votes needed to pass. But yeah, I think we'll see a sudden change of heartless and our men and women in uniform will get a Christmas present of no paycheck.

If that happens then the Democrats should spend every dollar in Georgia to put out ads screaming that not only does Trump but also Republicans not care about our Soldiers getting their pay or that America is still dealing with an attack by Russia. That Republicans sold out our soldier and America's safety to bend the knee to Trump. That you and all America are now less safe because Republicans are subservient to an obese Cheetos dusted con man.

[Paranoid Android]

*Breaking News*

2 year old child throws tantrum then signs Covid Bill anyways. He didn't do it for no negotiations, well he didn't shit. Trump just did it cause "he's mad he lost the election" (in your baby voice).

Thanks again people for electing this guy in the first place and almost again a 2nd time around. Finding out someone is a Huge PoS the first 4 years was almost not enough.

[Breccia]

Today's Guess the Speaker! is a lesson on how to read between the lines.

The states are very often given a considerable amount of leeway in doing things the way they want to do it, as opposed to in response to federal mandates, which are, relatively, rarely given.

What we’ve had was a considerable disparity with states doing things differently in a nonconsistent way, There have been a lot of factors that have led to the fact that, unfortunately for us, the United States has been the hardest-hit country in the world, but I believe that disparity among how states do things has been a major weakness in our response.

What we see is somewhat of a politicization, where ... things like the wearing of masks become a political statement, where ... keeping away from crowds becomes a political statement, that has made it very problematic as we’ve dealt with this unprecedented and historic outbreak.

Until we get that veil of protection, then we are constantly going to be challenged

"That's Fauci, isn't it?"

Correct.

"What's the message between the lines?"

Let's ask the other posters in this very thread!

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Only in Trump's America is such a headline depressingly standard:

Lawmakers 'relieved' Trump signed Covid relief bill his team negotiated

Oh, y'all forgot that, didn't you? Yeah the WH helped negotiate while Trump was either hiding in his bunker, or golfing. Or, I guess technically both.

[bladeXcrasher]

Jake Trapper holding back no punches in the waning moments of this SHITSHOW.

https://www.businessinsider.com/cnns...y-spar-2020-12

[Breccia]

All it took was people flattering him for a few days and he decided it was a good bill to sign.

I mean, he called it a disgrace, so I don't think that's true. I think he was told "your own party will block you from getting anything more".

Unlike the NDAA which is just "fuck everyone".

[PhaelixWW]

Lawmakers 'relieved' Trump signed Covid relief bill his team negotiated

Oh, y'all forgot that, didn't you? Yeah the WH helped negotiate while Trump was either hiding in his bunker, or golfing. Or, I guess technically both.

You are, of course, joking about Trump being in a bunker on a golf course, but do we really want to rule out the idea of Trump being on a golf course in his bunker?

If he had one installed in the White House proper, what do you want to bet that he had one installed in the bunker, as well?

[Breccia]

You are, of course, joking about Trump being in a bunker on a golf course, but do we really want to rule out the idea of Trump being on a golf course in his bunker?

Actually a situation I hadn't counted on.

Trump flip flops on everything constantly.

Also true. That's the problem with Trump -- no matter what he says, you need to wait 24 hours. I'm fairly sure there are several pages of "Trump was just joking" in the Trump Shitshow thread.

[cubby]

Jake Trapper holding back no punches in the waning moments of this SHITSHOW.

https://www.businessinsider.com/cnns...y-spar-2020-12

Love that guy. So glad at least some people are continuing to call out their bullshit.

I bet she's hoping to be the Head of Network for the Trump Channel.