Donald John Trump: 2016 President-Elect

[Silver Raven]

AP is reporting that Rudy Giuliani will be Secretary of State.

 

[NinjaPenguins]

[Bastet]

Quote

One rationale floated among some talking heads is that Trump will naturally be communicating with his children, and should he pass on, or they be around, certain information, they curtail any classified issues by giving them the clearance to hear it in the first place.

Well, huh.  Apparently all those years my dad had high-level security clearance (complete with Defense Dept. investigators regularly haunting our neighbors and friends to check that he had not violated any parameters that came with such a responsibility, and me having to clear international travel plans with the DoD) as the head of top-secret programs for a defense contractor, my mother and I should have been given such clearance ourselves.  Instead, in a bizarre twist, my dad took his responsibilities seriously and kept his fucking mouth shut at the dinner table.  (First day of school "and what do your parents do?" around-the-class discussions?  I sounded like a goddamned moron who'd been accidentally enrolled in the honors section because I had so little description of my dad's job.)

[FuriousStyles]

Im trying to figure out why  I actually feel safer with Guiliani as Secretary of State rather than Attorney General.  

[BuckeyeLou]

12 hours ago, potatoradio said:

I ain't breathing no sigh of relief that Pennywise the Clown doesn't see marriage equality as enough of a shiny object to care or that he isn't interested enough in who pees where to step in any bathroom crises. He can and will be distracted on a dime. Nothing is safe.

I sure wish his staff all the luck in the world spending the next four years tapdancing and kowtowing and otherwise acting like captives chained to Jabba the Hutt in hopes that they might get credited with praise paraded on the teevee in front of the librulls. So. much. winning.

Yes, Pennywise, please proceed to go fight ISIS yourself. Take Chachi and Duck Dynasty Dude and all of your brownshirts with you. You know more than the generals. Have at it.

As far as accepting - well, it's not unlike getting a diagnosis of cancer and still waiting to hear how quickly I'm going to die. Will it be quick or do I suffer first? So, I'm coming around accepting being in survival mode. Yay for progress.

I"ve been reaching out to people in my life to get together and simply talk. Some hand wringing will happen, but mostly we all need to get our bearings together. 

One of my family members works for the U.S. government in a highly unstable region of the world. He just sent his kids to college and his wife is in D.C., so he's pretty much alone. I said that it was hard enough to watch the news here, that i couldn't imagine him trying to live his life through this horrible transition. He said that his family pleaded with him to quit, but he said that, while at first he's been sickened by the news, now he's determined to follow Lincoln's inspiration and persevere in great odds. I'm not heartened by his description of "great odds," but I'm taking comfort that he's not fleeing. 

I'm honestly not sure how the MSM should play Pennywise. On the one hand, I want them to start calling out every atrocity he commits, as well as his neocon party. Then again, maybe it's smarter to fool him into thinking he's won and, meanwhile, build resistance underground? 

Today, I am wearing a safety pin. A woman with a hijab got on the elevator with me and I saw her look at it and then ask me what floor she needed for department X. I am so very sad that she was clearly comforted by a symbol that I was a safe person, but, for anyone who thinks we're wearing safety pins just to feel better about ourselves? You're missing the point. It's not like "raising awareness" ribbons. People are going to need to see visible signs that they can trust each other. 

I've been wearing one, but no one has noticed it, but I feel like I'm in 1930's Germany & wearing a secret "Star of David"~~

[HumblePi]

2 hours ago, Chicken Wing said:

One rationale floated among some talking heads is that Trump will naturally be communicating with his children, and should he pass on, or they be around, certain information, they curtail any classified issues by giving them the clearance to hear it in the first place. I say, keep your trap shut and don't leave top secret documents sitting around the coffee table and it won't be an issue, like any other presidential family before them.

The bigger problem, of course, is that these children who he wants to give security clearance within the freaking White House are the same people who will be running his businesses in a fake blind trust. That's not a conflict of interest -- it's a knock down, drag out brawl of interest.

For crap's sake, it hasn't even been a week...

Here's the thing and this is a real quandary for Donald Trump (pres-elect-whatever).

I don't know how he's going to work around this legally or if it's even possible, but nevertheless, he'll try. Donald has been reliant on his 3 older children even more than anyone realizes. He's given them control and the decision making for most of his 500 businesses in 12 countries around the world. It's a 'yuge' operation that his entire family and their spouses are involved in. He trusts them implicitly and he relies on their opinions and direction without question. They are his security blanket.

Now, he's the President elect and shitting himself over what he just found out is a ginormous task and even greater responsibility. To do it alone? Oh no, that's impossible and he knows it. Top level security clearance or not, he's going to be talking with them and getting their input on just about every single decision he's going to have to make. Sure, that's illegal but it's a fact that it's going to be like that.

Now, if he does succeed in getting his wish that they all have top level security clearances then they would be permitted to see what he sees, read what he reads, and have access to the uttermost ultra-secure intelligence that top level officials will provide to him. Putting aside the fact that they are all running his private businesses, which is a clear conflict of interest, there's another problem. But first what if he gets intelligence that there's a threat in one of the countries that he happens to do business in. They can pull out of that business, sell it off, take the profit and be gone. That's just one example of how that would be a conflict of interest.

The last thing is security. These children of his have busy lives. Ivanka has her line of jewelry or clothing she sells at J.C. Penny and QVC. The other two sons each have the businesses that they run for Donald. How secure are our top government secrets going to be with so many knowing them? How difficult would it be to grab Ivanka as she goes into Cartier's to look for a new diamond ring or goes into the QVC studio and some evil spy from a foreign country kidnaps her and holds her for ransom, or threatens to harm her if she doesn't give up International secrets? Or creepy Erik is kidnapped while getting into his Bentley, and he'll throw up the intelligence all over the place in a heartbeat, (the little twerp).

So, it's a mess for Donald and for our country because there's no easy answer to any of it. There's no way to protect our intelligence and strategies with so many people having knowledge of it, no way.

[backformore]

3 hours ago, lyric said:

For what possible purpose do those kids need Top Security Clearance?  What in the hell is going on here?

If Trump gets bored, one of them can step in.  I'm sure he sees it as more like Royalty anyway - they are heirs to the throne.

[crayon78]

4 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

Just got this alert from CNN on my phone:

Donald Trump's transition is being marked by sharp internal disagreements over key cabinet appointments and direction, both for internal West Wing positions and key national security posts, sources involved in the transition team tell CNN.

One source with knowledge of the transition described it as a "knife fight."

So... if Rudy is the frontrunner for State and Bolton was the name I was hearing all day... who won the fight? Bannon or Reince (or someone else)? I don't know this one well enough to know who would be behind which pick.

3 hours ago, lyric said:

For what possible purpose do those kids need Top Security Clearance?  What in the hell is going on here?

8 minutes ago, backformore said:

If Trump gets bored, one of them can step in.  I'm sure he sees it as more like Royalty anyway - they are heirs to the throne.

Yeah, maybe he thinks one of them can step in. After all, how different could it possibly be than his business? He can run a business (he says), and therefore, he can run the country. Same thing.

Maybe he also wants them to have clearance so they can all sit at a boardroom table together going through possible candidates for those thousands of positions. It'll be like that White House Apprentice version he wanted to do.

Edited November 15, 2016 by crayon78
Added the clearance nightmare

[backformore]

39 minutes ago, HumblePi said:

Now, if he does succeed in getting his wish that they all have top level security clearances then they would be permitted to see what he sees, read what he reads, and have access to the uttermost ultra-secure intelligence that top level officials will provide to him. Putting aside the fact that they are all running his private businesses, which is a clear conflict of interest, there's another problem. But first what if he gets intelligence that there's a threat in one of the countries that he happens to do business in. They can pull out of that business, sell it off, take the profit and be gone. That's just one example of how that would be a conflict of interest.

Right -   There is a clear conflict, and I would speculate that the reason is so Trump can talk to his kids about every decision he makes, and get their advice - he can't do that if they don't have clearance. 

On 60 minutes, Trump bragged about 28 million PEOPLE who follow him.  First, if he's combining followers across social media, it's not individual people - it's the same people following him on twitter and FB, Instagram, whatever else he uses.  Second,  it's clear that some are fake accounts, paid for, in order to like and re-post certain things.   Third -  there are a TON of people following him on Twitter who are not supporters -  Rachel Maddow, Van Jones,  Mark Cuban come to mind, as well as several funny accounts like Donny trumpy  and Donald J Drumpf.  ridiculous that Trump brags about followers, like he's competing on AMerican Idol or DWTS.   It is baffling to me that this is something he brags about.  

(and by the way, Obama's account has 79 million followers, I bet Trump knows that and it drives him crazy.)

[Padma]

1 hour ago, FuriousStyles said:

Im trying to figure out why  I actually feel safer with Guiliani as Secretary of State rather than Attorney General.  

I did too, for a minute, because it seems he might do less harm there (not spy on dissenters and start "enemis lists" sicing the FBI on people). 

bu ten I came to my senses. The ONLY reason I feel better about Giuliani at State, is because Trump hasn't announced the horrible person he's making AG. 

The kids getting classified info to help him run the government AND keeping VPs of his 500+ businesses and helping Trump run them from DC -NYC- Palm  Beach?  WTF???

Too bad he said he'd drain the swamp, but didn't say what he was going to fill it with.

[backformore]

1 hour ago, Padma said:

Too bad he said he'd drain the swamp, but didn't say what he was going to fill it with.

I figured he drained the water out of the swamp, then captured all the alligators and other swamp creatures, and hired them for his team. 

Edited November 15, 2016 by backformore

[Ceindreadh]

So Trump supposedly has this brilliant plan to finish ISIS, right?  If it's so good, then why hasn't he told somebody who could implement it? People are dying over there every day and if Trump had any shred of human decency he'd do what he could to stop it, but instead he's just waiting until he's in office so he can take credit for it?

Or is he just talking through his arse as usual. 

[candall]

On the T-kids' security clearance:

I'm enjoying Rachel Maddow's show because she seems to be perched on the same edge of a nervous breakdown where I'm clinging.  She has one of the other MSNBC people coming by for the same reason we're all here--"Are you seeing what I'm seeing or have I gone mad?"

Anyway, the other MSNBC person made the observation that DT doesn't trust many people--his kids have always been his inner circle confidantes, so it's natural that when you have a new job, you want the same people you trusted to advise you in your old job.

The thing is, he continued, that these same people running Trump Inc. International is SO egregious, SO far from anything anyone has EVER thought appropriate, there's no precedent for addressing it.

He says the Intelligence people and Obama can deny the security clearance prior to the inauguration, but then of course DT can do whatever he wants.  (And what else is he going to want to do from the "so bad it's been unthinkable until now" category?)

 

Rachel had a bit of hysterical laughing that the DT Transition Team was unaware they'd have to staff the White House, that they canceled their meeting with the WH Transition Team, that they aren't returning phone calls from the Pentagon or the CIA and most of all, that Transition Team Leader Pence has decided to continue as the full-time governor of Indiana until his term expires in January.  (Why quit your day job, Pence?)

 

There's still that Hail Mary play available in December when the EC votes and they could end this insanity.  Everyone says it absolutely will not happen, but I keep thinking, "There's still one more Emergency Exit!  PULL THE HANDLE."

[Chicken Wing]

Michael Moore, who hates Trump but nonetheless predicted to deaf ears that he would win the election, also predicts that he will either resign or be impeached. His reasoning:

Quote

This is why we’re not going to have to suffer through four years of Donald J. Trump, because he has no ideology except the ideology of Donald J. Trump ... And when you have a narcissist like that, who’s so narcissistic where it’s all about him, he will, maybe unintentionally, break laws. He will break laws because he’s only thinking about what’s best for him.

I'd say this insanity with his kids falls in line with that idea -- and he hasn't even taken office yet.

[Captain Carrot]

14 minutes ago, candall said:

There's still that Hail Mary play available in December when the EC votes and they could end this insanity.  Everyone says it absolutely will not happen, but I keep thinking, "There's still one more Emergency Exit!  PULL THE HANDLE."

I agree that it's not gonna happen, which is a shame because I was taught in elementary school that the whole point of the electoral college was to act as a safety valve in case a con man is popular.

 

Regarding giving Trump a chance. He did make a couple campaign promises that most people agree with. (In theory). One of those was to 'drain the swamp' in Washington. And the thing is that he'll be in a unique position to do that. All he has to do is nominate a qualified conservative (I've given up on getting a liberal on the bench) person to the supreme court that is against the Citizens United ruling. If he does that, then he probably intends to keep that promise. If he's as full of it as we all suspect, then we'll get a 'Pence Approved' nominee. At least that's the argument I'll be making to my Trump supporting relatives. 

[HumblePi]

I don't know where to dump this post, here or in the anxiety forum so I'll take a shot at posting it here because it speaks directly at the causes of the Democratic leadership failing and the reasons Donald Trump took over the government. I watched Debbie Dingell the US Congresswoman from Michigan on CNN this morning. Shas been the United States Representative for Michigan's 12th congressional district since 2015. I've seen her once before on CNN and basically she tried to warn Democrats long before the election. Here's what she said, and I have to say that it's everything I thought from the night of the election. The blame-buck stops right here at the feet of our Democratic party. Here's what she said;

Quote

The establishment and the media believed that Michigan was fine, that Michigan was competitive. The Democrats were not connecting with working men and women in Michigan or across this country. People took it for granted and the Democratic leadership has to be a voice for those that have no voice. People just want to make enough money, live in a safe neighborhood, put food on the table, to be able to have health insurance and go to the doctor when they need to and educate their kids. And for too many Americans, that's  beyond them and they don't believe that anyone is fighting for them. They think the system is rigged and they saw in Donald Trump somebody that's caring. They're tired of partisan bickering, they wanted to shake things up, they don't agree with a lot of the things he said, but they thought that he understood better what was impacting them every single day. Too many of the Democratic leaders took it for granted that people would just be with them. Okay Obama saved the auto industry, but saving the auto industry didn't translate down to the individual worker because they're not making as much money, their purchasing power is less, and people are frightened about their pensions and if their pensions are going to be there. There are Teamsters across the country whose pensions have been cut 50-70%. They put their own money into those pensions for a lifetime and they're not there. That fear, that anxiety, that insecurity is in their hearts and their souls. Bernie Sanders was in her district 10 times before the primary election. Bill Clinton was in her district a week before the election in a grocery store. Hillary came into Michigan the weekend before the election. She hadn't been in Wisconsin either. Bottom line 'we forgot the base. We forgot that we have to be out there with working men and women to let them know that we understand their issues, that we're going to fight for them, that we're going to fight to keep their pensions safe. And we're not showing them that we understand their healthcare has gone up, that prescription drug costs have gone up. We weren't talking enough about bread and butter issues that impact working men and women across this country. Voters wanted to 'shake it up' and they didn't have confidence in either of the establishment parties they viewed Donald Trump as change. I think we've got to work on the trades and issues that he totally tapped into them on. We have to show them that we hear what they're worried about, We've got to figure out how we're going to show them we're fighting on the issues just like protecting social security and Medicare, now we're hearing they want to privatize Medicare. We've got to be the voice that fights that and make sure that never happens.

So yes, there's that. Democrats were the party that was taken down, not the Republican party. The red flags were waving long before election day but nobody in Congress or Senate heeded them. Bernie Sanders knew, that's why he was working so hard in Michigan during the primaries. But Hillary Clinton was seen as part of the establishment by the people in Michigan and Wisconsin and that was a fatal flaw in the campaign. I don't mind that the Democrats lost despite voting for Hillary Clinton, because actually they deserved to lose. I just totally mind the fact that it's Donald Trump that won. Anyone would have been better even 'sleepy eye, two-second blink' Ben Carson.

[windsprints]

I guess I'm simple. I blame the people who voted for DJT in spite of everything he is. That's above every other reason/excuse/analysis for me.

Edited November 15, 2016 by windsprints

[HumblePi]

16 minutes ago, windsprints said:

I guess I'm simple. I blame the people who voted for DJT in spite of everything he is. That's above every other reason/excuse/analysis for me.

I've been doing the same thing, blaming those who voted for him. But Bernie Sanders made me sober up and realize that it's not only their fault but the Dem party's fault. Just this morning on CBS Morning Show he said;

Quote

I am deeply humiliated. Democrats can't talk to working class. There needs to be a profound change in the way the Democratic Party does business. It is not good enough to have a liberal elite. I come from the white working class and I am deeply humiliated that the Democratic Party can’t talk to the people where I came from. She should have won this election by 10 percentage points. The question is why is it that millions of white working class people who voted for Obama turned their backs on the Democratic Party.

Truthfully, it's been instinctual to blame the people that voted Republican. The sobering fact is that the party of Democrats failed us completely. I'm confident that President Trump will foul things up quite well over the next four years if he gets that far. Our country will be so egregiously fouled that it will force our Congress and Senate to get off their well-paid asses and actually listen to what the people have obviously told them by the results of this election. In the end, we may emerge torn and tattered but more prepared and better able to function as a government for all people, not just the elites.

[SmithW6079]

15 hours ago, HumblePi said:

If his children are going to be running his more than 500 different businesses plus have top security clearance in the White House, isn't that obvious that's a conflict of interest? This man wants to be ruler, not President. He has already spoken to Vladimir Putin today, they're getting their ducks in a row.

I'm editing to make it clear exactly what 'top security clearance' means. This isn't just a security clearance to walk past the guards in the hallway or go through without passing through a metal detector, this is TOP SECURITY CLEARANCE which means they will have all or any part of access to data that affects national security, counter terrorism, counter intelligence, and other highly sensitive data.

That's why I'm convinced this will be the most corrupt administration in the history of the United States.

14 hours ago, callmebetty said:

I swear the more I learn about him, I wouldn't be surprised to learn he flogs himself each morning.

Is that what you call it?!

7 hours ago, backformore said:

If Trump gets bored, one of them can step in.  I'm sure he sees it as more like Royalty anyway - they are heirs to the throne.

That's my take on it. Look out for either Junior or Eric to be anointed the next leader of the US (or maybe Ivanka; she seems to have more on the ball than the boys).

1 hour ago, Captain Carrot said:

Regarding giving Trump a chance. He did make a couple campaign promises that most people agree with. (In theory). One of those was to 'drain the swamp' in Washington. And the thing is that he'll be in a unique position to do that. All he has to do is nominate a qualified conservative (I've given up on getting a liberal on the bench) person to the supreme court that is against the Citizens United ruling. If he does that, then he probably intends to keep that promise. If he's as full of it as we all suspect, then we'll get a 'Pence Approved' nominee. At least that's the argument I'll be making to my Trump supporting relatives. 

Yeah, he's draining the swamp right into the White House. CBS This Morning had some clips from Don the Con's interview on 60 Minutes from Sunday, and he repeated his BS about cutting out lobbying money or money from foreign governments. So, lobbyists are going to be in his administration and he still hasn't told us how deep he is in the pockets of the Russian oligarchy and Vlad Putin. 

***

"Stop calling us racists!" whine Trump supporters:

‘Ape in heels’: W.Va. officials under fire after comments about Michelle Obama

Apparently, being an accomplished lawyer in your own right and first lady for the past eight years makes you an "ape in heels," but being a gold digger who posed nude in softcore porn photos is "classy." 

[Constantinople]

Nigel Farage, in theory soon to be the ex-leader of UKIP, met with Trump over the weekend, the first British politician to do so.

I mention this in the Trump thread because when I see the two of them

All I can think of is

Edited November 15, 2016 by Constantinople

[HumblePi]

19 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

"Stop calling us racists!" whine Trump supporters:

‘Ape in heels’: W.Va. officials under fire after comments about Michelle Obama

Apparently, being an accomplished lawyer in your own right and first lady for the past eight years makes you an "ape in heels," but being a gold digger who posed nude in softcore porn photos is "classy." 

I'm so glad you posted this because I hadn't heard about it, and I hope we'll all hear about this vile comment from Pamela Ramsey Taylor on the news. I'm going to her twitter now to shame her. I'm posting her letter so people can see that she has already been criticized for this remark. This infuriates me to the core. Well, Ms. Pamela Tamsey Taylor, I intend to post this message from your Facebook page on every social website, every twitter account that I've followed for months and every comments section on this article that I possibly can. People need to be held responsible for their words. End of discussion. Pamela Ramsey Taylor is Director of the Clay County Development Corporation in Clay, West Virginia.  She was "removed" from her position on November 14, 2016 after a controversy over her comments on Michelle Obama. So good she's out of her job in W. Virginia, that's some consolation at least.

I'll put part of her letter here, in case people have trouble reading it clearly. (her grammar sucks too)

Quote

My post, be it may interpreted as racist (though NO WAY INTENDED TO BE), was referring to my personal opinion of  the attractiveness, NOT the color of  one's skin. For those that feel that it was inappropriate and racist, skin color was the furthest thing from my mind." She goes on to say "I respectfully and humbly request that you please refrain from sharing or posting the post that I am referring to, not on my behalf, but on behalf of my family and fiends due to the fact that this may cause undue duress.

Edited November 15, 2016 by HumblePi

[ClareWalks]

Wow, see, all I could think during the 60 MInutes interview is how Melania looks like what happens when you burn a candle so the wax melts, then it hardens again. I mean, if someone else thinks she is so beautiful, good for them, but I don't like that pulled-tight surgery look. If that would make me an "ape in heels" too, so be it. (Not to be too shallow, but I think that lady is just jealous...)

[KerleyQ]

2 hours ago, candall said:

There's still that Hail Mary play available in December when the EC votes and they could end this insanity.  Everyone says it absolutely will not happen, but I keep thinking, "There's still one more Emergency Exit!  PULL THE HANDLE."

Dear Electoral College - You're casting your votes on my birthday.  And, well, guess what's on the very top of my birthday list, in bold, all caps, underlined 10 times?  

[Danny Franks]

39 minutes ago, Constantinople said:

Nigel Farage, in theory soon to be the ex-leader of UKIP, met with Drumpf over the weekend, the first British politician to do so.

I mention this in the Drumpf thread because when I see the two of them

Two men right there who need to be given what they deserve. Farage is a racist, xenophobic propagandist liar. He has wrought unfathomable damage on the UK, and now he wants to spread his poison to the US. He's a snivelling weasel of a man, desperate for some sort of affirmation from the mainstream, to the extent that he was whining this weekend that Theresa May doesn't want to use him as a go-between with Trump.

These men are going to tear the whole world down, with their small-minded, hateful, selfish agendas. They have to be stopped.

As for that tweet about Michelle Obama? The story made it onto the BBC's homepage. And look, the mainstream media has to get their act together. They have to stop being 'balanced' and start telling the god damned truth. They have to say, openly and clearly, that this is not acceptable. They have to stand up and defend what's right, instead of cowering behind 'impartiality' while raking in money from the sensations they help create. I'm glad the BBC picked up on it, because they have been worthless over the last few years, in countering the poison of the new right wing.

[windsprints]

Thank you for posting the image from her page - sharing it everywhere.  She's a vile person. 

I'm going to sink to her level for a moment - honey, you're no picture of beauty yourself.  And, you're undignified and classless.

[Danny Franks]

3 minutes ago, windsprints said:

Thank you for posting the image from her page - sharing it everywhere.  She's a vile person. 

I'm going to sink to her level for a moment - honey, you're no picture of beauty yourself.  And, you're undignified and classless.

Trying to claim she's not being racist is utterly laughable. Still, I would say this, apes are better than this woman is. She's sub-human. And Trump's supporters won't stop crying that everyone calls them names?

[Ocean Chick]

I guess if that Pamela person is tired of seeing an Ape in Heels, she'd better stop looking the mirror.  Just sayin'......

[NinjaPenguins]

I'm so fucking sick and tired of racists who pretend they don't fucking know that comparing black people to monkeys is racist. Fuck them. They know. That's why they do it. 

I've been mulling over Orange wanting his little rinds to have access to our nation's most sensitive information. Could it be that Orange doesn't have the intellectual capacity to process any of it, and he needs Usay and Qusay and Ivanka to break it down for him. Like it's an open family secret, that Orange just doesn't get it, and while it's fine for his family to know that, it would be humiliating for Pence and Preibus to realize it? Of course, the intelligence community could always feed the kids bullshit to see what they do with it. 

I feel pretty terrible about NounVerb911 being Sec. of State, especially since he's gone way, way over the deep end in the last year. But, hey, now Pam Bondi can be AG!

[Danny Franks]

1 minute ago, NinjaPenguins said:

 

I feel pretty terrible about NounVerb911 being Sec. of State, especially since he's gone way, way over the deep end in the last year. But, hey, now Pam Bondi can be AG!

Hopefully his dementia will become undeniable within the next 12 months, and he'll be forced to step down. Of course, it seems like half of this incoming administration will be showing signs of it, so maybe it'll take longer for anyone to be sure.

[inkworks]

Absolutely outrageous. 

What kind of mentality would you need to have to actually post something like that on Facebook?

She obviously didn't expect to get any sort of backlash from it.

Says a lot about the type of friends she keeps I'd say.........

[ari333]

53 minutes ago, KerleyQ said:

Dear Electoral College - You're casting your votes on my birthday.  And, well, guess what's on the very top of my birthday list, in bold, all caps, underlined 10 times?  

I feel like a doofus , but  I didn't know about the December/EC thing. Can Rump's win be... what's the word? Overturned? Overridden?  Here's a thought. He's appointed blatant racists and other horrors to high position. He's asked for security clearance for his spawn and spawn spouses. What does he need to do to get EC to kick him out? It is a serious question. What if he says, straight up, that he will nuke, fill-in-the-blank-country on Jan 21. what will it take? AmI misunderstanding something? I think he wants out so he can be the martyr and go on tour getting paid for speeches about his martyrdom and having turds cheer. Then what happens? Do we get Hillary if EC overturns Trump or do we get Pence? I feel dumb now.

[MulletorHater]

12 hours ago, HumblePi said:

"Not only is it likely that Trump will not wholly divorce himself from running his business empire – he plans on staying in Trump Tower a few nights a week, and traveling to Mar-a-Lago on weekends, so he'll be at the nexus of his empire several days each week – his children, who will be running his businesses for him, will be privy to state secrets and national security information – information they could use to benefit The Trump Organization. And in turn, smart foreign agents could discern America's secrets by moves Trump businesses make."

http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/breaking_report_trump_asks_for_security_clearances_for_children_who_will_be_running_his_blind_trust

I watched President Obama give his press conference today, and he mentioned the daily briefs, he made a hand measure as to how many there are each day and his hands were a foot apart, so he gets a brief from every executive branch of government every day and he takes hours to go over all of them. Trump barely has enough attention span and focus to get through the National Enquirer, how is he going to deal with that every day without an army of relatives to read it all for him and condense all the information down to one paragraph?

President Obama just earned a new title:  Tutorer-in-Chief.  I know that he is getting criticized for wanting to tutor Coral Caligula, but I think he sees the bigger picture.  At the end of the day, he knows it's all about US.  

Someone mentioned elsewhere, perhaps in this thread, that there was a look of fear in Obama's eyes at Hillary's last two rallies.  It was if he foresaw what could happen to US as Americans if Hillary didn't win.  Unfortunately, for US, the likes of Steve Bannon will have Coral Caligula's ear once Obama exits stage left.  

I weep for the Republic!

[HumblePi]

[Ocean Chick]

Quote

Like it's an open family secret, that Orange just doesn't get it, and while it's fine for his family to know that, it would be humiliating for Pence and Preibus to realize it?

How could they possibly NOT know it by now?  They've been around the Tangerine Turd long enough.  Heck, even most people who've never met the guy know that there's a reason he denies ever saying things - he doesn't remember saying them. The old brain has long since failed.

[callmebetty]

1 hour ago, HumblePi said:

I'm so glad you posted this because I hadn't heard about it, and I hope we'll all hear about this vile comment from Pamela Ramsey Taylor on the news. I'm going to her twitter now to shame her. I'm posting her letter so people can see that she has already been criticized for this remark. This infuriates me to the core. Well, Ms. Pamela Tamsey Taylor, I intend to post this message from your Facebook page on every social website, every twitter account that I've followed for months and every comments section on this article that I possibly can. People need to be held responsible for their words. End of discussion. Pamela Ramsey Taylor is Director of the Clay County Development Corporation in Clay, West Virginia.  She was "removed" from her position on November 14, 2016 after a controversy over her comments on Michelle Obama. So good she's out of her job in W. Virginia, that's some consolation at least.

I'll put part of her letter here, in case people have trouble reading it clearly. (her grammar sucks too)

Classy, dignified first lady?????   I reserve judgment on the beautiful because Melania is not a bad looking women without all that black shit she puts around her eyes.  But in no way is Melania more beautiful than Michelle. 

And I kept commenting to friends that the future first lady has posed nude! The fuckin first lady has posed nude!  How is that an acceptable thing?  Yeah she's the epitome of class and dignity.  Fuck you, you mouth breather. I mean that she needs to close her mouth when she takes a picture.

[KerleyQ]

9 minutes ago, inkworks said:

Absolutely outrageous. 

What kind of mentality would you need to have to actually post something like that on Facebook?

She obviously didn't expect to get any sort of backlash from it.

Says a lot about the type of friends she keeps I'd say.........

And not only did she have no issue posting it, but the mayor of her town apparently didn't even think twice before writing what amounts to a "high-five" comment on the post.  It's mind boggling.  

 

6 minutes ago, ari333 said:

I feel like a doofus , but  I didn't know about the December/EC thing. Can Rump's win be... what's the word? Overturned? Overridden?  Here's a thought. He's appointed blatant racists and other horrors to high position. He's asked for security clearance for his spawn and spawn spouses. What does he need to do to get EC to kick him out? It is a serious question. What if he says, straight up, that he will nuke, fill-in-the-blank-country on Jan 21. what will it take? AmI misunderstanding something? I think he wants out so he can be the martyr and go on tour getting paid for speeches about his martyrdom and having turds cheer. Then what happens? Do we get Hillary if EC overturns Trump or do we get Pence? I feel dumb now.

Basically, despite the fact that the transfer process has started, Drumpf's win isn't official until the EC casts their votes next month.  They could, legally, cast their votes for Hillary, if they feel like it's the right thing to do.  (Before the election took place, there was one elector, can't remember the state, who said he would not cast his vote for Hillary, even if she wins his state.)  Obviously, it's not something that has been done on any significant level in recent history, but it is something that could be done, if enough electors feel it's needed.  If they do cast their votes contrary to their state's result, if enough of them do it (and cast them for Hillary), then she'd become POTUS.  The only way we end up with Pence in the job is if Trump is still the winner and does not fulfill his term (resigns, impeached, or passes away).  

[Danny Franks]

7 minutes ago, ari333 said:

I feel like a doofus , but  I didn't know about the December/EC thing. Can Rump's win be... what's the word? Overturned? Overridden?  Here's a thought. He's appointed blatant racists and other horrors to high position. He's asked for security clearance for his spawn and spawn spouses. What does he need to do to get EC to kick him out? It is a serious question. What if he says, straight up, that he will nuke, fill-in-the-blank-country on Jan 21. what will it take? AmI misunderstanding something? I think he wants out so he can be the martyr and go on tour getting paid for speeches about his martyrdom and having turds cheer. Then what happens? Do we get Hillary if EC overturns Drumpf or do we get Pence? I feel dumb now.

This is one of the reasons the electoral college exists. This is what Alexander Hamilton had to say about it:

Quote

 

"It was equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice. A small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations.

...

The choice of SEVERAL, to form an intermediate body of electors, will be much less apt to convulse the community with any extraordinary or violent movements, than the choice of ONE who was himself to be the final object of the public wishes.

…

The process of election affords a moral certainty, that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications. Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union"

 

That bit I bolded sounds like it was designed for the current situation. So the electors have the power to say 'we think the people have chosen poorly, and we will not let them make this mistake'. Whether enough can be convinced to do that in this age of partisan politics and self-interest, I have no idea.

I honestly don't think it would be too hard to get the Republicans in Congress on board, because they could effectively choose the president and vice-president from whoever they wanted. At least, as I understand it. I don't think they have to give the election to Clinton, or even to any of the other nominees.

[MulletorHater]

1 hour ago, HumblePi said:

I'm so glad you posted this because I hadn't heard about it, and I hope we'll all hear about this vile comment from Pamela Ramsey Taylor on the news. I'm going to her twitter now to shame her. I'm posting her letter so people can see that she has already been criticized for this remark. This infuriates me to the core. Well, Ms. Pamela Tamsey Taylor, I intend to post this message from your Facebook page on every social website, every twitter account that I've followed for months and every comments section on this article that I possibly can. People need to be held responsible for their words. End of discussion. Pamela Ramsey Taylor is Director of the Clay County Development Corporation in Clay, West Virginia.  She was "removed" from her position on November 14, 2016 after a controversy over her comments on Michelle Obama. So good she's out of her job in W. Virginia, that's some consolation at least.

I'll put part of her letter here, in case people have trouble reading it clearly. (her grammar sucks too)

My sister posted something about this on FB last night.

It's always fascinating to me when people make comments about someone's supposed lack of class while having none themselves.  In their attempt to elevate a known liar, plagiarist, and glorified hooker, all these two magpies did was reveal who they are under their soiled white sheets. That's right; keep it KKKlassy, you deplorable heffas!

And, please don't lecture me about slut-shaming Melania either.  I'll just acknowledge who and what she is.  She was Drumpf's kept mistress while he was still married to Marla Maples.  She's a woman who lied about her college credentials, has been evasive about her journey to America, has lied about her legal status to work here, has done nude lesbian porn, and has plagiarized the First Lady's speech in a very public way.  She is so off the hook that she claimed a journalist "provoked" anti-Semitic attacks against her for daring to write a less-than-flattering profile of the future FLOTUS.  Those are the facts; it's been her hustle and she's a trifling grifter just like her husband and the rest of his fambly.  It's as factual as Michelle Obama being a graduate of Ivy League schools.  It's also as factual as Michelle conducting herself with dignity in the face of racist attacks.

But, because Melania's skin is white, these two simple-ass bitches chose to malign Michelle and outright ignore her very real accomplishments.  Yes, Ms. Taylor, you are, indeed, entitled to run your overly rouged mouth.  However, that doesn't mean that you get to do so without the very real consequence of being called on your shit.

Edited November 15, 2016 by MulletorHater
Misspelled words

[ari333]

10 minutes ago, KerleyQ said:

And not only did she have no issue posting it, but the mayor of her town apparently didn't even think twice before writing what amounts to a "high-five" comment on the post.  It's mind boggling.  

 

Basically, despite the fact that the transfer process has started, Drumpf's win isn't official until the EC casts their votes next month.  They could, legally, cast their votes for Hillary, if they feel like it's the right thing to do.  (Before the election took place, there was one elector, can't remember the state, who said he would not cast his vote for Hillary, even if she wins his state.)  Obviously, it's not something that has been done on any significant level in recent history, but it is something that could be done, if enough electors feel it's needed.  If they do cast their votes contrary to their state's result, if enough of them do it (and cast them for Hillary), then she'd become POTUS.  The only way we end up with Pence in the job is if Trump is still the winner and does not fulfill his term (resigns, impeached, or passes away).  

Edit to add: I just read the posts right above Thanks I was posting at the same time before I read it.

Thank you. (quoted post)) I thought that was how it worked, but I wasn't sure and hadn't even heard of it before I read it here. COULD IT HAPPEN?   What horrors does Rump have to do in the next weeks to make it happen? What day In December is this? I know I read it here and now I forgot the date. He has said he doesn't want to live in the EH. He has appointed openly racist folks to high positions. He has asked that his spawn get secure information. . WHAT ELSE DOES HE HAVE TO DO TO SCARE THE EC INTO VOTING FOR HRC? Caps intended/screaming. And I'm still confused bc I thought the EC ALREADY voted and that's how Agent Orange "won" in the first place. I'm an educated woman, but politics is not my forte.

Edited November 15, 2016 by ari333

[Chicken Wing]

These are basically three parts of "election results." The first part is the one we watched on TV last Tuesday night, where the networks and news organizations "projected" who the winner of each state was based on the vote totals coming in from each state's counties and how they presume the entirety of the state will end up based on the population and the demographics. Essentially, they are able to call an election even when half the states haven't even finished counting the actual votes. The second part is when the states actually do finish counting everything, confirming what was already projected. It's almost never the case where the final vote count in a state would prove the projection wrong -- almost never (Florida, 2000). But nothing is officially ... official, I guess, until the Electoral College actually casts their votes for their state's winner -- this occurs on December 19. There are different rules in different states as to whether electors can cast a vote for someone other than the person who won (some don't allow it, some do but they have to pay a fine if so, etc.), but the reality is it almost never happens and when it does, there has so far never been an election where it happened to the point to actually change the winner. In any event, after the votes are officially put in by the EC, they are then certified by the Senate and that's that.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Chicken Wing

[ari333]

12 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

This is one of the reasons the electoral college exists. This is what Alexander Hamilton had to say about it:

That bit I bolded sounds like it was designed for the current situation. So the electors have the power to say 'we think the people have chosen poorly, and we will not let them make this mistake'. Whether enough can be convinced to do that in this age of partisan politics and self-interest, I have no idea.

I honestly don't think it would be too hard to get the Republicans in Congress on board, because they could effectively choose the president and vice-president from whoever they wanted. At least, as I understand it. I don't think they have to give the election to Clinton, or even to any of the other nominees.

Wait. Now I'm confused again .Sorry Im a pain. So the EC doesn't vote for Hillary? ( in lieu of Rump... bc of... whatever myriad of reasons))  Or Congress can put whoever in place of Rump? What about the "people have chosen poorly" part? Since HRC won the popular vote. Does that not figure into anything? TIA I just want Rump out however it can happen.

2 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

These are basically three parts of "election results." The first part is the one we watched on TV last Tuesday night, where the networks and news organizations "projected" who the winner of each state was based on the vote totals coming in from each state's counties and how they presume the entirety of the state will end up based on the population and the demographics. Essentially, they are able to call an election even when half the states haven't even finished counting the actual votes. The second part is when the states actually do finish counting everything, confirming what was already projected. It's almost never the case where the final vote count in a state would prove the projection wrong -- almost never (Florida, 2000). But nothing is officially ... official, I guess, until the Electoral College actually casts their votes for their state's winner -- this occurs on December 19. There are different rules in different states as to whether electors can cast a vote for someone other than the person who won (some don't allow it, some do but they have to pay a fine if so, etc.), but the reality is it almost never happens and when it does, there has so far never been an election where it happened to the point to actually change the winner. In any event, after the votes are officially put in by the EC, they are then certified by the Senate and that's that.

Thank you. So I have no hope....... What if Rump does something completely INSANE before the 19th?? Not that what he's already done isn't insane already.

[Ocean Chick]

Maybe Melanoma will be dignified and classy and send Ms. Taylor an autographed nudie pic of herself laying on the rug in the Oval Office.  I'm sure Ms. Taylor would hang that on her living room wall with pride.  Keep it Klassy, Ms. Taylor! 

[HumblePi]

Here's some good news, Ben Carson has come out publicly and stated that he is NOT interested in a cabinet post. (whew)

Oops, here's the bad news. It appears to be imminent that Rudy Giuliani will be appointed Secretary of State. He will assume the job that Hillary Clinton has held for the past four years. 

 
 

Edited November 15, 2016 by HumblePi

[Danny Franks]

4 minutes ago, ari333 said:

Wait. Now I'm confused again .Sorry Im a pain. So the EC doesn't vote for Hillary? ( in lieu of Rump... bc of... whatever myriad of reasons))  Or Congress can put whoever in place of Rump? What about the "people have chosen poorly" part? Since HRC won the popular vote. Does that not figure into anything? TIA I just want Rump out however it can happen.

Thank you. So I have no hope....... What if Rump does something completely INSANE before the 19th?? Not that what he's already done isn't insane already.

I don't know. On further reading, it seems they may not be able to. I'm no constitutional scholar. If it's a choice between Clinton or Trump, then no elector is changing their vote and it's a non-starter. 

[windsprints]

Tweeted by a reporter for The Washington. 

Tweet he is referencing:

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by windsprints

[ari333]

16 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

I don't know. On further reading, it seems they may not be able to. I'm no constitutional scholar. If it's a choice between Clinton or Trump, then no elector is changing their vote and it's a non-starter. 

I'm grabbing at straws. 

[Danny Franks]

2 minutes ago, windsprints said:

Tweeted by a reporter for The Washington. 

Yeah, that's unsurprising. Trump's staff are as vile and unqualified as he is.

And just reading a couple of replies to that tweet by one Trumpist depressed me. Actively, enthusiastically stupid and belligerent people, who delight in mocking others. 

[HumblePi]

31 minutes ago, ari333 said:

Wait. Now I'm confused again .Sorry Im a pain. So the EC doesn't vote for Hillary? ( in lieu of Rump... bc of... whatever myriad of reasons))  Or Congress can put whoever in place of Rump? What about the "people have chosen poorly" part? Since HRC won the popular vote. Does that not figure into anything? TIA I just want Rump out however it can happen.

Thank you. So I have no hope....... What if Rump does something completely INSANE before the 19th?? Not that what he's already done isn't insane already.

[DollEyes]

On 11/14/2016 at 9:22 PM, hoosier80 said:

Just got this alert from CNN on my phone:

Donald Trump's transition is being marked by sharp internal disagreements over key cabinet appointments and direction, both for internal West Wing positions and key national security posts, sources involved in the transition team tell CNN.

One source with knowledge of the transition described it as a "knife fight."

 

Can it please be a cage match?  Maybe they could put it on PPV.  I wouldn't know who to root for though.  

The meteor.

  Trump may have thought that being President was all fun-and-games, but President Obama set him straight in no uncertain terms. President Obama gave Trump a much-needed reality check and if the stunned look on Trump's face at that photo op last week was any indication, he knows he's in deep shit. Trump is already going back on his word, to the country in general and to his supporters in particular. Trump promised to be the president for all Americans, but his picking Steve Bannon alone proves otherwise. To call Bannon hateful would be an understatement. By picking Bannon, Trump has not only normalized hate, he's weaponized it, which is unacceptable. Bannon shouldn't even be allowed to tour the White House, let alone work there.

Edited November 16, 2016 by DollEyes

[ruby24]

He's pissed he lost the popular vote and the margin is only going to grow and grow for Hillary. We need to keep reminding him of it every day, that she won the majority by a bigger margin than three presidents who WON the election, and bigger than any of the few people who lost the electoral college before her.

The people are not behind him.