The Trump Presidency – 2016

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

U.S. Kills Russians in Syria Strikes, Reports Say

This feels like it should be a bigger story.

JUST IN: US jet destroys Russian T-72 battle tank in E Syria in 'self-defense' Saturday after 'pro-regime forces' fired on US special ops and allied Syrian fighters near same location of last week's attack, officials say. No US or allied casualties. 3 inside tank killed.

— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 13, 2018

[Thomkal]

So now Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen says he paid Stormy Daniels out of his own pocket the $130,000 to keep her quiet. of course he won't say why he did this...

Trump's lawyer says he paid adult film star out of his own pocket | TheHill

[Shkspr]

While he claims not to have been reimbursed for the payment, I'm sure that by some coincidence he's getting $130,000 more in salary/retainer somewhere along the line for his work on totally separate issues.

[BBT]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...d-combination/

We are following a path that the country hasn’t traveled since World War II, with green economic pastures alongside rivers of red deficit ink. And that combination carries unique risks — not because the numbers are especially large (during the early years of the Obama administration, the deficit regularly exceeded $1 trillion) but because these deficits provide unneeded stimulus, which can overheat an economy already operating near full capacity. And in the process, they drain away funding that might be better reserved for fighting off the next recession.

Congress’s don’t-tax-but-spend approach is a root cause of the sizable deficit. Less than two months after Republicans passed a tax plan expected to cost the Treasury roughly $1.5 trillion, members of both parties agreed to raise spending by as much as $300 billion over two years, not including the new infrastructure and other spending increases in Trump’s budget proposal. Resistance to these moves has been inconsistent, with just two members of the entire Republican caucus voting against both the tax cuts and the spending bill despite the fact that deficit reduction has been a GOP rallying cry for decades. Even famously deficit-averse House Speaker Paul Ryan signed on.

But in plum times, deficits this big carry real risks. To start with, financing these deficits will require the government to borrow more money via the bond market. And to attract enough investors, they may have to pay higher interest rates, in the form of higher bond yields. But that only makes the budget situation even worse, forcing the government to pay back its debt at higher rates.

Private businesses would feel the squeeze, too. If the government starts paying higher interest on its bonds, companies will have to do the same for corporate bonds. That’ll make it costlier for them to raise money, reducing investment and even dampening overall productivity.

This was less of a problem during the Great Recession and its aftermath because bond yields were held down by the Federal Reserve. Among other things, the Fed engaged in a massive bond-purchasing enterprise called quantitative easing, which created a kind of backstop to ensure that the government could find buyers without having to raise payouts.

But the situation has now reversed. The Fed is raising interest rates, selling off bonds and generally trying to restrain an economy that’s growing at a pace the regulatory body fears may be unsustainable. And that means there is no backstop, just an environment where deficits could make it much more expensive for both government and private companies to borrow money.

And this is just one potential issue. Perhaps the greater risk of rising deficits is that they make it harder for the U.S. to fight off the next recession, whenever it comes. Combating a recession generally requires a twofold approach: Rapid interest-rate cuts at the Federal Reserve to encourage borrowing and stimulus spending from Congress, both of which inject cash into the economy. But the Fed is in a weak position now. It can’t cut rates by 4 or 5 percentage points, as it has in recent recessions, because interest rates aren’t that far above zero right now — and the Fed’s own projections suggest they won’t get much higher, even over the long run.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Shkspr

While he claims not to have been reimbursed for the payment, I'm sure that by some coincidence he's getting $130,000 more in salary/retainer somewhere along the line for his work on totally separate issues.

Of course, totally above board and legal-he's a lawyer you can trust him right?

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

This feels like it should be a bigger story.

JUST IN: US jet destroys Russian T-72 battle tank in E Syria in 'self-defense' Saturday after 'pro-regime forces' fired on US special ops and allied Syrian fighters near same location of last week's attack, officials say. No US or allied casualties. 3 inside tank killed.

— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 13, 2018

Doesn't this go against the Trump is in bed with the Soviets line of thought?

[BBT]

The "Russian" ground troops are actually Russian mercenaries fighting for Assad. The only support that the Russian military is providing is air cover.

Probably why this isn't bigger news than it is.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Doesn't this go against the Trump is in bed with the Soviets line of thought?

I think everyone knows Trump is just a passenger at this point. He’s not for or against anything, other than being for whatever feeds his ego in the next five minutes. The US government is on autopilot, we’re just left to hope it doesn’t fly us into a mountain before 2020.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Doesn't this go against the Trump is in bed with the Soviets line of thought?

I don't think they are mutually inclusive. If you remember there was information released that he warned Russia about impending strikes after the gas attacks over there so they could, in theory, ensure their troops were not present. Knowing that rebels are using Russian equipment I really doubt that we would avoid destroying anything Russian on the chance that there may be a Russian crew manning it. (And second what BBT posted)

[JPhillips]

Syria absolutely should be getting more attention. In addition to this, over the last week the Israelis shot down an Iranian drone, the Syrians shot down an Israeli f-16, the Kurds shot down a Turkish helicopter, Erdogan has threatened the U.S., and France has threatened strikes.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Doesn't this go against the Trump is in bed with the Soviets line of thought?

No.

[PilotMan]

I know the NYPost is a rag piece of shit for a paper, but this former Army officer sees what happened in Syria a little differently.

https://nypost.com/2018/02/13/russia...putins-orders/

The most important thing about this attack on our troops is that it couldn’t have happened without Vladimir Putin’s personal approval. Nye vozmozhno. The core of the attacking force came from the Wagner Group, Russia’s version of the American thugs who worked for the company formerly known as Blackwater. But while the media refers to the Russians as mercenaries, the Wagner Group functions as an auxiliary of the Russian military — it previously gave command performances in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. It exists to give Moscow (barely) plausible deniability.
It also allows the Kremlin to avoid reporting formal military casualties. Putin remembers the popular disaffection in the 1980s because of the “zinky boys,” the young Russian soldiers returning home in zinc coffins in large numbers.
But the bottom line is that these killers — primarily ethnic Russians, but also recruited regionally — work for Putin. Russian suggestions that this was a rogue operation are ludicrous: An armored task force including hundreds of Russian citizens doesn’t attack US troops and blindside Putin. Doesn’t work that way, comrade.

[NobodyHere]

Millions of Americans Demand $130,000 for Not Having Sex with Trump | The New Yorker

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

So now Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen says he paid Stormy Daniels out of his own pocket the $130,000 to keep her quiet. of course he won't say why he did this...

Trump's lawyer says he paid adult film star out of his own pocket | TheHill

And by admitting this he may have invalidated the NDA agreement.

Porn star who alleged Trump sexual encounter: I can now tell my story

[Thomkal]

I just hope she tells it before Cohen/Trump get her to shut up again.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Millions of Americans Demand $130,000 for Not Having Sex with Trump | The New Yorker

LOL. Sign me up for some of that free money too.

[Logan]

This might be the greatest spin attempt of all time:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has broken months of silence about his frequent premium-class flights at taxpayer expense, saying he needs to fly first class because of unpleasant interactions with other travelers.

— David Eggert (@DavidEggert00) February 14, 2018

[Thomkal]

He only hires the best people:

VA audit: Aide expensed Shulkin wife’s European travel under false pretense - POLITICO

[whomario]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Syria absolutely should be getting more attention. In addition to this, over the last week the Israelis shot down an Iranian drone, the Syrians shot down an Israeli f-16, the Kurds shot down a Turkish helicopter, Erdogan has threatened the U.S., and France has threatened strikes.

And Erdogan moving against the faction of kurds doing much of the ground work in battling ISIS. Now, that group isn't a bunch of lovable underdogs fighting the good fight out of the pureness of their heart, but the way they were used by the Western powers as human shields and now (when they are no longer needed) being left to die a slow death is pretty disgusting.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Logan

This might be the greatest spin attempt of all time:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has broken months of silence about his frequent premium-class flights at taxpayer expense, saying he needs to fly first class because of unpleasant interactions with other travelers.

— David Eggert (@DavidEggert00) February 14, 2018

Dude needs his safe space.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

And by admitting this he may have invalidated the NDA agreement.

Porn star who alleged Trump sexual encounter: I can now tell my story

It will be fun if she really did sleep with Trump and details trickled out.

[NobodyHere]

Trump, a Week After Porter Resigned, Says He’s ‘Totally Opposed’ to Spousal Abuse

Trump would later add, "There are some very fine people on both sides of domestic abuse."

[Thomkal]

Well after all this publicity around her, glad to see Stormy Daniels is using her new found fame to build herself and woman up. Made the front page of the local newspaper...because she will be appearing in a strip club in North Myrtle Beach in March.

::: insert Picard's facepalm gif here :::

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

It will be fun if she really did sleep with Trump and details trickled out.

Here's her story from years ago.

Stormy Daniels' Full Interview: Inside Her Affair With Donald Trump - In Touch Weekly

The clincher to confirm is Trump's then bodyguard. I think he has already spoken to Mueller but it was on the Russia interference and not infidelity.

Don't think its illegal (?) but certainly embarrassing and a distraction. Bottom line, I don't think it adds any significant "hurt" to Trump as the GOP is already (currently) aligned with Trump.

The only consequence is Melania but think she already knows as she was likely the other woman back then.

[mauchow]

Originally Posted by Edward64

It will be fun if she really did sleep with Trump and details trickled out.

Even worse, I'm sure it'll really pour out.

[cuervo72]

Trump’s Inaugural Committee Paid $26 Million to Firm of First Lady’s Adviser - The New York Times

One of the companies, WIS Media Partners of Marina del Rey, California, was created by a longtime friend of Mrs. Trump, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, according to a person familiar with the firm. Records show that the firm was created in December 2016, but otherwise there is very little information available about it.

Again - all a con.

[RainMaker]

Sounds like Gates has flipped.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/polit...ion/index.html

[Thomkal]

And the next domino to fall might be Bannon-after stiff-arming the House Intelligence committee by refusing to answer all but a selected number of questions, he was downright chatty with Mueller-spent something like 20 hours with him this week.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/polit...ler/index.html

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

And the next domino to fall might be Bannon-after stiff-arming the House Intelligence committee by refusing to answer all but a selected number of questions, he was downright chatty with Mueller-spent something like 20 hours with him this week.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/polit...ler/index.html

Why would Bannon work with Mueller but not with the House Intelligence Committee? From what I read, it sounds like he is still taking orders from the White House.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Why would Bannon work with Mueller but not with the House Intelligence Committee? From what I read, it sounds like he is still taking orders from the White House.

Perhaps because he doesnt want what he says getting back to the WH? Nunes will just facetime DT in.

[JPhillips]

Perhaps because the House committee can't, or at least won't, send him to jail while Mueller very likely will if he has the evidence.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Perhaps because the House committee can't, or at least won't, send him to jail while Mueller very likely will if he has the evidence.

Exactly. Dems on the House commitee want to charge him with contempt, but Repubs likely won't go along. If he hadn't cooperate with Mueller, he'd likely be in jail right now.

[SirFozzie]

One can jail him forever, the other can "hold him in contempt".

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Edward64

It will be fun if she really did sleep with Trump and details trickled out.

You and I apparently have different definitions of the word fun.

[ISiddiqui]

A Playboy Playmate says she had an affair with Trump as well (back in 2006) and details the way he would hide his affairs:

Donald Trump, the Playboy Model Karen McDougal, and a System for Concealing Infidelity | The New Yorker

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

A Playboy Playmate says she had an affair with Trump as well (back in 2006) and details the way he would hide his affairs:

Donald Trump, the Playboy Model Karen McDougal, and a System for Concealing Infidelity | The New Yorker

Don't worry though. He's been saved by God and a changed man, nothing he did prior to 2016 matters anymore. This is simply a witch hunt by the fake news now. The only truth is the Donald's truth. So sayeth he.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

You and I apparently have different definitions of the word fun.

We know you've got Pee Tape taped in your browser.

[JPhillips]

dola

Special counsel releases new indictment against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities accused of violating U.S. criminal laws in order to interfere with U.S. elections and political processes.

[Edward64]

Interesting development.

I'm still not convinced Trump (vs subordinates) did collude but this will help bring out the facts.

[Izulde]

Personally, I'm *still* waiting to see the benefits of this allegedly great economy.

[JPhillips]

This from a new plea deal is interesting:

From approximately 2014 through December 2017, the defendant, RICHARD
PINEDO, operated an online service called "Auction Essistance." 1brough Auction Essistance,
Pinedo offered a variety of services designed to circumvent the security features of large online
digital payment companies, including a large digital payments company hereinafter referred to as
Company I.

Who is he and what does he know that's of interest to Mueller?

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

dola

More detail-wondering how Trump will respond to this now:

Mueller indicts 13 Russians for interfering in US election | TheHill

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Personally, I'm *still* waiting to see the benefits of this allegedly great economy.

Don't you work in higher education? We never see the money.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Drake

Don't you work in higher education? We never see the money.

Haha, yeah... academia is it's own world. Though I'm guessing you are seeing a (small) bump in take home pay unless the accounting department is withholding more than most seem to be doing.

[RainMaker]

The kid could just be remarkably stupid but this doesn't bode well.

Just gonna drop this here pic.twitter.com/uqjFbUmpAH

— Zeddy (@Zeddary) February 16, 2018

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Drake

Don't you work in higher education? We never see the money.

Unemployed since May. Got contract non-renewed. Unemployment runs out this week. No extensions available. I figure I've got about 3-4 months left in savings before I'm either out on the street or have to move back in with my parents in the Midwest.

[Drake]

Sorry to hear that, Izulde. I'm on the administration side of things rather than the academic side, but I hear from my friends who are academics-in-administration how challenging it is to get a solid foothold in that world. I hope something turns up for you soon.

[Thomkal]

So Trump completely glosses over that indictments were handed out against numerous Russians for interfering in our elections to gloat that since this started in 2014 before he had announced he was running for President, that this completely exonerates him. So I guess the investigation is over and no more indictments are coming...Well at least he finally had to admit it wasn't a hoax.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

So Trump completely glosses over that indictments were handed out against numerous Russians for interfering in our elections to gloat that since this started in 2014 before he had announced he was running for President, that this completely exonerates him. So I guess the investigation is over and no more indictments are coming...Well at least he finally had to admit it wasn't a hoax.

Started in 2014 you say?

I wonder if I run for PRESIDENT, will the haters and losers vote for me knowing that I will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN? I say they will!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2014

[EagleFan]

He got the losers, congrats on that.