Trump Watch

[CB Fry]

I'm no US constitutional expert but a newly elected President can't get one of his flagship bills through his houses of parliament when his party has a majority in both?

 

Sounds like an utter clusterf uck to me. Feels like a victory for sense though.

[shurlock]

I'm no US constitutional expert but a newly elected President can't get one of his flagship bills through his houses of parliament when his party has a majority in both?

 

Sounds like an utter clusterf uck to me. Feels like a victory for sense though.

 

His own party -both the moderate and especially the conservative, Freedom Caucus wing- rebelled against him. They wanted a proper slash and burn, not a partial repeal.

Edited 24 March, 2017 by shurlock

[Ohio Saint]

His own party -both the moderate and especially the conservative, Freedom Caucus wing- rebelled against him. They wanted a proper slash and burn, not a partial repeal.

 

Half true. The freedom caucus wanted slash and burn, the moderates wanted, well, more moderation. It's amusing though that he is blaming the Dems for this fiasco though, given that the GOP have overall control.

 

The real fun happens when the poo hits the fan about collusion with the russians. That will be a game ender.

[shurlock]

Half true. The freedom caucus wanted slash and burn, the moderates wanted, well, more moderation. It's amusing though that he is blaming the Dems for this fiasco though, given that the GOP have overall control.

 

The real fun happens when the poo hits the fan about collusion with the russians. That will be a game ender.

 

Yep I know, the more he pandered to the conservatives, the more the moderate wing fell away. Ultimately there was no Goldilocks solution that could keep all Republicans happy -and doubt there ever will be. For a party that has made repealing Obamacare a Crusade, it's been a car crash. Still seeing Paul Ryan admit that governing is not the same as being in opposition and playing spoiler has been particularly satisfying.

 

There's so much noise around the Russian links, it's hard to tell what's true. Now the Republicans are trying to distract attention with this unmasking business. What's for sure is that Devin Nunes has proven to be out of his depth -and the sooner we have a special prosecutor or select committee, the better.

Edited 25 March, 2017 by shurlock

[whelk]

Imagine the scene when Ryan told Trump he didn’t have the votes. I’d give anything to have been one of the flies on Steve Bannon.*

 

*seen on Twitter not my workStole

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

A President who started his reign by immediately engaging in pointless bickering with the press over trivial matters, and followed that by introducing immigration measures that met with rapid judicial reverse, has now somehow descended further from those lows into Congressional humiliation on a substantive policy issue too - and this despite enjoying a clear majority in both houses. Can those more familiar with US presidential history than I am please name any previous POTUS who has made such a mess of the business of government in such a short period of time?

 

I do suppose that the US electorate (in their wisdom) must have voted-in a worse President in the last 200 years or so - I just can't quite think who that might be right now ...

[buctootim]

A President who started his reign by immediately engaging in pointless bickering with the press over trivial matters, and followed that by introducing immigration measures that met with rapid judicial reverse, has now somehow descended further from those lows into Congressional humiliation on a substantive policy issue too - and this despite enjoying a clear majority in both houses. Can those more familiar with US presidential history than I am please name any previous POTUS who has made such a mess of the business of government in such a short period of time?

 

I do suppose that the US electorate (in their wisdom) must have voted-in a worse President in the last 200 years or so - I just can't quite think who that might be right now ...

 

Nancy Pelosi hinted she thought he would resign sooner or later - that he doesn't actually like the reality of the job he tried so hard to get himself elected to, doesn't like the scrutiny or having to build consensus and his temperament means he is likely to walk away.

Edited 26 March, 2017 by buctootim

[buctootim]

the conservative, Freedom Caucus wing- rebelled against him. They wanted a proper slash and burn, not a partial repeal.

 

Which they might actually get if Trump walked and Pence was sworn in. Pence is more dangerous - more right wing and more tempermentally suited to getting things passed.

[Dark Munster]

Which they might actually get if Trump walked and Pence was sworn in. Pence is more dangerous - more right wing and more tempermentally suited to getting things passed.

Pence is a disgusting, dishonest, dangerous, corrupt, slimy, repugnant piece of shit. In other words, a slight upgrade on Drumpf. And at least he (probably) won't start a nuclear war.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Edit.

[LVSaint]

Pence is a disgusting, dishonest, dangerous, corrupt, slimy, repugnant piece of shit. In other words, a slight upgrade on Drumpf. And at least he (probably) won't start a nuclear war.

 

At least we will know where we stand with Pence and the 'This Country is a Laughing Stock' DEFCON level can be pegged back to 2.

[Ohio Saint]

Pence is a disgusting, dishonest, dangerous, corrupt, slimy, repugnant piece of shit. In other words, a slight upgrade on Drumpf. And at least he (probably) won't start a nuclear war.

 

And this is why I'm not looking forward to the next four years without Trump! .......We are totally screwed over here. It's the devil you know, or the other devil you know.

[Dark Munster]

And this is why I'm not looking forward to the next four years without Trump! .......We are totally screwed over here. It's the devil you know, or the other devil you know.

And with Lyin' Ryan waiting in the wings.

[View From The Top]

Taking on the Freedom Caucus know I see. That'll end well.

[Winnersaint]

Cfuk and we thought it was bad over here with the right wing moving alarmingly into the mainstream of political thinking.

[Ohio Saint]

And with Lyin' Ryan waiting in the wings.

 

Well, Pence will take over, and I'm honestly thinking that if the checks and balances that we are so proud of over here actually work, then Pence will be president within a year.......Which could well be even worse for anyone that happens to be gay, mexican or black. .....And any white straight male that may harbour any hopes for civil liberties....We are simply screwed either way.

 

For the record, my mother in law is mostly to blame.....The aging white population who thought that making America great again meant we would live in the 50's again, thus making them young again, no matter how many others suffer.

Edited 30 March, 2017 by Ohio Saint

[Ohio Saint]

......And now Flynn agrees to testify for immunity......Immunity is, on the whole, a pretty huge word!

[ecuk268]

......And now Flynn agrees to testify for immunity......Immunity is, on the whole, a pretty huge word!

 

If he wants immunity, it implies that he has done something illegal.

[saint si]

If he wants immunity, it implies that he has done something illegal.

 

Yep, as he said himself last year: "When you are given immunity, that means you probably have committed a crime"

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/michael-flynn-full-interview-trump-is-opening-huge-lead-772781123974

 

(jump to 00:50)

[whelk]

Suspect motives and contradicts so much of his talk before but actually glad he bombed Assad the evil bastard

[buctootim]

Suspect motives and contradicts so much of his talk before but actually glad he bombed Assad the evil bastard

 

Its quite reassuring - that he is capable of being persuaded despite previous positions.

[moonraker]

While I welcome the intervention as a proportionate response to Assad's evil, I continue to worry about Trumps and his apparent instability his flip/flop approach is not a good feature of the POUS.

[Batman]

Fair ply to Trump.

[shurlock]

A message was sent but where's the strategy?

[badgerx16]

Interesting conspiracy theory doing the rounds, that the attack was agreed in advance with the Russians as it distances Putin from Trump amidst all the rumours of Russian collusion in the US elaction.

[buctootim]

Interesting conspiracy theory doing the rounds, that the attack was agreed in advance with the Russians as it distances Putin from Trump amidst all the rumours of Russian collusion in the US elaction.

 

The Russians would have been warned in advance so that they could avoid Russian casualties - which would have complicated the politics. The target was the airfield but the objective was to send a massive warning to Russia. It seems to have worked - their spokesman said last night Assad was effectively disposable.

[Verbal]

Fair ply to Trump.

 

As usual, you can't see through the veneer of lies.

[View From The Top]

Flagging in the polls, media all over the Russia scandal, what better way to divert attention than the traditional American way of killing people in far off lands?

[LVSaint]

Flagging in the polls, media all over the Russia scandal, what better way to divert attention than the traditional American way of killing people in far off lands?

 

[aintforever]

I'm with Trump on this one, can't stand by and do **** all while innocent people get gassed. What exactly is the point in the UN when they just sit and watch while the people of Syria go through hell?

Edited 7 April, 2017 by aintforever

[Horley CTFC Saint]

In retrospect it's clearly designed to cover up Trumps earlier faux pas of mentioning the Swedish terrorist attack several weeks early.....conspiracy anyone?! Where's pap when you need him

[Verbal]

In retrospect it's clearly designed to cover up Trumps earlier faux pas of mentioning the Swedish terrorist attack several weeks early.....conspiracy anyone?! Where's pap when you need him ����

 

Who needs the humourless homunculus? Conspiracy theories abound around Trump, the arch conspiracy theorist. The one being bandied around most strongly at the moment is that the bombing of the Syrian airfield was in respite to a 'false flag' event - that the chemical attack on civilians in Idlib was a hoax.

 

This piece traces the lineage of the hoax claim, originating with a pro-Assad site in Syria, and then retransmitted by far-right sites like InfoWars. It has also swept up a few ludicrous dimwits among the stop-the-war, Corbynist cult.

 

https://medium.com/dfrlab/how-the-alt-right-brought-syriahoax-to-america-47745118d1c9

[Seaford Saint]

Come on Verbal...can you prove it was the Syrian army? Show us your proof....

[shurlock]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/warplanes-return-to-syrian-town-devastated-by-chemical-attack/2017/04/08/38a5d8cc-1bdc-11e7-8598-9a99da559f9e_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_syria-845am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.82c29c07c9cf

[badgerx16]

Sean Spicer clarifies his comparison between Hitler and Assad ;

"There was not, in the, he brought them in to the Holocaust centres, I understand that, what I'm saying, in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns dropped them down to innocent, into the middle of towns, it was brought to, so the use of it, and I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent."

 

Where's C J Cregg when you need her ?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39572902

[Ohio Saint]

I have no problem with his Syrian strike or the latest bomb in Afghanistan. Those are moves that are based on intel and strategic common sense. Although the latter was not his decision, it suggests that he is at least willing to admit that he is OK with doing the right thing despite the fact that everything that is happening now seems to be based on real intelligence rather than everything he said before based on youtube and tweets.

 

Trump is slowly becoming any other president. They have a set of circumstances, and the real options are few when it comes to war.

[stockportsaint]

Sean Spicer clarifies his comparison between Hitler and Assad ;

"There was not, in the, he brought them in to the Holocaust centres, I understand that, what I'm saying, in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns dropped them down to innocent, into the middle of towns, it was brought to, so the use of it, and I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent."

 

Where's C J Cregg when you need her ?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39572902

 

Normally, once anyone moves on from the role of White House Director of Communications, they get a plum job elsewhere in Washington, or get invited to give speeches or go on talk shows. In this case, I reckon he'll get invited to speech therapy school. As a pupil.

[Verbal]

In the same week that a group of prominent American psychiatrists declared Trump insane, the great orange ball of gas offered evidence to the contrary in an interview with Associated Press:

 

TRUMP: Number One, there’s great responsibility. When it came time to, as an example, send out the 59 missiles, the Tomahawks in Syria. I’m saying to myself, “You know, this is more than just like, 79 (sic) missiles. This is death that’s involved,” because people could have been killed. This is risk that’s involved, because if the missile goes off and goes in a city or goes in a civilian area — you know, the boats were hundreds of miles away — and if this missile goes off and lands in the middle of a town or a hamlet .... every decision is much harder than you’d normally make. (unintelligible) ... This is involving death and life and so many things. ... So it’s far more responsibility. (unintelligible) ....The financial cost of everything is so massive, every agency. This is thousands of times bigger, the United States, than the biggest company in the world. The second-largest company in the world is the Defense Department. The third-largest company in the world is Social Security. The fourth-largest — you know, you go down the list.

 

If they can fit it onto a tombstone, this gibberish should be his epitaph.

[whelk]

I am now beyond thinking this could be the thing that takes him down as has ridden out endless scandalous revelations that would have taken others down, but sacking Comey? And claiming it was about Clinton when everyone knows it is the Russian investigation.

US is becoming one fcked up country.

[LVSaint]

I am now beyond thinking this could be the thing that takes him down as has ridden out endless scandalous revelations that would have taken others down, but sacking Comey? And claiming it was about Clinton when everyone knows it is the Russian investigation.

US is becoming one fcked up country.

 

That's Russia handled then. This could seriously backfire on the cun#, but amazingly, I don't think it will.

 

I don't whether to laugh or cry anymore......

[shurlock]

Joe Scarborough is right: Trump is a daytrader on political crack, happy to trash the presidency and constitution for a short-term headline.

 

And to think Comey was praised by Trump for his bravery, independence and forthrightness in handling the Clinton email investigation. Hope the c**t is forced to eat every single word of praise for Comey when explaining his decision.

Edited 10 May, 2017 by shurlock

[redkeith]

The Comey sacking could well be a step to far, even for Trump.

 

People forget that it wasn't the burglary that brought down Nixon, that could have been contained to Howard Hunt or Coulson, it was the cover up that did for him.

[Mystic Force]

Although I would like to think that he will get done in by his own hand before ruining the place where I live

 

The people who supported him to the win around here that I work with, and typify the type of voters that came out in larger numbers that the election models estimated (rural white voters) haven't backed down from their support of him just yet. Mostly they don't seem to follow the regular goings on, or think these actions are a good idea.

 

One of these people for example is married to an undocumented Mexican immigrant that they are working on getting papers for her, but was more worried that Clinton was coming for their guns. Or another guy who is a preper (for the end times) with a horde of guns and tinned food. The real problem for employment around here is that farming takes fewer workers than before, commodity prices for corn and bean are down with knock on for farm business spending and processing of agricultural products takes less workers than it use to, unemployment is low but the jobs just don't pay that well. "Good factory jobs" around here pay $17 an hour hardly the wages that are always praised, lab work (need a degree) pays $14-16, hardly worth racking up student debt.

 

At some point hopefully they will see around here that they are not getting what they expected.

[Verbal]

It's all just gone seriously south for Trump. The Washington Post has revealed that he stupidly shared highly classified information - the highest classification of all - about ISIS with the Russians in the controversial Oval Office meeting the other day. In so doing he's badly compromised 'an ally', presumably in the Middle East.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?tid=a_breakingnews&utm_term=.90fd0e184349

 

One thing is for certain - Trump is now firmly heading towards impeachment. Bets on when he's out? I'd guess early 2018. And Russia will be the cause of it.

[shurlock]

It's all just gone seriously south for Trump. The Washington Post has revealed that he stupidly shared highly classified information - the highest classification of all - about ISIS with the Russians in the controversial Oval Office meeting the other day. In so doing he's badly compromised 'an ally', presumably in the Middle East.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?tid=a_breakingnews&utm_term=.90fd0e184349

 

One thing is for certain - Trump is now firmly heading towards impeachment. Bets on when he's out? I'd guess early 2018. And Russia will be the cause of it.

 

Yep just seen this. If the symbolism and 'optics' of the meeting weren't bad enough already -the morning after the Comey firing, Lavrov contemptuously cracking jokes and Russian photographers duping the White House as to their media credentials, Trumps now goes and tops things.

 

Still keep your eye on the prize and play the long game: its all about that tinpot trade deal that Trump has 'promised' us.

Edited 15 May, 2017 by shurlock

[benjii]

Is it safe to impeach him? He gets a right to defend himself in a public hearing. Goodness knows what he'd blurt out under that pressure. Can't see the CIA / NSA etc. being that keen on that route.

 

Some sort of accident, perhaps....?

[stockportsaint]

Some twitter accounts I've just started following:

‪@RogueSNRadvisor‬

‪@RoguePOTUSStaff

‪@AngryWHStaffer

Last one posted this about Syria bombing:

 

Putin gave POTUS the ok to bomb Syria. He had to ask for his permission. Let that sink in. Our President asking Russia for permission!

[JackanorySFC]

Honestly this last few months have been unbelievable looking in from the outside. I was in NYC on election day as part of a business trip, the next day I had meetings cancelled/ delayed due to staff in total shock/ distress (easy to take the **** out of from the outside but when you meet a bloke who lives in Queens and has a kid that was in tears that morning as he was worried his mates would be deported you can see why people were upset).

 

We seem to be in a situation where every day there is another "once a year" political event happening. Trump is using his executive privilege to be completely unaccountable, I personally believe the only was we will ever get close to the truth is to see him in the dock being forced to deliver articulate, intelligible answers (not sound bites) and not walk out at the first sign of trouble. The guy seems to be slightly thick/ unhinged and his support are fanatical/ brain washed. God knows what will happen next? I watched the Sally Yates (and Clapper) questioning as was hugely impressed with her, actually looked forward to seeing how the news cycle played out over the coming days they *bang* he fires Comey, Spicer hides in a bush rather than answer questions about it, Trump goes on TV and completely contradicts his press team's previous comms, Trump threatens Comey on Twitter implying he illegally taped their meetings and now he's passed classified info' to the Russians....

 

I know they say a week's a long time in politics but come on...???

[shurlock]

Honestly this last few months have been unbelievable looking in from the outside. I was in NYC on election day as part of a business trip, the next day I had meetings cancelled/ delayed due to staff in total shock/ distress (easy to take the **** out of from the outside but when you meet a bloke who lives in Queens and has a kid that was in tears that morning as he was worried his mates would be deported you can see why people were upset).

 

We seem to be in a situation where every day there is another "once a year" political event happening. Trump is using his executive privilege to be completely unaccountable, I personally believe the only was we will ever get close to the truth is to see him in the dock being forced to deliver articulate, intelligible answers (not sound bites) and not walk out at the first sign of trouble. The guy seems to be slightly thick/ unhinged and his support are fanatical/ brain washed. God knows what will happen next? I watched the Sally Yates (and Clapper) questioning as was hugely impressed with her, actually looked forward to seeing how the news cycle played out over the coming days they *bang* he fires Comey, Spicer hides in a bush rather than answer questions about it, Trump goes on TV and completely contradicts his press team's previous comms, Trump threatens Comey on Twitter implying he illegally taped their meetings and now he's passed classified info' to the Russians....

 

I know they say a week's a long time in politics but come on...???

 

Yates smashing that smarmy cretin, Cruz, for six was amusing.

 

Technically it wouldn't be illegal for Trump to tape those meetings as long as he consented to it. D.C. is a one-party consent state i.e. it is legal to record a conversation as long as one person involved has consented to it.

 

Think the impeachment stuff is overegged - it's hard enough to get support for the establishment of a bipartisan select committee for the Russia investigation. Republicans in Congress, led by Ryan and McConnell, true of political cynicism have, so far, maintained a united front. For its part, the conservative media is now less pro-Trump than anti-anti-Trump. It doesn't need to defend Trump per se as long as Trump is doing such a good job of winding up liberals.

 

Charlie Sykes, a conservative, wrote a good piece on this phenomenon in the NYT:

 

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/opinion/sunday/if-liberals-hate-him-then-trump-must-be-doing-something-right.html

 

Perhaps as the midterms loom in 2018, those Republicans in tighter districts, realising they are on the hotseat, will grow a spine. Of course, not before their precious tax cuts...

Edited 16 May, 2017 by shurlock

[31cc]

The New York Times is reporting that the source for the classified info was...... Israel. Not sure the CIA will take kindly to losing intel from there if it's true, if the russkies pass information on to their mates the Iranians can't imagine the Israelis even giving the US a weather forecast in future.