The Trump Presidency – 2016

[digamma]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

They renamed a post office in Tennessee.

And authorized the US to participate in the World's Fair!

[mckerney]

The injunction against Trump's travel ban was upheld, the 9th circuit cited Trump's tweets calling it a ban and Spicer's comment that his tweets are official statements.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Has there been anything that passed both houses and got signed by Trump yet?

Yes, they've technically passed more legislation than at any other time up to this point in the beginning of a new administration. The thing is, almost all of them have been roll backs of things that Obama passed that they had to roll back within 6 months or miss their chance.

[Kodos]

So they're basically this guy? "Progess? Hell no--ROLLBACK!"

[corbes]

WASHINGTON — President Trump declared on Monday that he had led a “record-setting” pace of activity and been one of the most productive presidents in American history.
He made the remarks at a highly unusual cabinet meeting in which he sought to deflect attention from his faltering agenda and the accusations leveled against him by his former F.B.I. director by basking in the adulation of senior members of the government. . . .


After his introductory remarks on Monday, the president went around the table asking for a statement from each cabinet member. One by one, they said their names and paid tribute to Mr. Trump, describing how honored they were to serve in his administration as he nodded approvingly.
“Thank you for the opportunity to serve at S.B.A.,” said Linda McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration, touting “a new optimism” for small businesses.
Ben Carson, the housing secretary, called it “a great honor” to work for Mr. Trump, while Sonny Perdue, the agriculture secretary, offered congratulations for “the men and women you have gathered around this table.”
And amid fresh reports that his job is in danger, Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, outdid them all, telling Mr. Trump — and the assembled news cameras — that “we thank you for the opportunity and the blessing to serve your agenda.”


* * *


The tableau in the White House’s Cabinet Room struck many observers, including former White House officials familiar with the day-to-day workings of the president and the senior officials in his administration, as extraordinary.
“I ran 16 Cabinet meetings during Obama’s 1st term,” Chris Lu, former President Barack Obama’s Cabinet secretary, wrote on Twitter. “Our Cabinet was never told to sing Obama’s praises. He wanted candid advice not adulation.”
Yet the comments were in keeping with an intense effort by the White House to boost Mr. Trump’s mood and change the subject from the damaging testimony last week of Mr. Comey, who, under oath, accused the president of having fired him for his handling of the Russia inquiry.

Source: NY Times, link here.

[Fidatelo]

That's some sweet Trump Don-Un stuff you guys have going on down there.

[whomario]

Kim Jong-Un is probably looking at that first cabinet meeting and is disapointed with his underlings.

[Ryche]

I do love that Mattis chose to praise the troops rather than grovel at Trump's feet. He's one of the few days of light in this administration

[molson]

Trump now apparently looking at firing Muller.

[Kodos]

I'm sure he has good reasons. I mean, besides the obvious obstruction of justice reasons.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I'm sure he has good reasons. I mean, besides the obvious obstruction of justice reasons.

Well, it's distracting from the AHCA, so whether he intends to or not, it's smart to float firing Mueller at this point.

[Atocep]

And the Trump administration continues to pretend it didn't happen.

Russian Cyber Hacks on U.S. Electoral System Far Wider Than Previously Known - Bloomberg

[Shkspr]

I want Trump to meet alone with Mueller, tell him his job is safe, and request Mueller's loyalty so much I can taste it.

[JPhillips]

From a USA Today investogation:

Over the last 12 months, about 70% of buyers of Trump properties were limited liability companies – corporate entities that allow people to purchase property without revealing all of the owners’ names. That compares with about 4% of buyers in the two years before.

I'm sure this is all above board.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Well, it's distracting from the AHCA, so whether he intends to or not, it's smart to float firing Mueller at this point.

I thought Trump didn't like the AHCA now. It's "too mean".

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I thought Trump didn't like the AHCA now. It's "too mean".

He just wants a win. Doesn't care *what* the bill is. Not like he's read one.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Doesn't care *what* the bill is. Not like he's read one.

Or paid one.

[King of New York]

And here in Virginia, the pre-election polls in the gubernatorial election seem to have been off by quite a bit, even if they correctly predicted the outcomes. Instead of Establishment Ed Gillespie cruising past Minnesota-born neo-Confederate Corey Stewart, Stewart lost to Gillespie by only one percentage point. Meanwhile, the democratic primary was not as close as expected, with Ralph Northam beating his slightly more left-wing opponent handily by about 11 percent.

[ISiddiqui]

It is worth nothing that the slightly more left-wing opponent (well on some issues), Tom Perriello, was endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as an anti-Dem establishment candidate, showing that in some cases being more left-wing populist isn't something that resonates with votes.

[QuikSand]

Meanwhile, 70% of federal political appointments remain without even a nominee.

[molson]

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Donald Trump for possible obstruction of justice, officials say - The Washington Post

"Trump had received private assurances from former FBI Director James B. Comey starting in January that he was not personally under investigation. Officials say that changed shortly after Comey’s firing."

I guess that makes it harder for Trump to fire Mueller, but, I kind of want to see the reaction if he does anyway.

[SirFozzie]

I think we've gotten to the point where people aren't even going to tell Trump "No, that's a horrible idea" when he comes up with one of his brilliant ideas, because they know he won't listen to them, they instead leak it to the press, and he gets the idea from the press saying "How could he even think about doing that, here's why it's (Pick one or more: Wrong/Stupid/Illegal/Prone to Backfiring)".

It may be the only way to "manage" Trump, but it's not really a functional branch of government where you have to leak things daily to convince your boss that his latest brainstorm is a non-starter. What happens when he gets tired of even that method? (probably what happened with Comey)

[JediKooter]

Meanwhile...at the White House:

[albionmoonlight]

when you've done way worse stuff but they end up getting you on obstruction of justice pic.twitter.com/GUZu45dtt3

— Mike Tunison (@xmasape) June 14, 2017

[kingfc22]

Trump apparently thinks America still cares about Hillary.
.
.
.
.
.
NOPE!

[Julio Riddols]

Neither I nor the democratic party can forget about Hillary fast enough.

[JediKooter]

She definitely blew it, but, blowing things is par for the course with the Clintons.

[Kodos]

No, that's getting blown.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Kodos

No, that's getting blown.

Semantics!

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Trump apparently thinks America still cares about Hillary.
.
.
.
.
.
NOPE!

It's not just Trump. It's the entire administration's attempts to discredit Mueller and the investigation.

A source sent me RNC/Trump talking points for Repubs seeking to discredit tonight’s WaPo scoop on Mueller investigating Trump obstruction —> pic.twitter.com/ctwy2si9A7

— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) June 15, 2017

How many of those points did Trump hit on in his twitter rant today?

[JediKooter]

Man, they sure are spending a lot of time deflecting. I mean, if they have nothing to fear or hide, they should be tweeting that they look forward to any hearings or investigations and will cooperate fully.

[AlexB]

Strange that they're deflecting rther than denying.

If you were wrongfully accused of murder, you wouldn't respond with "you chatterbox" (credit Rhys James)

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by AlexB

If you were wrongfully accused of murder, you wouldn't respond with "you chatterbox" (credit Rhys James)

"The real story is the witness to the murder that wasn't even supposed to be there."

[Butter]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Man, they sure are spending a lot of time deflecting. I mean, if they have nothing to fear or hide, they should be tweeting that they look forward to any hearings or investigations and will cooperate fully.

That's the talking point behind the gradual erosion of our civil liberties, isn't it?

If you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Butter

That's the talking point behind the gradual erosion of our civil liberties, isn't it?

If you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?

Maybe i am missing sth. specifically american about the debate (as opposed to the version i am familiar with in Europe), but isn't that apples and oranges ?

One is being investigated and relevant information being accessed as part of this investigation, another is being surveilled without or at least on shaky grounds.

[JPhillips]

This morning Trump is going after the Deputy AG.

[Kodos]

Is there anyone Trump hasn't gone after at some point? Ivanka maybe?

[JPhillips]

Trump picks his son's wedding planner, who has no housing experience, to run NY federal housing programs

To be honest I expected a lot more of this kind of staffing. For the little staffing he's done, Trump has generally picked pretty traditional nominees.

[albionmoonlight]

I still don't get why the GOP leaders don't think that Pence would be better for them.

[whomario]

Robert Mueller is superb choice to be special counsel. His reputation is impeccable for honesty and integrity. Media should now calm down

— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) May 18, 2017

Muelleris now clearly the ti[p of the deep state spear aimed at destroying or at a minimum undermining and crippling the Trump presidency.

— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) June 15, 2017

If it weren't so serious ...

[Easy Mac]

Impeaching your own party's President condemns them to lose at least the next mid-term election and Presidential election, if not more.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Impeaching your own party's President condemns them to lose at least the next mid-term election and Presidential election, if not more.

Nixon resigned in 1974. This happened 10 years later:



The GOP does not need to think long-term here. Just thinking medium-term is enough. An impeachment/resignation does not destroy the party for a generation.

[HomerSimpson98]

Dont let The Donald see that. He will claim that map as his own

[molson]

What worse for the Republican party, 1 more year of Trump or 3 more years of Trump + Trump as the 2020 nominee (with a primary challenge from The Rock and I don't even think I'm joking about that)?

The party could really move forward on its own terms by kicking him to the curb.

[larrymcg421]

The problem is it's the short term that scares them more because they're thinking about their own jobs, not the presidency in 2020.

The GOP got trounced in the 1974 midterms, which left them with only 38 Senators and 144 Representatives. Now they were able to take back the Senate in 1980, but even after that 1984 election, they weren't even back at their pre-1974 number of House seats.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by whomario

Robert Mueller is superb choice to be special counsel. His reputation is impeccable for honesty and integrity. Media should now calm down

— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) May 18, 2017

Muelleris now clearly the ti[p of the deep state spear aimed at destroying or at a minimum undermining and crippling the Trump presidency.

— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) June 15, 2017

If it weren't so serious ...

Gingrich is also upset about Mueller's investigation extending beyond possible collusion with Russia, which is understandable since we all remember how outraged he was at Ken Star's investigation extending being White Water.

[Edward64]

The GOP is going to reluctantly stick with Trump. The investigation is going to be a massive distraction to him and unless there is really a smoking gun, Trump is going to be with us at least for the next 3 years.

Trump has shown he will lie, deflect, and distract. The ultimate deflection and distraction is going to be some conflict (likely with our favorite crazy kid in NK) and he knows the US will rally behind him.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Butter

That's the talking point behind the gradual erosion of our civil liberties, isn't it?

If you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?

Yes, you are correct that it is one of the talking points of eroding civil liberties, especially when it comes to things like the patriot act. However, in this instance, it's not civil liberties that are in question.

[HomerSimpson98]

Originally Posted by Edward64

The ultimate deflection and distraction is going to be some conflict (likely with our favorite crazy kid in NK) and he knows the US will rally behind him.

agreed

[Thomkal]

I wonder if that kid coming home from N.Korea in a coma with what it looks like permanent brain damage will be the final thing that sparks a war.