The Trump Presidency – 2016

[Thomkal]

don't forget that fake Time cover in Trump Tower too (and the fact that Time said that's not how their selection works)

[BBT]

It's now been 125 DAYS since Congress passed a bipartisan bill to increase sanctions on Russia as punishment for its 2016 interference in our election.

Trump hasn't begun enforcement of the sanctions—no one knows when he will.

Unsurprising, given his promises to the Russians.

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) November 25, 2017

[JPhillips]

It's too bad that there aren't any other elected officials with powers that could be used to compel the President to execute the law.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

don't forget that fake Time cover in Trump Tower too (and the fact that Time said that's not how their selection works)

The Kochs own Time, Inc. now, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

The Kochs own Time, Inc. now, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I saw that, and heard chatter (not sure if its true) that they have a non-inteference clause with Time's editorial management. So we will have to wait and see I guess to see how much they might change.

[Ben E Lou]

This. Fool. Right. Here.

Trump comments on Elizabeth Warren's heritage at event honoring Native American code talkers:

"You were here long before any of us were here. Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas." https://t.co/lKSNecEXfu

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 27, 2017

[bronconick]

Wonder how you say "jackass" in Navajo?

[CU Tiger]

Bu...WHa...I don't even kno...

WHAT THE FAWK YOU SMOKIN DUDE?

[JPhillips]

And they're standing in front of a picture of Andrew Jackson.

[PilotMan]

Worst still, the official White House position is that it's completely incorrect to say that what he said was a racial slur.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

And they're standing in front of a picture of Andrew Jackson.

Well I'm sure Indians fought quite bravely against him (except for Pocahontas, she didn't fight against him at all!)

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

And they're standing in front of a picture of Andrew Jackson.

Trump's people compare him to Andrew Jackson so Andrew Jackson only did good things.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Worst still, the official White House position is that it's completely incorrect to say that what he said was a racial slur.

I dont think its a racial slur at all, unless I'm just totally missing something, I just think its awkward, stupid, clumsy, ridiculous and irrelevant.

[larrymcg421]

It's not a slur on its own. It's a slur because of the way it was used.

[digamma]

And because of the way he's used it for the last 18 months. It truly is deplorable.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I dont think its a racial slur at all, unless I'm just totally missing something, I just think its awkward, stupid, clumsy, ridiculous and irrelevant.

So he would have been alright to call Shinzo Abe, "Jackie Chan" on his last trip?

Yeah, it's awkward, stupid, clumsy, ridiculous, and irrelevant, but itsn't it also beyond that?

[Atocep]

Saying Pocahontas obviously isn't racially offensive. Saying it in a derogatory manner that labels an entire race is absolutely offensive and racist. I'm sure no one would have a problem with me calling every black person I know Kunta Kinte.

Doing this at a ceremony meant to honor Navajo code talkers shows his ignorance. Having the ceremony in front of a portrait of Andrew Jackson turned it into a trainwreck.

[RainMaker]

I don't think it's a racial slur. It seems a bit insulting to me to use a revered figure like that.

Just seems childish and immature more than anything.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm sure no one would have a problem with me calling every black person I know Kunta Kinte.

Assuming they are old enough to remember Roots (vs the remake who no one watched), I actually think many would be offended. Just IMO though.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm sure no one would have a problem with me calling every black person I know Kunta Kinte.

It's 2017, are you really sure?

[larrymcg421]

Found two broken sarcasm meters.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Found two broken sarcasm meters.

Ah, I'm slow ... but wait, are you sure?

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Ah, I'm slow ... but wait, are you sure?

Yes. The opposite interpretation makes no sense given the preceding sentence.

[Autumn]

Well, the way Trump is using "Pocahontas" as I understand it, is not to slur Native Americans, but to slur the idea that Warren claimed she is Native American when she may not be. So I suppose it's kind of like calling someone a wigger? Insensitive and crude, but I'm not sure I'd classify it as racist. More like racist-adjacent. If he really thought she was Native American and called her that, I think that would be a racial slur.

[digamma]

Look there are plenty of fine people on both sides of the is this racist debate.

[JPhillips]

Think of it this way, would we tolerate anyone under similar circumstances calling a person Shylock?

[Butter]

The NFL still has a fucking team called the Redskins, so I think we can all agree that racism against Native Americans barely moves the needle for anyone, no matter how inappropriate this was.

If anything, I'm more bothered by Trump not being able to keep his stupid ego bullshit to himself for 5 minutes while honoring some of the most heroic people this country has ever produced, no matter what the dig was. That it was racially tinged is just icing on the stupid cake.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Autumn

Well, the way Trump is using "Pocahontas" as I understand it, is not to slur Native Americans, but to slur the idea that Warren claimed she is Native American when she may not be. So I suppose it's kind of like calling someone a wigger? Insensitive and crude, but I'm not sure I'd classify it as racist. More like racist-adjacent. If he really thought she was Native American and called her that, I think that would be a racial slur.

The difference there is you have a made up term while Trump is using a native American hero to demean someone and has been asked by multiple Native American groups to stop doing so.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Butter

The NFL still has a fucking team called the Redskins, so I think we can all agree that racism against Native Americans barely moves the needle for anyone, no matter how inappropriate this was.

If anything, I'm more bothered by Trump not being able to keep his stupid ego bullshit to himself for 5 minutes while honoring some of the most heroic people this country has ever produced, no matter what the dig was.

This. Arguing over whether it was "racist" vs "racially tinged" vs "awkward, stupid, clumsy, ridiculous and irrelevant" seems silly to me. Our country royally screwed over these people. How about just honor them and stfu.

[Ben E Lou]

Little Rocket Man shootin' off more rockets.

[Edward64]

Trump didn't have much to say.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/28/politi...nch/index.html

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that the United States "will handle" the situation in North Korea after the rogue nation launched yet another intercontinental ballistic missile earlier in the day.

"We will take care of it," Trump said, adding later that North Korea "is a situation that we will handle."

The Pentagon confirmed earlier Tuesday that North Korea launched what the US military believes to be an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told reporters that the North Korean missile test went "higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken."

Mattis made remarks as he sat in on a meeting with Trump, House Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell. The defense secretary added that North Korea has the ability to hit "everywhere in the world basically."

[Groundhog]

Trump will take care of it though, so no need to concern ourselves.

[Galaril]

So that was a true ICBM it now appears that launched with a 8000-9000 mile range well within range of Washington DC or New York.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Galaril

So that was a true ICBM it now appears that launched with a 8000-9000 mile range well within range of Washington DC or New York.

Is anyone truly surprised that North Korea ramped up their missile program in the light of Trump threatening them? ... it was a sensible thing to do from the perspective of a country which is trying to prevent itself being attacked, it's given them the ability to retaliate directly against US aggression ... 'thanks Mr. Trump'.

PS - In other news Trump retweeted three posts by a member of the British BNP (basically our KKK political arm) this morning ... ffs ...

[JPhillips]

By 2019 under GOP tax plan, "federal deficits would total more than $900 billion or 4.4% of GDP. This would be the largest deficit in the post-war era outside the aftermath of a recession" - JPMorgan

Imagine how bad things will be if the economy isn't booming as projected.

[Flasch186]

Whatever happened to raise taxes when the economy is expanding and cut when the economy is contracting?

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Imagine how bad things will be if the economy isn't booming as projected.

It'll be time to cut Medicare and Social Security to balance the budget.

Feature, not bug.

[JPhillips]

Trump spent the morning retweeting Fascists from the UK. WEEEEE!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by bronconick

It'll be time to cut Medicare and Social Security to balance the budget.

Feature, not bug.

They'll never cut them enough to come close to balance. In 2016 SS/Medicare/Medicaid expenses were @2 trillion. They aren't politically stupid enough to cut those programs by 40 or 50 percent.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Trump spent the morning retweeting Fascists from the UK. WEEEEE!

some background info : Donald Trump retweets Britain First deputy leader's Islamophobic posts | The Independent

[QuikSand]

Depressing take on our leader:

Is Trump’s alternate reality full of lies … or something even worse? - The Washington Post

Money quote:

It's tempting to look at all of the falsehoods and see a guy who just can't stop lying — or, more charitably, “a savvy marketer protecting his brand, as any businessman or politician would,” as some aides described Trump to The Post. If that's what he's doing, critics argue, shouldn't we call a lie a lie?

But these stories and plenty more before them reinforce the alternative: Trump does not grasp basic facts. I've written before about the “Stupid or Liar” theory — basically, the idea that someone who spews such falsehoods is either being deliberately deceptive or has no judgment. The takeaway is that neither is a good option, and the latter might actually be worse, because it suggests an intellectual deficit.

I have vented before about my frustration (and increasingly, exhaustion) in thinking about all this stuff, and what interpretation is best. I have sympathy for the goldfish theory. Not sure where to place the "intellectually unmoored" theory right now.

[Kodos]

I still think he is in the early stages of dementia.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I still think he is in the early stages of dementia.

I have wondered this more than anything else.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I still think he is in the early stages of dementia.

I don't know. He's been this way for some time now. And when you look back on how he acted in the 80's and 90's it's pretty cringe-worthy.

I'm thinking it's just a bit of stupid and liar.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't know. He's been this way for some time now. And when you look back on how he acted in the 80's and 90's it's pretty cringe-worthy.

I'm thinking it's just a bit of stupid and liar.

I tend to agree. It's not all that surprising he's become a hero for the socially awkward and misogynistic millennials.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Imagine how bad things will be if the economy isn't booming as projected.

They will find someone who delivers the real and true statistics that show it actually does boom despite all the fake news media and liberal organisations claiming it doesn't. Problem solved.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't know. He's been this way for some time now. And when you look back on how he acted in the 80's and 90's it's pretty cringe-worthy.

I'm thinking it's just a bit of stupid and liar.

Yes - he's pretty much always been like this. I really don't know why anyone would be surprised.

[RainMaker]

LOL

Trump's Counselor Kellyanne Conway Is Now His Opioids Czar

[JPhillips]

I bet this tax bill lays the groundwork for repealing the ACA. With the mandate already gone the CBO score on a repeal bill will look much better in comparison to the previous bills. All the moderates will say, “Mission Accomplished!” and presto, ACA repeal.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

LOL

Trump's Counselor Kellyanne Conway Is Now His Opioids Czar

It's like he has a dozen people and just keeps shifting them between jobs.