Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[fwc577]

Just like last time he'll pull a lie out of his ass, blame someone/something else other than the real cause and his followers will blindly suck it all up like horse dewormer.

I don't even think he will bother talking about it. The reason he would lie about a lot of things in his first term is because he still had to run for a second term.

There is no third term and despite what the tinfoil hats are saying, there will be future elections. And no, I don't believe this election was stolen at all. I think there were just some dumb fucks who decided to FAFO.

I believe we're going to see a repeat of 2016-2020 with the difference being instead of COVID fucking everything up, it's going to be a NASTY recession.

With that said, I believe there is a lot of hope to look forward to for Democrats moving forward.

In 2026, there are 20 Senate Republican Seats and 13 Democrat seats up for re-election, including an additional 2 (possibly more) GOP seats that will be up for Special Election because of Trump admin (Rubio and Vance).

The only seat I believe Dems will have to worry about in 2026 is Ossoff in Georgia.

Meanwhile, for GOP, they will be fighting to retain control of the following seats:

-- Dan Sullivan (R) Alaska (Won w/ 53.9% in 2020)
-- Tom Cotton (R) Arkansas (Won w/ 66.5% in 2020)
-- Jim Risch (R) Idaho (Won w/ 62.6%)
-- Joni Ernst (R) Iowa (Won w/ 51.7%)
-- Roger Marshall (R) Kansas (Won w/ 53.2%)
-- Mitch McConnell (R) Retiring Kentucky (Won w/ 57.8%)
-- Bill Cassidy (R) Louisiana (Won w/ 59.3%)
-- Susan Collins (R) Main (Won w/ 51%)
-- John Cornyn (R) Texas (Won w/ 53.5%)
-- Bill Hagerty (R) Tennesse (Won w/ 62.2%)
-- Mike Rounds (R) South Dakota (Won w/ 65.7%)
-- Lindsay Graham (R) South Carolina (Won w/ 54.4%)
-- Markwayne Mullin (R) Oklahoma (Won w/ 61.8%)
-- Thom Tillis (R) North Carolina (Won w/ 48.7%)
-- Ben Sasse (R) Nebraska (Won w/ 62.47%)
-- Steve Daines (R) Montana (Won w/ 55%)
-- Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) Missippi (Won w/ 54.1%)

I left off a couple w/ 70%+ wins.

The above people won in 2020 w/ Trump on the ballot. If th next two years are as terrible for America as many expect them to be, there are A LOT of Republican seats that will be put into contention AND they won't have Trump on the ballot to help inflate their numbers in Red areas.

I don't think it's out of the possibility that in 2026, Dems can retain all 13 seats up for election and potentially flip Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Texas, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Then you also have two more Senate seats up for grabs in Ohio and Florida. And if things are ESPECIALLY bad by 2026, there are potential for even MORE Senate flips.

Right now, the Senate will be 53-47, if we flip those seats, 2026 could be 54-46 Dems and the map isn't looking any prettier for GOP in 2028 with 19 GOP seats up for re-election and 15 Dem seats. Of which, I think only 2 Dem seats could be at risk for flipping and I think potentially at least 4 GOP seats are at risk for flipping.

If Dems select the right candidate in 2028 AND GOP tries to go with the status quo and bring in DeSantis or Vance as the next up in a post-Trump world, I have hope that we enter a new era for Dems in the next 2-4 years that will give them the seats and mandate they need to make some massive, sweeping changes to the country.

[Kaleredar]

I don't even think he will bother talking about it. The reason he would lie about a lot of things in his first term is because he still had to run for a second term.

There is no third term and despite what the tinfoil hats are saying, there will be future elections. And no, I don't believe this election was stolen at all. I think there were just some dumb fucks who decided to FAFO.

I believe we're going to see a repeat of 2016-2020 with the difference being instead of COVID fucking everything up, it's going to be a NASTY recession.

With that said, I believe there is a lot of hope to look forward to for Democrats moving forward.

In 2026, there are 20 Senate Republican Seats and 13 Democrat seats up for re-election, including an additional 2 (possibly more) GOP seats that will be up for Special Election because of Trump admin (Rubio and Vance).

The only seat I believe Dems will have to worry about in 2026 is Ossoff in Georgia.

Meanwhile, for GOP, they will be fighting to retain control of the following seats:

-- Dan Sullivan (R) Alaska (Won w/ 53.9% in 2020)
-- Tom Cotton (R) Arkansas (Won w/ 66.5% in 2020)
-- Jim Risch (R) Idaho (Won w/ 62.6%)
-- Joni Ernst (R) Iowa (Won w/ 51.7%)
-- Roger Marshall (R) Kansas (Won w/ 53.2%)
-- Mitch McConnell (R) Retiring Kentucky (Won w/ 57.8%)
-- Bill Cassidy (R) Louisiana (Won w/ 59.3%)
-- Susan Collins (R) Main (Won w/ 51%)
-- John Cornyn (R) Texas (Won w/ 53.5%)
-- Bill Hagerty (R) Tennesse (Won w/ 62.2%)
-- Mike Rounds (R) South Dakota (Won w/ 65.7%)
-- Lindsay Graham (R) South Carolina (Won w/ 54.4%)
-- Markwayne Mullin (R) Oklahoma (Won w/ 61.8%)
-- Thom Tillis (R) North Carolina (Won w/ 48.7%)
-- Ben Sasse (R) Nebraska (Won w/ 62.47%)
-- Steve Daines (R) Montana (Won w/ 55%)
-- Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) Missippi (Won w/ 54.1%)

I left off a couple w/ 70%+ wins.

The above people won in 2020 w/ Trump on the ballot. If th next two years are as terrible for America as many expect them to be, there are A LOT of Republican seats that will be put into contention AND they won't have Trump on the ballot to help inflate their numbers in Red areas.

I don't think it's out of the possibility that in 2026, Dems can retain all 13 seats up for election and potentially flip Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Texas, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Then you also have two more Senate seats up for grabs in Ohio and Florida. And if things are ESPECIALLY bad by 2026, there are potential for even MORE Senate flips.

Right now, the Senate will be 53-47, if we flip those seats, 2026 could be 54-46 Dems and the map isn't looking any prettier for GOP in 2028 with 19 GOP seats up for re-election and 15 Dem seats. Of which, I think only 2 Dem seats could be at risk for flipping and I think potentially at least 4 GOP seats are at risk for flipping.

If Dems select the right candidate in 2028 AND GOP tries to go with the status quo and bring in DeSantis or Vance as the next up in a post-Trump world, I have hope that we enter a new era for Dems in the next 2-4 years that will give them the seats and mandate they need to make some massive, sweeping changes to the country.

If the democrats can regain power they’ll likely have to spend a considerable amount of time just fixing Trump’s fuck ups, let alone making sweeping changes.

[Somewhatconcerned]

If the democrats can regain power they’ll likely have to spend a considerable amount of time just fixing Trump’s fuck ups, let alone making sweeping changes.

The Democratic party is done.

- - - Updated - - -

lol, sure. And this is how they do it. Meme lists like this get utterly slaughtered by anyone with the ability to use Google, and who possess even a small amount of critical thinking.



I mean, they want to cut $2t and have something supposedly worth a whopping $8k on the list?

This isn't "simply pointing out where all the spending is," or "pulling back the curtain." This is an absolute joke. And the bias is overwhelmingly plain to see.

I realize a lot on that list isn't something we can just "cut," like most of it comes from our interest on national debt. What to do with that, by the way, is a separate discussion.

But imagine being against exposing every cent of spending and trying to trim even what we can. I can bet you that your position would be in the minority. In fact, if Dems had done this years ago, they would have been rightfully praised for it.

[alach]

Reminder. Pop. vote is at 49.5 trump 48.2 Harris.
Long ways from being "done"

[Shadowferal]

Reminder. Pop. vote is at 49.5 trump 48.2 Harris.
Long ways from being "done"

After the shit hits the fan with Medicare cuts, and tariffs...we won't have to wait 4 years.

[Bodakane]

I realize a lot on that list isn't something we can just "cut," like most of it comes from our interest on national debt. What to do with that, by the way, is a separate discussion.

But imagine being against exposing every cent of spending and trying to trim even what we can. I can bet you that your position would be in the minority. In fact, if Dems had done this years ago, they would have been rightfully praised for it.

Oh fucking stop it.

No one here is against getting rid of government waste. That's not what Trump and his assholes are going to do though. They are going to gut things that help the poor and middle class while spending more on shit that puts money in their own pockets.

[Jessicka]

Oh fucking stop it.

No one here is against getting rid of government waste. That's not what Trump and his assholes are going to do though. They are going to gut things that help the poor and middle class while spending more on shit that puts money in their own pockets.

Fundamentally, what they consider "waste" is projects and systems that cost money without immediately identifiable returns, without recognition that public services are meant to be precisely that, because the market won't provide those things.

[Bodakane]

Fundamentally, what they consider "waste" is projects and systems that cost money without immediately identifiable returns, without recognition that public services are meant to be precisely that, because the market won't provide those things.

You're giving them too much credit. They actually think needing assistance if you're poor is a sin, but needing assistance if you're rich is good for the people. I cannot stress enough how stupid and terrible the people of this country are overall.

[Lenonis]

The nightmare of Trump's picks is going to make the next 4 years a wild ride....

But RFK Jr. as head of HHS has me the most concerned. Mainly because I don't think Gaetz will make it through and because the GOP will use their one fragment of a spine left to block that nomination it will enable RFK Jr. to get through when in any other time he'd also be blocked.

My only hope is RFK Jr. spends his energy where he might accidently do some good - looking into our food supply and the junk that is able to be used in food manufacture.

The guy shouldn't be let anywhere near the "D" part of FDA. Not only is he an anti-science wacko who is literally missing part of his brain, but his stance of vaccines could create a real health crisis in the US if he is able to implement some of his goals.

The main issue with almost all of his picks is they are woefully unqualified to oversee any aspect of the roles they are in. And many of them - Vivek, Elon, Gaetz, RFK - are more interested in Trump's approval and adoration from his base than making good decisions.

I have no doubt DOGE will start just slashing things based on Trump's direction and when the economy starts collapsing everyone will point fingers at each other and go "This wasn't supposed to happen."

What we needed, and won't get, is unbiased, educated, and qualified people to make fact and science based decisions on government spending, HHS regulations, etc.

Instead we have a far right populist dystopia.

FAFO is here - and I for one will have no qualms about gloating at Trump supporters who end up shocked-pikachu face at the reality that the "wrong" people are getting hurt under this administration.

[Xyonai]

The nightmare of Trump's picks is going to make the next 4 years a wild ride....

But RFK Jr. as head of HHS has me the most concerned. Mainly because I don't think Gaetz will make it through and because the GOP will use their one fragment of a spine left to block that nomination it will enable RFK Jr. to get through when in any other time he'd also be blocked.

My only hope is RFK Jr. spends his energy where he might accidently do some good - looking into our food supply and the junk that is able to be used in food manufacture.

The guy shouldn't be let anywhere near the "D" part of FDA. Not only is he an anti-science wacko who is literally missing part of his brain, but his stance of vaccines could create a real health crisis in the US if he is able to implement some of his goals.

The main issue with almost all of his picks is they are woefully unqualified to oversee any aspect of the roles they are in. And many of them - Vivek, Elon, Gaetz, RFK - are more interested in Trump's approval and adoration from his base than making good decisions.

I have no doubt DOGE will start just slashing things based on Trump's direction and when the economy starts collapsing everyone will point fingers at each other and go "This wasn't supposed to happen."

What we needed, and won't get, is unbiased, educated, and qualified people to make fact and science based decisions on government spending, HHS regulations, etc.

Instead we have a far right populist dystopia.

FAFO is here - and I for one will have no qualms about gloating at Trump supporters who end up shocked-pikachu face at the reality that the "wrong" people are getting hurt under this administration.

The only silver lining about DOGE is that it'd take an act of Congress to make it, and even then Congress are the one's who approve the budget. At best Vivek and Elon can make asinine suggestions about what -should- be cut, so the worry comes with how much the House and Senate will listen to them.

[Doomcookie]

The Democratic party is done.

- - - Updated - - -



I realize a lot on that list isn't something we can just "cut," like most of it comes from our interest on national debt. What to do with that, by the way, is a separate discussion.

But imagine being against exposing every cent of spending and trying to trim even what we can. I can bet you that your position would be in the minority. In fact, if Dems had done this years ago, they would have been rightfully praised for it.

You said that in 2020 and 2022.
You also supported a rapist those years.

[tehdang]

The only silver lining about DOGE is that it'd take an act of Congress to make it, and even then Congress are the one's who approve the budget. At best Vivek and Elon can make asinine suggestions about what -should- be cut, so the worry comes with how much the House and Senate will listen to them.

I gather that it will be a presidential advisory commission. There's no way that Trump picks a legislative fight without a filibuster-proof majority on creating a new executive department as such.

[Huehuecoyotl]

The only silver lining about DOGE is that it'd take an act of Congress to make it, and even then Congress are the one's who approve the budget. At best Vivek and Elon can make asinine suggestions about what -should- be cut, so the worry comes with how much the House and Senate will listen to them.

And DOGE might be looking at cuts to the Federal budget, but the impact of those cuts are going to be felt in very specific, usually Republican, States. Getting local politicians to vote for cutting their own budgets, and by extension their own political throats, is not going to be easy.

[Edge-]

The 82-D chess game has begun!

https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-excuse...155418309.html

Republican senators are urging some of their colleagues, including Vice President-elect JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Donald Trump's Secretary of State pick Marco Rubio, R-Florida, to get back to the office and block Democrats from confirming judges during the lame-duck session while they still have the majority and the White House.

After their absences helped Senate Democrats to confirm several of President Joe Biden's nominees, Republicans fumed about Vance, Rubio and others during their weekly caucus lunch and to reporters. “I’m not going to bubble wrap it,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. “There’s no excuse for that, it’s our job to be here and vote.”

“We want to see [Vance] and some of our members back because of these votes we’re having,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters. “Particularly on some of the circuit court judges.”

Trump himself issued marching orders on Truth Social on Tuesday. "The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door," Trump declared. "Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!" he wrote, just a few hours after he invited several GOP senators, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to witness a SpaceX launch while the rest of the chamber was voting.

If they were present, Democrats might not have been able to confirm several of Biden's judges, with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., playing they typical roles as wild cards and Vice President Kamala Harris, who casts tie-breaking votes, on vacation in Hawaii.

Taking Republicans out of the Senate to go watch rocket launches or otherwise focus on his administration, resulting in Democrats being able to get through quite a few judicial nominees given that Republicans were down votes.

This is great shit from Senate Democrats, and a great preview of the kind of competency and foresight we can expect from the upcoming Donald administration and Congressional Republicans.

[Xyonai]

I gather that it will be a presidential advisory commission. There's no way that Trump picks a legislative fight without a filibuster-proof majority on creating a new executive department as such.

As much as Trump and Elon want to run the Government like one of their businesses, it's in this moment that the federal government's contrived nature and tangle of bureaucracy makes it particularly resilient. DOGE will just be a security blanket and a headpat rewarded to Elon for a job well done in his role in the election... Though I still don't know why Vivek's there. I guess to actually run it while Elon's fucked off doing anything but work.

And DOGE might be looking at cuts to the Federal budget, but the impact of those cuts are going to be felt in very specific, usually Republican, States. Getting local politicians to vote for cutting their own budgets, and by extension their own political throats, is not going to be easy.

It's a crap shoot between Reps who know math and actually understand how much federal funding is useful to their state, and those who don't and will just burn it all down and blame Dems when they vote to set their own house on fire. I think the DoE is fucked, even if they don't have the numbers to dissolve it entirely, but the broad swath of cuts that Vivek and Elon are suggesting are so staggering that I don't see most of them being achieved, outside of some token measures to cut staff or defund 'bunk' studies they don't understand because Silver Spoon Nepo babies have a hard time conceptualizing the abstract.

- - - Updated - - -

The 82-D chess game has begun!

https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-excuse...155418309.html



Taking Republicans out of the Senate to go watch rocket launches or otherwise focus on his administration, resulting in Democrats being able to get through quite a few judicial nominees given that Republicans were down votes.

This is great shit from Senate Democrats, and a great preview of the kind of competency and foresight we can expect from the upcoming Donald administration and Congressional Republicans.

I feel like this'll be a portant of how they'll end up governing in the years to come. Distracted by jingly keys and dragged along by the leash by an elderly man who's stopped caring about actually governing.

[Edge-]

I feel like this'll be a portant of how they'll end up governing in the years to come. Distracted by jingly keys and dragged along by the leash by an elderly man who's stopped caring about actually governing.

It'll be funny if he keeps doing this and Republicans keep accepting the invites and, hilariously, Democrats get de-facto control over one or both sides of the Legislature periodically.

[fwc577]

If the democrats can regain power they’ll likely have to spend a considerable amount of time just fixing Trump’s fuck ups, let alone making sweeping changes.

Much easier to do if they've got an actual mandate and aren't fighting with independents in the Senate to get things passed.

[Rasulis]

I don't even think he will bother talking about it. The reason he would lie about a lot of things in his first term is because he still had to run for a second term.

There is no third term and despite what the tinfoil hats are saying, there will be future elections. And no, I don't believe this election was stolen at all. I think there were just some dumb fucks who decided to FAFO.

I believe we're going to see a repeat of 2016-2020 with the difference being instead of COVID fucking everything up, it's going to be a NASTY recession.

With that said, I believe there is a lot of hope to look forward to for Democrats moving forward.

In 2026, there are 20 Senate Republican Seats and 13 Democrat seats up for re-election, including an additional 2 (possibly more) GOP seats that will be up for Special Election because of Trump admin (Rubio and Vance).

The only seat I believe Dems will have to worry about in 2026 is Ossoff in Georgia.

Meanwhile, for GOP, they will be fighting to retain control of the following seats:

-- Dan Sullivan (R) Alaska (Won w/ 53.9% in 2020)
-- Tom Cotton (R) Arkansas (Won w/ 66.5% in 2020)
-- Jim Risch (R) Idaho (Won w/ 62.6%)
-- Joni Ernst (R) Iowa (Won w/ 51.7%)
-- Roger Marshall (R) Kansas (Won w/ 53.2%)
-- Mitch McConnell (R) Retiring Kentucky (Won w/ 57.8%)
-- Bill Cassidy (R) Louisiana (Won w/ 59.3%)
-- Susan Collins (R) Main (Won w/ 51%)
-- John Cornyn (R) Texas (Won w/ 53.5%)
-- Bill Hagerty (R) Tennesse (Won w/ 62.2%)
-- Mike Rounds (R) South Dakota (Won w/ 65.7%)
-- Lindsay Graham (R) South Carolina (Won w/ 54.4%)
-- Markwayne Mullin (R) Oklahoma (Won w/ 61.8%)
-- Thom Tillis (R) North Carolina (Won w/ 48.7%)
-- Ben Sasse (R) Nebraska (Won w/ 62.47%)
-- Steve Daines (R) Montana (Won w/ 55%)
-- Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) Missippi (Won w/ 54.1%)

I left off a couple w/ 70%+ wins.

The above people won in 2020 w/ Trump on the ballot. If th next two years are as terrible for America as many expect them to be, there are A LOT of Republican seats that will be put into contention AND they won't have Trump on the ballot to help inflate their numbers in Red areas.

I don't think it's out of the possibility that in 2026, Dems can retain all 13 seats up for election and potentially flip Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Texas, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Then you also have two more Senate seats up for grabs in Ohio and Florida. And if things are ESPECIALLY bad by 2026, there are potential for even MORE Senate flips.

Right now, the Senate will be 53-47, if we flip those seats, 2026 could be 54-46 Dems and the map isn't looking any prettier for GOP in 2028 with 19 GOP seats up for re-election and 15 Dem seats. Of which, I think only 2 Dem seats could be at risk for flipping and I think potentially at least 4 GOP seats are at risk for flipping.

If Dems select the right candidate in 2028 AND GOP tries to go with the status quo and bring in DeSantis or Vance as the next up in a post-Trump world, I have hope that we enter a new era for Dems in the next 2-4 years that will give them the seats and mandate they need to make some massive, sweeping changes to the country.

Those are pretty red states. The next two years would have to be truly disastrous for Democrats to win those seats.

[Huehuecoyotl]

Those are pretty red states. The next two years would have to be truly disastrous for Democrats to win those seats.

Cut to Trump saying to Musk "hold my beer".

[Bwgmon]

Those are pretty red states. The next two years would have to be truly disastrous for Democrats to win those seats.

Trying to play games with SNAP, Social Security, Veteran Care, and Medicare sounds like a good way to do just that.