Donald Trump Presidency discussion Thread VI

serfboard

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

So are there press briefings again?

No - you just have Trump roaring at the press over the din of the Helicopter waiting to take off in the background. That's the only form of press interaction going on now, and it allows Trump to control the situation.

It's not new, though. It was a favoured technique of Ronald Reagan back in the day.

FatherTed

In the span of just a few days, Trump and his acolytes have:

- Blamed the Clintons for the death of an inmate under his DOJ custody.
- Made legal immigrants jump through more obstacles if they apply for a Green card.
- Attacked the Endangered Species Act threatening the environment
- Opened more public lands to the mineral and oil industry for exploration.
- Increased the likelihood of an economic recession with his trade wars with China
- Posed with an orphan, whose parents were both killed by his supporter, as if it was a campaign photo op.

Damn, that Killary must have been a terrible choice if so many people voted against her. Yeah, that includes people that voted third party because they thought both were equally evil.

TomOnBoard

serfboard wrote: »

No - you just have Trump roaring at the press over the din of the Helicopter waiting to take off in the background. That's the only form of press interaction going on now, and it allows Trump to control the situation.

It's not new, though. It was a favoured technique of Ronald Reagan back in the day.

Don't forget that Hannity has a toe-curdling phone session with Trump every so often, and that KellyAnne pops out onto the lawn every couple of days to do her fish-wife attempts at gaslighting... What currently passes for 'press briefings' is an absolute disgrace.

So much for the 1st Amendment that provides for protections of the freedom and rights of the press...

TomOnBoard

We've all taken to using the 10000+ rounding for the number of " false or misleading claims" (aka LIES) that Trump has been found to have made since taking office.

In fact, the Washington Post reports the number as standing at 12,019 as at August 12, 2019 at 8:51 am EDT.

Just keeping y'all in the loop.....

TomOnBoard

The things I do to get and keep a balanced view!!!

I took a very deep breath and held my nose as I turned on Hannity's interview with De Blasio. I watched all 40+ minutes of it on YouTube, and learned a bit about what is driving the thinking of two people whose politics couldn't be more different . On occasion, the interview was a car crash, and there was lots of bickering and shouting over each other. That said, it was worth watching, and there should be more of it. De Blasio surfaced some interesting comments from Hannity that will certainly not endear Hannity thinking (reflecting Trump thinking) to some of 'The Base'. Similarly, Hannity held De Blasio's feet to the fire on a number of issues, and surfaced some weaknesses in De Blasio's thinking. The interview reminded me of some of the Chris Cuomo vs Kelly Anne Conway battles, although this one was less viciously handled by the supposed interviewee.

Now, I know De Blasio is at the bottom of the Democratic hopeful heap in terms of support and funding. But he can certainly face a heated argument and is able to slug it out in a way that I don't think Biden would be able to do. It was an interesting decision by De Blasio to go toe to toe with Hannity. Like the old beer advert, he will certainly reach parts of the electorate that other Dem hopefuls will never reach, as they stay away from Fox appearances. I'll be watching to see if anyone else takes Hannity up on his invitation to appear...

pixelburp

Looks like endangered species are now in the firing line with new legislation, which will soften or rollback protections for wildlife under threat; said wildlife would include the Bald Eagle, so the optics of this may not be great.

https://www.thejournal.ie/endangered-species-4763312-Aug2019/

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt [...] “An effectively administered Act ensures more resources can go where they will do the most good: on-the-ground conservation,” added the former oil and gas lobbyist.

[...]

Other changes include modifications allowing companies to build roads, pipelines, mines, and other industrial projects in an area designated as a “critical habitat” for a species — paving the way for its gradual destruction so long as each individual step is sufficiently modest.

Those two lines in bold are completely unrelated, I'm sure :rolleyes: Normally at this point, I'd add some snark about "The Best" people, or maybe a quip about "Draining the Swamp", but we're obviously so far past that point with this transparent villainy going on here. Between this and the EPA decision to fudge the coal ash regulations, the environmental impact of the Trump presidency could yet be catastrophic to both humans and wildlife alike.

TomOnBoard

pixelburp wrote: »

Looks like endangered species are now in the firing line with new legislation, which will soften or rollback protections for wildlife under threat; said wildlife would include the Bald Eagle, so the optics of this may not be great.

https://www.thejournal.ie/endangered-species-4763312-Aug2019/




Those two lines in bold are completely unrelated, I'm sure :rolleyes: Normally at this point, I'd add some snark about "The Best" people, or maybe a quip about "Draining the Swamp", but we're obviously so far past that point with this transparent villainy going on here. Between this and the EPA decision to fudge the coal ash regulations, the environmental impact of the Trump presidency could yet be catastrophic to both humans and wildlife alike.

This follows on from another naked attack on the natural world that Trump agreed to on a stopover in Alaska on the way to/from the G20 in Japan. He met the Governor of Alaska on Air Force One and agreed to reverse an Obama decision to protect Sockeye Salmon habitat in/near Bristol Bay in Alaska. Basically, there were previous attempts to create a highly toxic open cast recovery in Pebble Mine that the EPA previously said would obliterate the salmon fishery, which is the largest in the world. The Governor met Trump on AF1 and the EPA totally reversed its position only a few weeks later.

This rape and pillage of the natural world and its environment, as well as the livelihoods of thousands employed in the fishing and related industries as well as tourism, all so that a favourite Republican mining operation can cash in on the riches of Alaska.

These people simply are shameless- a blight on the earth at this stage...

Stop moaning ffs

There’s a petition to rename the street Trump towers on in NYC to Barak Obama way. Can only imagine Trumps reaction to that if it happens.

TomOnBoard

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

There’s a petition to rename the street Trump towers on in NYC to Barak Obama way. Can only imagine Trumps reaction to that if it happens.

Even more likely to cause apoplexy, the proposed name is "President Barack H. Obama Avenue"....

So Don's future full postal address would be:

President Donald J Trump
Trump Towers
President Barack H. Obama Avenue,
New York....

Millions would send postcards just for the pleasure of doing it...

Stop moaning ffs

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Even more likely to cause apoplexy, the proposed name is "President Barack H. Obama Avenue"....

So Don's future full postal address would be:

President Donald J Trump
Trump Towers
President Barack H. Obama Avenue,
New York....

Millions would send postcards just for the pleasure of doing it...

There seems to be a function in NYC for the public to have a say in the renaming of streets, I hope this one happens


*trump will probably say the vote was rigged

Cookie_Monster

TomOnBoard wrote: »

This follows on from another naked attack on the natural world that Trump agreed to on a stopover in Alaska on the way to/from the G20 in Japan. He met the Governor of Alaska on Air Force One and agreed to reverse an Obama decision to protect Sockeye Salmon habitat in/near Bristol Bay in Alaska. Basically, there were previous attempts to create a highly toxic open cast recovery in Pebble Mine that the EPA previously said would obliterate the salmon fishery, which is the largest in the world. The Governor met Trump on AF1 and the EPA totally reversed its position only a few weeks later.

This rape and pillage of the natural world and its environment, as well as the livelihoods of thousands employed in the fishing and related industries as well as tourism, all so that a favourite Republican mining operation can cash in on the riches of Alaska.

These people simply are shameless- a blight on the earth at this stage...

You can grow tired of and immune to a lot of the political shenanigans of Trumps presidency and a lot of it is simply noise, but the above is truly disgusting.

TomOnBoard

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

There seems to be a function in NYC for the public to have a say in the renaming of streets, I hope this one happens


*trump will probably say the vote was rigged

I read that such a renaming will only be applied if the person being honoured has been dead for at least two years, although there are rare exceptions.

pixelburp

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

You can grow tired of and immune to a lot of the political shenanigans of Trumps presidency and a lot of it is simply noise, but the above is truly disgusting.

Absolutely; and for all the ludicrous bombast and adolescent verbiage of his Presidency (see "lamestream media"), this is the reality of a CEO President, and a cabinet of ex-lobbyists. Said bombast also ensures this dangerous legislation doesn't get half the coverage it probably should. I'm loathed to throw hyperbole around but it's hard not to look at this stream of gutted environmental regulations, and see it as the rape of the natural world; give it a few years and we'll see Flint v2 no dobt...

Quin_Dub

TomOnBoard wrote: »

I read that such a renaming will only be applied if the person being honoured has been dead for at least two years, although there are rare exceptions.

There are other options that would soon meet that requirement that would have a similar impact on the man himself.

John McCain Avenue anyone??

duploelabs

Quin_Dub wrote: »

There are other options that would soon meet that requirement that would have a similar impact on the man himself.

John McCain Avenue anyone??

Hillary would have to get a mention

Stop moaning ffs

Also remember, there has to be the Trump presidential library at some point.
I find that hysterical. But let’s move on.

MrFresh

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

Also remember, there has to be the Trump presidential library at some point.
I find that hysterical. But let’s move on.

Apparently Trump has a habit of printing of Tweets and signing them and sending them to people. There was a report in the last week that he tore out an article from a magazine or paper, wrote a note on it and mailed it to the Canadian embassy. His library will be insane.

rossie1977

In 2.5 years Trump has appointed 1/4 of all federal circuit court judges in the entire country to lifetime appointments. 90% of those white, male and deeply conservative.

Long after Trump is president his actions right now will shape the course of American history for decades to come. If he gets 8 years Donald Trump will shape the vision of the United States for the best part of this century.

When people say 2020 election is important they are understating it massively. 2020 is most important presidential election in a long long time.

Gbear

pixelburp wrote: »

Absolutely; and for all the ludicrous bombast and adolescent verbiage of his Presidency (see "lamestream media"), this is the reality of a CEO President...

I don't think that's really a takeaway from Trump.

I don't think Trump tells us anything about outsiders, reformers, CEOs, business people, or really anything, other than what happens if you elect a nakedly corrupt, racist, ignoramus with total disdain for the law and constitution to the office of President.

Being a businessman shouldn't be particular more or less qualifying than being a politician in their capacity to run a country.

There's elements of many different roles in being President.

There's no reason to think Bill Gates would make a particularly brilliant President, for example, but you would probably have to concede he'd do a better job than lifelong politician and alleged human Ted Cruz.

Chips Lovell

Mod Note

Off topic posts deleted. Don't dump videos. Stick to the topic at hand, which is the presidency of Donald Trump.

Thank you

Quin_Dub

rossie1977 wrote: »

In 2.5 years Trump has appointed 1/4 of all federal circuit court judges in the entire country to lifetime appointments. 90% of those white, male and deeply conservative.

Long after Trump is president his actions right now will shape the course of American history for decades to come. If he gets 8 years Donald Trump will shape the vision of the United States for the best part of this century.

When people say 2020 election is important they are understating it massively. 2020 is most important presidential election in a long long time.

To be fair, the volume and nature of the appointments has little to do with Trump. That's down to Mitch McConnell sitting on as many confirmations as possible for the last 6+ years that he's had control of the Senate and refusing to confirm virtually anyone put forward by Obama since 2012..

McConnell has long been the big issue for Democracy in the US. He has blocked anything he doesn't like from even getting a hearing on the floor of the Senate for years , terrified that Public opinion or balanced argument might sway a few GOP senators to vote with "the other side" on something that doesn't fit his world-view

A thoroughly unpleasant insidious individual.

As an aside , I don't quite understand how the entire legislative agenda can essentially be completely controlled by just 2 people - currently McConnell and Pelosi.

Their personal viewpoint and opinion essentially determine what things even have a chance at becoming law.

McConnells utterly partisan behaviour in recent years surely highlights a need to have some kind of way for a quorum of Elected reps (Senate or Congress) to be able to bring legislation to the floor and circumvent these artificial roadblocks?

eire4

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

Also remember, there has to be the Trump presidential library at some point.
I find that hysterical. But let’s move on.

Well his shall we say "fiction" section will be very extensive:)

Stop moaning ffs

It seems to be policy to utterly gut what America is from within and change it for the worse to fit this new malignant vision. This is appalling but it’s a new low everyday from trump and this administration

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1161253946180165632?s=21

Gbear

Quin_Dub wrote: »

As an aside , I don't quite understand how the entire legislative agenda can essentially be completely controlled by just 2 people - currently McConnell and Pelosi.

Their personal viewpoint and opinion essentially determine what things even have a chance at becoming law.

McConnells utterly partisan behaviour in recent years surely highlights a need to have some kind of way for a quorum of Elected reps (Senate or Congress) to be able to bring legislation to the floor and circumvent these artificial roadblocks?

They're just figureheads ultimately. They might wield a little more influence than any other single representative but they are beholden to their caucus.

If the Republicans weren't fully behind McConnell, he'd be out on his ear.
They all share the blame for this attack on democracy, both in spirit in their vetoing of legitimate candidates for judicial positions and in fact, with their unwillingness to improve election security because it materially benefits them not to.

There are precious few Republicans left with both a moral compass and a spine. Those with the former seem to be mostly retiring.

Similarly, while Pelosi has attracted ire for a seeming squeamishness with regards to impeachment, she knows better than we do how much support there is for the measure among her caucus. There's nothing like a huge majority in favour of impeachment. It's only just trickling over 50% now.

TomOnBoard

Stop moaning ffs wrote: »

It seems to be policy to utterly gut what America is from within and change it for the worse to fit this new malignant vision. This is appalling but it’s a new low everyday from trump and this administration

That groaning and grinding sound you hear is the sound of Emma Lazarus rolling over in agony in her grave....

Jeez, a Trump crony has the temerity to try to re-write one of the greatest humanitarian messages in history, and introduce a pathetic, selfish, xenophobic and downright inhuman alternative...

History recalls a similarly odious message that marked the entrance to another place that dealt with displaced peoples... That message was:

Arbeit macht frei.... Work will set you free.....

Cody montana

Is his dismantling of the endangered species act one of his worst crimes so far?

pixelburp

Cody montana wrote: »

Is his dismantling of the endangered species act one of his worst crimes so far?

And while lippy congresswomen, or sportspeople kneeling to the flag is apparently anti-American, endangering the Bald Eagle is fair game. Weirdly, given it potentially puts the iconic creature in danger, it may backfire given the right traction and publicity.

Cody montana

pixelburp wrote: »

And while lippy congresswomen, or sportspeople kneeling to the flag is apparently anti-American, endangering the Bald Eagle is fair game. Weirdly, given it potentially puts the iconic creature in danger, it may backfire given the right traction and publicity.

Hopefully it will be stopped.
Beyond repugnant.
They should be increasing protections for species and expanding their natural habitat.

eire4

Cody montana wrote: »

Is his dismantling of the endangered species act one of his worst crimes so far?

Aside from how wrong this is how on earth did something like the endangered species act become a partisan issue. It is almost as if the Republicans at this point are so extreme they wake up each day and try and find new things like the above act that are clearly good things nothing to do with left/right or whatever and destroy them.

duploelabs

eire4 wrote: »

Aside from how wrong this is how on earth did something like the endangered species act become a partisan issue. It is almost as if the Republicans at this point are so extreme they wake up each day and try and find new things like the above act that are clearly good things nothing to do with left/right or whatever and destroy them.

Diversionary tactics, propose the most incendiary tactics to take the attention away from the more lasting policies, like the appointment of ultra conservative judges as mentioned here earlier