Donald John Trump: 2016 President-Elect

[windsprints]

@BW Manilowe dream squasher!!! (joking). I knew it was a long shot. Thanks for replying.

I will write Zuzubee.

Edited November 16, 2016 by windsprints

[sistermagpie]

I probably shouldn’t be, but I’m surprised at what seems like little outcry from Trump followers at his turning to exactly the insiders and lobbyists he was supposed to be avoiding in his campaign promises. I remember him claiming at some point that he was going to hire “the best people” who were so great you’d never even heard of them. Instead he’s hiring people who never seem to go away.

 

I saw a clip of the 60 minutes interview where he was asked about this and just said, “Everyone there is a lobbyist.”

 

Now, it’s not like I don’t get it. He was talking out of his ass when he claimed he’d hire the best people. Of course he’s now just scrounging around looking for anyone he knows or is told about. Not only did he not “know the best people,” he never gave a single thought to finding people who might be experts of the type of bring a new pov and solve problems. But even after all this time I’m surprised at how that just...goes away. There’s no reaction to him basically admitting that he’s completely clueless and has no interest in being anything else. Why should he be when he can just bluff his way through stuff? He doesn’t even get that any of this is about the issues for many people, it seems. It’s just about how he’s coming across personally. New Twitter followers!

8 minutes ago, Zuzubee said:

It takes time and effort and, yes, a stamp but would make a statement. Maybe too retro but these on line petitions are so pervasive. You are just a daily stat. Write your representative and then dare him/her not to respond when you have taken the time.

Apparently phone calls are even more effective. Emails not very much at all. Letters definitely better than emails or comments.

[Duke Silver]

**Anecdote Alert**  Trump supporters I know IRL don't care about the details.  They think in broad strokes.  Remind you of anyone?  Hell, these people believe stories on Facebook, mimic Trump's "I heard....." line when discussing anything of consequence, think conspiracies abound, do not watch/read anything from mainstream, traditional media.

It's impossible to have a sincere debate with these people.  Facts do not matter.  I am not as hopeful as some that Trump's supporters will abandon him very easily or quickly.  Supporters I know are doubling, hell, tripling down on their choice.  They get *dangerously* combative when questioned about their support.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Duke Silver

[Duke Silver]

I have no idea which thread I should use for stuff like this.  It just occurred to me I've been misusing Anxiety Support Thread....

 

[Zuzubee]

Agree re phone calls but, in my day, someone had to literally read the letter and respond as opposed to tallying for or against stat via phone/voice/email messages. No Congressperson wants to be accused of not responding to a constituent's letter.

[Keepitmoving]

Quote

I worked for a congressman 16 years in the 70's and 80's.  Way before today's technology but what we paid attention to was individually written letters. Just like you ... how much does a former letter/email mean to you? 

Signing petitions, sending emails are easy in this busy world. But what if individually written letters flooded DC reps. By old fashioned snail mail with people expressing what this whole thing means to them. 

It takes time and effort and, yes, a stamp but would make a statement. Maybe too retro but these on line petitions are so pervasive. You are just a daily stat. Write your representative and then dare him/her not to respond when you have taken the time.

Yep, I've heard this for years, the hand written letters are more likely to get a response. Especially in today's world, to sit down and literally put pen to paper, yeah, it must really matter to you.

[HumblePi]

23 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

I probably shouldn’t be, but I’m surprised at what seems like little outcry from Trump followers at his turning to exactly the insiders and lobbyists he was supposed to be avoiding in his campaign promises. I remember him claiming at some point that he was going to hire “the best people” who were so great you’d never even heard of them. Instead he’s hiring people who never seem to go away.

 

I saw a clip of the 60 minutes interview where he was asked about this and just said, “Everyone there is a lobbyist.”

 

Now, it’s not like I don’t get it. He was talking out of his ass when he claimed he’d hire the best people. Of course he’s now just scrounging around looking for anyone he knows or is told about. Not only did he not “know the best people,” he never gave a single thought to finding people who might be experts of the type of bring a new pov and solve problems. But even after all this time I’m surprised at how that just...goes away. There’s no reaction to him basically admitting that he’s completely clueless and has no interest in being anything else. Why should he be when he can just bluff his way through stuff? He doesn’t even get that any of this is about the issues for many people, it seems. It’s just about how he’s coming across personally. New Twitter followers!

Apparently phone calls are even more effective. Emails not very much at all. Letters definitely better than emails or comments.

But, he IS hiring the best people, they just aren't the best people for what he said he was going to do. A few of them are ex-CEO's of the major banks that destroyed our economy back when G.W. Bush was still in office. Goldman Sachs was one of the largest global financial institutions deeply in debt that got bailed out while Lehman Brothers lost everything and disappeared. Lehman Bros. had the enemies and Goldman Sachs were the insiders. Hank Paulson is on Trump's short list of possible cabinet members and it was Hank Paulson that was working at Goldman Sachs as CEO but left his job there to become Secretary of the Treasury under the George Bush Presidency. (convenient eh?)

Edited November 16, 2016 by HumblePi

[Constantinople]

In the comments section of an article at Slate, someone asked if Trump was more like Stannis or Cersei.

I opted for Joffrey.

[backformore]

41 minutes ago, crayon78 said:

That is a very well-thought-out and extremely terrifying conspiracy theory, @HumblePi. I'm not sure I want to see the next one!

Trump has been denying climate change for years. I'm not sure anyone is going to get through to him, and the changes he wants to make will likely have catastrophic consequences that we can't come back from. I don't know when people decided that scientific facts were just opinions, but it's disturbing, this post-fact or post-truth (or whatever we're calling it) world we're now living in.

Yes, Trump said that climate change was something made up by the Chinese.   Then, when confronted with this at one of the debates, denied ever saying that.   (technically, he didn't SAY it, he tweeted it).  He says whatever is going to play with whomever he is talking to at the moment.   The list of contradictions is too long for anyone to cover.   Which is why his presidency will FAIL "bigly".  He spewed hateful speech, now he's walking back all of it.  People on the left hate him because of the bullshit he said during the campaign.  But his supporters are going to start hating him because now he's saying the opposite. 

[Duke Silver]

Just now, Constantinople said:

In the comments section of an article at Slate, someone asked if Trump was more like Stannis or Cersei.

I opted for Joffrey.

I wouldn't have thought so until recently, but given news that he's been calling Congressional Republicans, reaching out & moderating his rhetoric, Bannon is Little Finger.  He is presenting himself as being normal; Kelly Anne Conway....I want to say things, but won't....she is presenting him to the GOP Congress as normal as well.  I admit to little knowledge of him until about a year ago.  I always viewed him as a blow-hard who is unwilling to adapt.  I was wrong.  He's very dangerous; he's a chameleon and will play whatever role needed to weasel his way in.  Hell, his interviews provide the blueprint:  take over & destroy institutions by whatever means, even from within.  I feel so stupid.

[HumblePi]

14 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

I have no idea which thread I should use for stuff like this.  It just occurred to me I've been misusing Anxiety Support Thread....

 

Donald Trump and possibly his children will now have access to high security intelligence briefs that prove without any doubt that the Russians were behind the hacking of Hillary Clinton's emails. Maybe Donald didn't know, although that's highly doubtful, Nevertheless, he will see with his own eyes that the President knew exactly where those leaks came from and Donald will also understand that a lot of people knew with certainty that it was Russia with cooperation by the Trump campaign either directly or indirectly.

[backformore]

27 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

Now, it’s not like I don’t get it. He was talking out of his ass when he claimed he’d hire the best people. Of course he’s now just scrounging around looking for anyone he knows or is told about. Not only did he not “know the best people,” he never gave a single thought to finding people who might be experts of the type of bring a new pov and solve problems.

Yes, but this was exactly the same thing he did with Trump University.  There was an advertisement for it - Trump saying that the real estate and business  teachers were "experts in the field" that he had selected personally.   Part of the basis of the lawsuit is that most of his hand-picked experts were people he never met.  His input was that he did some of the sorting of resumes of the people who applied to teach courses.  they were "the best"  because they taught at Trump U.    He's doing the same thing with cabinet posts - he picks people, and therefore they are the best.  Circular reasoning. 

[AuntiePam]

54 minutes ago, Zuzubee said:

I worked for a congressman 16 years in the 70's and 80's.  Way before today's technology but what we paid attention to was individually written letters. Just like you ... how much does a former letter/email mean to you? 

Signing petitions, sending emails are easy in this busy world. But what if individually written letters flooded DC reps. By old fashioned snail mail with people expressing what this whole thing means to them. 

It takes time and effort and, yes, a stamp but would make a statement. Maybe too retro but these on line petitions are so pervasive. You are just a daily stat. Write your representative and then dare him/her not to respond when you have taken the time.

Phone calls to the congressperson's office.  Staff will answer the phone, just like staff opens the mail, and if enough calls are made, staff will bring it to the rep's attention.  This is what I saw on FB the other day -- I think it was on Jim Beaver's page, from a DC staffer who rated the effectiveness of petitions, emails, snail mail, and phone calls.  She said phone calls are the best, followed by snail mail.  Petitions can be effective if there are enough signers, but emails are rarely read, even by staffers -- there are just too many. 

[backformore]

And Ana Navarro replies :  God help us, he thinks he's on the Apprentice!

Edited November 16, 2016 by backformore

[BW Manilowe]

California Senator Barbara Boxer files long shot bill to get Electoral College scrapped.

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-91904499/

[HumblePi]

Are powerful men who fight and claw at each other for a cabinet post under a Trump presidency really thinking of doing good things for America? Are the millionaires that represent the top 10% of all the wealth in the world really worried if the minimum wage goes to $12 or $15 an hour for the 'little guy' so he can pay for his overpriced healthcare and medication co-pays? Are they so altruistic that they are burning with the desire to be a public servant for the good of the majority of the American people?

Short answer, is 'no'.

So the next question is 'why'?

[Duke Silver]

Just curious if anyone has had the stomach to visit 4chan since the election?  I used to go there every once in a while to try & keep up to speed w/ the often insidious internal logic of that bubble.  I always left feeling the urge to take multiple showers.  I can't get myself to go there now to see what I assume to be a lot of crowing.

[HumblePi]

Just now, Duke Silver said:

Just curious if anyone has had the stomach to visit 4chan since the election?  I used to go there every once in a while to try & keep up to speed w/ the often insidious internal logic of that bubble.  I always left feeling the urge to take multiple showers.  I can't get myself to go there now to see what I assume to be a lot of crowing.

what is 4chan?  I know that I don't go to Fox network even to snoop. I know they're gloating and not a peep of anything negative about the back stabbing going on behind the scenes at Trump Tower.

[Duke Silver]

9 hours ago, HumblePi said:

Are powerful men who fight and claw at each other for a cabinet post under a Trump presidency really thinking of doing good things for America? Are the millionaires that represent the top 10% of all the wealth in the world really worried if the minimum wage goes to $12 or $15 an hour for the 'little guy' so he can pay for his overpriced healthcare and medication co-pays? Are they so altruistic that they are burning with the desire to be a public servant for the good of the majority of the American people?

Short answer, is 'no'.

So the next question is 'why'?

IMO, ego.  God complex.  "No one but me can help lead this nation.  I am one of the elites, it is my duty."

Or simply the desire to to have more.  My girlfriend comes from wealth.  Her family displays this.  They cannot have enough.  It's all about keeping score with their peers.

 

9 hours ago, HumblePi said:

what is 4chan?  I know that I don't go to Fox network even to snoop. I know they're gloating and not a peep of anything negative about the back stabbing going on behind the scenes at Trump Tower.

I was being very generic by citing 4chan.  It has many communities, but I meant it as shorthand for the alt-right/white supremacist bent that frequent that place.

Also, this-->  http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/131070-what-is-4chan-the-underbelly-of-the-internet-explained

[HumblePi]

okay, that explains it. I'm way too old to know what it is, but Fox is enough anyway so I don't need to.

 

9 hours ago, backformore said:

And Ana Navarro replies :  God help us, he thinks he's on the Apprentice!

He thinks we're all idiots. 

Edited November 16, 2016 by HumblePi

[Duke Silver]

^^^ Idiots elected him to POTUS, that's for sure.....

[NinjaPenguins]

Is this man purposely picking the worst possible people in America to populate his administration? I mean, these aren't your garden variety Republican tools; these people are outright jokes, and some of them appear to be not right in the head. They are not in the same galaxy as the concept of being qualified. Orange is scraping the bottom of the wingnut barrel, diving deep into the fever swamps of hard right foolishness, and peering below layers of whale shit in the Mariana Trench to see if he missed anybody. I just...what is life? What is this? He's embarrassing America on a daily basis.

[ruby24]

1 minute ago, NinjaPenguins said:

Is this man purposely picking the worst possible people in America to populate his administration? I mean, these aren't your garden variety Republican tools; these people are outright jokes, and some of them appear to be not right in the head. They are not in the same galaxy as the concept of being qualified. Orange is scraping the bottom of the wingnut barrel, diving deep into the fever swamps of hard right foolishness, and peering below layers of whale shit in the Mariana Trench to see if he missed anybody. I just...what is life? What is this? He's embarrassing America on a daily basis.

They have this in common with him.

[Bastet]

Yeah, he apparently drained the swamp, took a look at the primordial lifeforms gasping for oxygen in the remaining sludge, and appointed them to Cabinet and advisor positions.

This would all be a masterful manipulation of our national corporate-controlled media if wasn't so easy to do -- he delivers an acceptance speech that sounds remotely sane and inclusive and, never mind that one speech sounding nothing like what he's said the whole campaign, the media hops on this "wait and see/it might be okay" bandwagon, so he immediately reverts to lunatic form, but the media blares on with its normalization of his message and advisors via this "unity" bullshit, because to do otherwise would reveal they fell down on the job all along. 

[Pollock]

On 15/11/2016 at 6:11 AM, FuriousStyles said:

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

I don't!!!! Now, I'm waiting for the moment he'll decide that France is lost to terrorists and tell Trump to nuke the fuck out of us. (I'm just joking. I hope.)

Why put him there seriously? Every democracy has always tried to NOT put lunatics in this position. Assholes yes but being unstable really should disqualify you to speak to the rest of the world in the name of your country. Damn, your new ambassadors (those change too if with a new administration if I'm not mistaken?) will have a lot of damage control to do... Get ready for a large surge in fruit baskets fees in the budget!

 

12 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

This was an interesting article, too, about why moderate Republicans should decline to serve in a Trump administration:

The Case Against Serving

One of the things the author mentions is rationalizing serving the lesser of two evils, and that it is morally wrong no matter what. Reading the above quotes about Bannon and anti-Semites, even if he's not one, brought that to mind. 

Thank you very much for the read, it was fascinating and thought provoking. 

[zxy556575]

Anyone who wants to serve under Trump is automatically not qualified.

[backformore]

Rachel Maddow talked tonight about how Trump used a government (taxpayer funded)  website - called "Meet the President Elect"- to promote his businesses.   THe website, which is a .gov site, is set up to put a bio and information about the next Prez, after an election.   Trump's team put in a whole bunch of stuff about his hotels, resorts, golf courses, etc. 

It was changed after complaints.  You can't promote businesses on a government website, it would mean taxpayers are footing the bill for advertising.

BUT -  the same website has a page on "Meet the new first lady" - which advertises Melania's QVC jewelry line. 

Trump lacks the ability to differentiate his business dealings from being president

Edited November 16, 2016 by backformore

[Padma]

I feel somewhat better with Giuliani at State than John Bolton. Giuliani seems unhinged with moments of possible lucidity and morality (very iffy on that last one). Bolton is a lunatic who no one in Washington or around the world wants anything to do with.  I have no idea how he's a top contender.

Elliot Cohen's smackdown of Trump et al today reminded me about Republicans I really DO like (the title is my words, not his--but the sentiment is real!):

I Thought Conservatives Could Work For Trump & Co for the Good of the Country But After Getting To Know Them--Hell No!

[Coffeecup]

On 11/15/2016 at 0:43 AM, HumblePi said:

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.

The whole thing about Trump's children running his businesses in a "blind" trust is a big joke. A blind trust is supposed to be an arm's-length transaction run by a third party with no connection to the business owner. The owner is supposed to be "blind," i.e., have no knowledge of what is going on with the business/foundation/whatever. Trump is in daily contact with Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka and her husband Jared, to the point that he considers them his closest advisors. How can anyone believe the group would never, ever discuss the Trump business empire with him?

The idea of the three children and Jared Kushner being given top level security clearance is troubling too. Any of them could use the secret information to enrich themselves and the business conglomerate, as HumblePi pointed out. It would be similar to insider trading, which is illegal. And the Republicans accuse Hillary of using the Clinton Foundation as a pay-for-play mechanism!  Just what do they think will happen with the Trump children running the Trump businesses while also having access to all top secret classified information?

Trump can't hire his children or Jared for paid government positions due to the nepotism laws. But it is possible that he could legally give them unpaid positions, according to legal experts. (Can we expect those toadies Paul Ryan and Rudy Giuliani to start insisting that the nepotism law should be overturned?)

As of tonight, the only relative for whom Trump has requested security clearance is Jared Kushner:

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/donald-trump-requests-security-clearance-son-law-jared-kushner-n684491

NBC News, Nov. 15, 2016, "Donald Trump Requests Security Clearance for Son-in-Law Jared Kushner"

"Donald Trump has taken the unprecedented step of requesting his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, receive top-secret clearance to join him for his Presidential Daily Briefings, which began Tuesday.

"Multiple sources tell NBC News Trump received his first briefing on Tuesday and designated both Kushner and Ret. Gen. Michael Flynn as his staff-level companions for the briefings going forward.

"While Flynn has the necessary security clearance, Kushner does not, and it could take weeks — or even longer — for him to receive it."

Well, that's one thing to be thankful for -- there would be a long delay before Jared could get access to the classified information, possibly not until after Trump is inaugurated. But would Trump actually obey the law and wait for Jared to be cleared? Or would he start leaking information to Jared before the clearance because he "needs" Jared's advice so badly?  It's said that he depended very heavily on Jared during the campaign.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Coffeecup

[kokapetl]

On 22/02/2016 at 9:45 PM, Kokapetl said:

Below is Spy Magazine's 1989 article on Ivana, Trump's Eastern Euro wife #1. It's great, but lengthy, so its hidden by spoilers.

  Reveal hidden contents

I thought people might be interested in this Spy magazine article about Ivana. 

[Tara]

Quote

what is 4chan?  I know that I don't go to Fox network even to snoop. I know they're gloating and not a peep of anything negative about the back stabbing going on behind the scenes at Trump Tower.

From what I see, CNN is the one who started this and keeps building on it.  They said it came from an inside source.  I really hope they are not becoming another Fox News, with the, "We are the only ones reporting this" bullshit. 

Fox News is bad for this country.  I fear a "liberal" news show would be horrible as well.  And I can't stand that smug, wise-guy Cuomo.  He reminds me of Hannity.

I was scared when I saw Trump was likely to win.  But, I believe what's best for this country is to hope for the best.  I'm concerned about his insensitive choice of Bannon.  While I don't hold Bannon acountable for things posted on Breitbart, I feel that Trump would have been better served to stay away from him.

Picking Bannon just gives news outlets like CNN more fodder for their fear mongering.  I cringe when CNN bullies the people they have on who support Trump the same way I cringed when Fox News did it.  Fox News fueled Obama hate for 8 years.  It helped them become the #1 news show.  I find it sad that CNN is following suit.

I truly belive we are better off letting go of the hate.  It saddens me to read here how so many feel wallowing in hate is a good thing. I hope Trump does well, and somehow wins over a lot of people.  I know he doesn't deserve it, but it's better for us as a whole.  When Rush Limbaugh announced "I hope Obama fails," millions of people followed his lead.  I have friends whose hate for Obama became so inbred they didn't realize where truth ended and fear mongering started.

I also think Reid's statements are self-serving and dangerous.

I dread the thought of 4 years of hatred growing and growing. This time it is particularly scary because they are fueling the fires of racial discontent.  I truly hope Trump finds a way to put out these fires.  Sadly, he is not off to a good start.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Tara

[SmithW6079]

If it's on his site, then, yes, Bannon is ultimately responsible for its content. 

I say good for Harry Reid, even if he has his own issues. We need to sound the alarm as often and as loudly as possible as to the real and present danger we will face once Trump takes office.

This is the first election that has actually left me physically ill and scared for our nation. If Romney had won in 2012, I would have been concerned about policies toward the poor, but not afraid for the contuined existence of America. 

Our republic is in danger from the incompetents Trump has already selected, because reasonable people are declining to serve; from the Dominionists like Pence who want to set up a Christian theocracy; from the white supremacists like Bannon; from the corporate oligarchy who want to gut environmental and other regulations that keep our air, water, food and drugs, and consumer products safe.

The founding fathers would have been apalled that some tinpot wannabe dictator was elected to the highest office in the land. Even the most fervid Republican delusions about the "corruption" of Hillary Clinton will pale in comparison to the corruption that will define the Trump presidency.

Edited November 16, 2016 by SmithW6079

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Kokapetl said:

I thought people might be interested in this Spy magazine article about Ivana. 

Spy tried --repeatedly -- to warn us all nearly 30 years ago what a con artist this clown (and all who associated with him) was. Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it, I guess. 

[sleekandchic]

The president-elect is already on a Twitter tantrum against the NYT early this Wednesday morning.

I can't wait until he begins his official state visits with heads of states around the world.

The UK:  That Kate Middleton is a 10+.  My type in every way.  Perfect breasts.  The Queen is very nice lady, but TOO OLD.  VERY UNFAIR to William and Kate!  Liz should retire!  Her breath smells bad, like death.

Germany:  Angela Merkel OK! Very respectful.  But too old for me, saggy breasts hang too low. I'lll be generous and say she's a 5.  Her English needs to be improved. Don't like needing a translator. Why must she pronounce her name Ang-EL-a?  Wrong!  I pronounced it the RIGHT way throughout trip. Like Angela Lansbury!

--------------

Omg. I can see it now.

[Chicken Wing]

Quote

The founding fathers would have been apalled that some tinpot wannabe dictator was elected to the highest office in the land.

And to think, one of the many reasons they instituted the Electoral College in the first place was to take direct election of the leader out of the people's hands in the event some demagogue were to come along, sway masses of uneducated and uninformed people, then take over the country and turn it into a dictatorship.

Such silly superstition!

[candall]

8 hours ago, NinjaPenguins said:

Is this man purposely picking the worst possible people in America to populate his administration? I mean, these aren't your garden variety Republican tools; these people are outright jokes, and some of them appear to be not right in the head. They are not in the same galaxy as the concept of being qualified. Orange is scraping the bottom of the wingnut barrel, diving deep into the fever swamps of hard right foolishness, and peering below layers of whale shit in the Mariana Trench to see if he missed anybody. I just...what is life? What is this? He's embarrassing America on a daily basis.

I don't think he's looking around and trying to figure out who would be the worst candidate for each specific position, like a deliberate "Suck on this, America!" 

It's just that all the people surrounding him--who have DT's confidence and trust from stroking his massive ego--are necessarily going to have a certain lack of scruples in common. 

I was no fan of Kasich, but I appreciate he could have had the VP spot and he declined.  So DT went cruising the halls of hell looking for a guy who would be proud to endorse whatever DT wanted to spew and he found Pence, ready and eager to jump on the bandwagon.  Pence had no ethical misgivings vouching for T lies, plus he had a few opinions and plans he wanted to implement himself--ideas that kept getting shot down by people surrounding him in his current position, but which might have a better chance if imbued with presidential-level authority.  Bingo, a swipe-right for both.

Everyone in the candidate pool is morally corrupt and self-interested to the exclusion of all others because they had to have those qualities to work their way to the inner circle in the first place.

 

I am so disgusted by all these Repubs smiling and nodding and scampering around like rats trying to haul ass on board.  They know this stuff is wrong and they don't even bother to be open-to-interpretation neutral or cautiously positive, they just zoom right around Go, collect their $200 and announce, "He's TERRIFIC!  Everything is AWESOME!"  (Look at brand new T-fan Paul Ryan, with his "I wouldn't know 'cuz I've never met Steve Bannon personally."  That's exactly the same dodge DT used wrt to the Grand Wizard of the KKK.)

 

[Note:  I think distributing those red T caps to the entire GOP House was brilliant.  Who's going to straight up Seig Heil and put it on immediately and who's going to just walk around brandishing it and showing it off?  Did anyone leave it on the chair, throw it in the trash or even shove it in a back pocket?  That name can be automatically entered on Omarosa's brand new "Republican Enemies" list.] 

.

Edited November 16, 2016 by candall

[candall]

6 hours ago, Pollock said:

17 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

This was an interesting article, too, about why moderate Republicans should decline to serve in a Trump administration:

The Case Against Serving

One of the things the author mentions is rationalizing serving the lesser of two evils, and that it is morally wrong no matter what. Reading the above quotes about Bannon and anti-Semites, even if he's not one, brought that to mind. 

This article is brilliant; thank you for posting.  (I was trying to make a couple of these points, just above, with my clumsy two-left feet exclamations about the Repubs.)

I'm going to bookmark this site.

[stormy]

How long is Paul Ryan going to keep that stupid grin on his face?

At least McConnell just gave a deer in the headlights look when asked about Bannon.  He's thrilled to push through his agenda but from what he's been saying this past week, he doesn't seem like he's going to kiss trump's ass.

Also,  Adam Kinzing (R-IL) who claimed he'd never vote for trump, says, hey, trump's kids having security clearance?  What's the big deal?

Edited November 17, 2016 by stormy

[Guest]

As taxpaying citizens, all of us have just made Trump $6 million richer: 

But this is exactly what Trump did during the campaign, billing the federal government $6 million for granting Secret Service agents the right to fly on his plane. The reason we know that is because it was a political campaign, so all the financial details were filed with the Federal Election Commission. With the campaign over, however, the plane just becomes part of Trump’s opaque web of privately held companies, so the amount of money he is funneling from the federal government into his pocket won’t be disclosed on that end.

Oh, what's that you say? It can't get worse? HA HA HA! 

When he’s president, Donald Trump will fly on Air Force One. Which means the Boeing 757 that Trump owns through a holding company will be free for use by Ivanka, Melania, Eric, Donald Jr., or whomever else. And if Trump requests Secret Service protection for those people, he will probably get it. And when Secret Service agents fly alongside a protectee, they use their budget to pay airfare. Which in the case of a flight on the Trump jet would mean paying Trump for the seats on his plane. 

In other words, by asking for Secret Service protection for family members who fly on his plane, Donald Trump can directly funnel taxpayer money into his own pocket.

This asshole and his band of grifters is no better than your average welfare cheater. 

[KerleyQ]

13 hours ago, HumblePi said:

Professor Allan Lichtman, distinguished professor of history at American University has correctly predicted the presidential outcomes for the past 30 years, and he predicted Donald Trump would win this one despite all the polls indicating a Clinton win. He has made another prediction, that Donald Trump will be impeached and Mike Pence will step in as President. I believe Mike Pence accepted this job having a pretty good idea that this would happen. The article is interesting and gives us some hope that we won't have to put up with the shenanigans of the Trump Empire for four years.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/305606-historian-who-predicted-trumps-win-says-hell-be-impeached

Pence completely knew.  He's been in cahoots with Ryan, McConnell, et al, from the beginning.  That's why the "establishment" GOP eventually threw in with Trump (save a few notable exceptions) - because he was the means to get Pence in the White House.  It's why they made him boot Christie from the VP slot.  Christie is a loose cannon, who might, occasionally, do what he thinks is the right thing, even if it's not what GOP leadership wants.  Pence is their perfect little white Christian supremacist soldier.  Him listening to his conscience once in a while won't be a problem.  

12 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

I know....that's why I said "virulent racists/horrible people."  I still get what you're saying, but whatever level of influence the son-in-law may or may not have, I'm not just going to assume he's a virtuous, or even reasonable, person.

Yep. If you read recent stories about his influence, one of the things that's been picked up is that Christie was the US Attorney who prosecuted Kushner's father a little over a decade ago, including pushing for a prison sentence.  He's apparently always held a grudge against Christie for pushing for his father to do time (I think he was sentenced to 2 years).  When people talk about the power struggle behind the scenes, that's one of the big ones, and it's why Christie was booted from the transition team.  I think that Trump, for whatever reason, is genuinely friends with Christie and respects him, but Jared has chipped away at that whenever he can for his own personal reasons.  I'm not a Christie fan, by any means, but compared to the rest of what Trump has surrounded himself with, he's by far, the best.  And Jared got him the hell out of there because of his own resentment that Christie did his job and prosecuted his criminal father.  I have zero hope that he's going to be a guy who steps back and advises his father-in-law to do what's best for us when it contradicts what's best for Jared or his own personal feelings.  

[stormy]

The problem I have with the impeachment theory is that since the republicans have control of the house I can't imagine them standing up to trump on anything because he's just going to sign off on anything and everything they want.

[MulletorHater]

9 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

I wouldn't have thought so until recently, but given news that he's been calling Congressional Republicans, reaching out & moderating his rhetoric, Bannon is Little Finger.  He is presenting himself as being normal; Kelly Anne Conway....I want to say things, but won't....she is presenting him to the GOP Congress as normal as well.  I admit to little knowledge of him until about a year ago.  I always viewed him as a blow-hard who is unwilling to adapt.  I was wrong.  He's very dangerous; he's a chameleon and will play whatever role needed to weasel his way in.  Hell, his interviews provide the blueprint:  take over & destroy institutions by whatever means, even from within.  I feel so stupid.

Rachel Maddow--bless her!--raised the alarm about Bannon months ago when he took over Coral Caligula's campaign.  It was stunning that any presidential candidate would want to align himself with such a character.  But, the would-be emperor did and was rewarded because the rest of corporate media were more obsessed with Hillary's emails and her foundation.  Meanwhile, this sludge was rising from the basement all the way up to the living room and look where we are now.  The Crypt Mistress, Nasty Newt, Rancid Preibus and the rest of their ilk have been working overtime to convince everyone that the skunk they let in the house is really a sweet cat that just happens to be black and white with a fluffy tail.  

[windsprints]

Quote

Well, that's one thing to be thankful for -- there would be a long delay before Jared could get access to the classified information, possibly not until after Trump is inaugurated. But would Trump actually obey the law and wait for Jared to be cleared? Or would he start leaking information to Jared before the clearance because he "needs" Jared's advice so badly?  It's said that he depended very heavily on Jared during the campaign.

I believe he'd tell Jared (and his children) any information he thinks they need to benefit himself and his businesses. I have zero faith that DJT has any integrity whatsoever.

As someone above mentioned, he was on twitter this morning condemning the NY Times for treating him badly. The nation is divided and there he is being concerned only with himself.  Over a week, hate crimes on the rise, protests in the streets and not even a speech. 

Edited November 16, 2016 by windsprints

[candall]

From everything I've heard in the last 24 hours, it sounds like Jared Kushner might be the one running the country.

 

Okay, let's get to work trying to figure out what this guy's all about.  If his hobby is crushing newborn kitten skulls, I'm braced, let's hear it.

.

Edited November 16, 2016 by candall

[MulletorHater]

2 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

If it's on his site, then, yes, Bannon is ultimately responsible for its content. 

I say good for Harry Reid, even if he has his own issues. We need to sound the alarm as often and as loudly as possible as to the real and present danger we will face once Trump takes office.

This is the first election that has actually left me physically ill and scared for our nation. If Romney had won in 2012, I would have been concerned about policies toward the poor, but not afraid for the contuined existence of America. 

Our republic is in danger from the incompetents Trump has already selected, because reasonable people are declining to serve; from the Dominionists like Pence who want to set up a Christian theocracy; from the white supremacists like Bannon; from the corporate oligarchy who want to gut environmental and other regulations that keep our air, water, food and drugs, and consumer products safe.

The founding fathers would have been apalled that some tinpot wannabe dictator was elected to the highest office in the land. Even the most fervid Republican delusions about the "corruption" of Hillary Clinton will pale in comparison to the corruption that will define the Trump presidency.

So much for draining the swamp! It's as if Coral Caligula loosened the valves and all of the sludge and funk have been oozing out ever since. Let's see: He wants his brats, Uday, Qusay and Ivanka the Terrible and her equally vile spouse, to get the highest security clearances; he wants to set up a fake gold-gilded monarchy with his trifling family calling the shots; he has a dead-eyed VP who wants to turn the country into a theocracy; he has a vile, vicious and vindictive creep with bad dentures as a Secretary of State pick; he has a white supremacist, wife-beating anti-Semite as his top adviser. And, the "fun" is just beginning. Not to mention that Coral Caligula is using a government website to promote his hotels while his favorite child is running around promoting her "brand." Simply trifling, the whole lot of them.

It's an "administration" where loyalty to the would-be emperor is more prized than aptitude and a real desire to serve the public.  Instead, this bunch will be drunk on their own power and in the case of Coral Caligula's disgusting family, they will seek to line their own pockets.

I also woke up this morning to news that some GOP congressman wants to pass a law tamping down on protests against Coral Caligua, basically telling protesters to get over it.  The erosion of First Amendment rights has begun...

[sacrebleu]

Quote

The problem I have with the impeachment theory is that since the republicans have control of the house

well, the trouble with impeachment is, it doesn't remove someone from office. That's a separate vote. The House votes to impeach, the Senate votes to remove from office. (similar to a grand jury indicting, and a trial jury convicting). Both houses would have to vote (which is why mid-term elections in '18 are going to be pivotal) 

A Republican-controlled House impeached Clinton, but the Dem-controlled Senate voted to keep him in office.   Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. I don't see Trump ever admitting wrong-doing. They'll have to physically remove him from office.

[windsprints]

15 Things Trump Has Done that Republicans Would Never Let President Obama Get Away With
 

[ari333]

I assume that rump has to submit to a medical exam. I hope it includes a psych evaluation. However, if the Dr is of his choosing, what difference does it make anyway. We'll be told that he is not only sane but extra plus brill.

I made a couple of posts and the computer ate them. I hope I'm not repeating anything.

[sistermagpie]

6 hours ago, Coffeecup said:

Well, that's one thing to be thankful for -- there would be a long delay before Jared could get access to the classified information, possibly not until after Trump is inaugurated. But would Trump actually obey the law and wait for Jared to be cleared? Or would he start leaking information to Jared before the clearance because he "needs" Jared's advice so badly?  It's said that he depended very heavily on Jared during the campaign

This really goes without saying but OF COURSE Trump will blab whatever he wants to to his kids whether or not they have security clearance. It's probably easier for him if they have clearance so they can get the information with him and save him from even trying to translate it, but the idea of Trump actually keeping quiet about something because he's not allowed to say it to his kids is just absurd. In fact, if the secret knowledge he has could make them money that would be the first thing out of his mouth.

[ClareWalks]

7 minutes ago, ari333 said:

We'll be told that he is not only sane but extra plus brill.

I'm the sanest guy ever in the history of time. Believe me. It's fabulous how sane I am. Nobody's ever seen anything like it.