The Trump thread: All things Donald

[watcher1]

Chicago had a mayor named Richard J Daley.  He was famous for criticizing the press. One of his notable quotes:  "print what I mean, not what I say".  Maybe that is what the Trump group means when they attack the press.

[Katiebee]

The refeeences to George Oreell's "1984", become disturbingly creak whenever I listen to Ptesident Trump and his advisors speak.

We have a nascent Minitruth being built by this administration.

[Northwest]

Fake News... certainly the Associated Press, having acquired some papers from unknown sources, not from the White House, being unable to get the desired response when asking the White House about said documents, and running the story anyway, fearing some other organization receiving the same leaked or stolen documents from whatever 'source' the AP used, blares invalid headlines about a National Guard Roundup of Illegal Aliens, is FAKE HEADLINES, and FAKE NEWS.

The White House need not respond to any request some reporter makes at all, let alone by that Reporter's "deadline" so as to protect the AP "Scoop".

The documents were not White House documents at all. Responsible journalists would confirm their stories as valid, and real, with multiple trusted sources, preferably on the record sources who can be trusted to give valid data, and will hold hysterical reports of round ups and so forth pending said valid information.

Was the story's allegation, the Headline Allegation true? NO. Fake News... no better than supermarket tabloids.  In fact, it does disservice to supermarket tabloids, when the likes of the Associated Press or the New York Times, or the Washington Post, all once venerated names of "trusted" News Organizations, allow themselves, for the sake of a 'scoop' to steal the headlines with invalid claims, and cause the resulting melee among their  competing news companies.

It took a 'supermarket' Tabloid to reveal that President Clinton was lying from the White House Podium, and in court for that matter, and resulted in his Impeachment, over the 'blue dress'. There are other stories where 'mainstream' media ignored stories, for whatever reason, resulting in suppression of public understanding, until some smaller, less agenda driven news organization revealed the truth about some politicians.

The once trusted mainstream publications and broadcast news entities are less trustworthy, and prove themselves so regularly, and so they earn the Fake News moniker that they once tried to smear legitimate organizations with.

And some brilliant scholar responded with:

It's clear that what Trump is actually trying to do, with his various pronouncements about fake news versus good news (good news being defined simply as stories which treat him favorably) is wrap the general population up into his narcissistic bubble. The goal is to make it such that reality is defined by President Trump, and President Trump alone.

The good news is that a substantial majority of Americans reject this absurdity out of hand (evidenced by Trump's plummeting approval ratings). It's still scary, however, that there is a segment of the population that appears willing to ignore the evidence of their senses and intellects and turn their cognitive functions over to Trump. I would estimate that people who fit this category represent between a quarter and a third of the population.

Unfortunately for Trump (and luckily for us) there aren't enough of these semi-conscious drones to allow Trump to prevail. At this point what power he has comes ONLY from the fact that most Republicans feel it is to their advantage to link forces with Trump in order to accomplish common goals.

But Trump's nutter army and the Republican rank and file are a lousy fit, and the relationship is already strained. I'm going to bet on divorce down the road.

[IdleBoast]

As I type, Trump is announcing his candidacy for the 2020 election.

This is utterly unprecedented (or even unpresidented), but it has a corrupt logic to it;

A president cannot accept cash from lobbyists or petitioners, because presidents are not allowed to profit from the presidency (whilst in office).  However, presidential candidates are allowed to accept cash donations to fund their campaign.

I do hope somebody will be keeping track of campaign donations along with people who coincidentally benefit from presidential favours, new laws or executive orders.

[Elizabeth]

I don't think Trump will last four years in office.
I suspect Trump will become such a problem for America that Congress will vote to remove him from office. But if he manages to stay in for a full term Re-election will never happen, America "can't" be that stupid.

Love,
Liz

[ChirpingGirl]

America "can't" be that stupid.

 

Honey, you have not been paying attention. We're magnificently stupid and getting more so by the minute.

[Lois]

@ Joan:  I guess you missed the part where the White House finally admitted that the memo proposing the use of the States' national guard came from them?  

Oh, and the memo was attached to the request for comment sent to the WH.

Of course it was leaked.  Not sure by who.  But it seems there are two or more factions in the WH and they don't like each other.

As for the WH not having to provide comment, well you see what happened when they did not comment?  Was that what the WH wanted?  It certainly played into the hands of whatever WH faction wanted it leaked.

Personally I don't think there was a conscious effort to refuse to comment concerning the memo.  I think it has to do with the general incompetence of the current administration.  They simply don't have a clue what they are doing and likely never even opened the letters.

[IdleBoast]

Trump’s ‘Winter White House’: A Peek at the Exclusive Members’ List at Mar-a-Lago

Several members are also major campaign contributors to Mr. Trump, like Mr. Ruddy and Brian Burns, a businessman and lawyer whom Mr. Trump has indicated he now intends to nominate as ambassador to Ireland, records show.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/18/us/mar-a-lago-trump-ethics-winter-white-house.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

[Lois]

This must be hard for the idle rich:

"No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state."

So the solution is this: purchase a membership to Mar-a-lago.  The Vetting is a money vetting.  It proves you're rich and thus vetted.  Then make sure you've given huge donations to the Trump campaign.  It's not to late!  Trump's declared his candidacy for 2020! Then cozy up and have Trump elevate you to an Ambassador.  "Ambassador" is a nice title. It doesn't matter if you have no education or aptitude, if you are rich you are worthy, according to Trump."

Oh, and I'm sure Trump will get rid of that pesky estate tax, too.  I mean people with assets less than $5.49 million ($11 million for a couple) don't have to pay estate taxes.  It's just so unfair that the estates of the super rich have to pay a tax on anything over this amount.  Don't they know we are trying to establish nobility here!?!?

[Katiebee]

From the horse's mouth, or his ass at his Florida rally yesterday. You take your pick.

“You look at what’s happening,” he told his supporters. “We’ve got to keep our country safe. You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?”

[Northwest]

I'ma say some prayers for the Sweds tonight.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/twitter-trump-last-night-in-sweden

[Northwest]

Kudos to Chris Wallace (although he might also have pointed out that the reason the stories about Russia and Trump won't go away, is because Trump's various postures do not ring true!)

[Lois]

The press needs to vet their stories before running them.  And anyone that lies for political gain needs to be held accountable.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/17/europes-biggest-paper-bild-bogus-refugee-sex-mob-story

[Northwest]

Gordon Ramsey to hold benefit buffet for Swedish Chef who died in terror attack

TV chef Gordon Ramsey is to host a charity buffet to aid the family of The Swedish Chef, who died in last night’s tragic Fernando Massacre.


News of the Fernando Massacre was broken last night by President Trump, with the terrorist group ABBA claiming responsibility this morning.

Ramsey and The Swedish Chef had worked together on-screen and off, becoming close friends in the process.

‘He taught me so fucking much,’ said Ramsey. ‘Not just about twatting food, but about bastard life too.’

The charity buffet will be attended by celebrities from all over the world, with all proceeds going to the family of The Swedish Chef.

The Swedish Chef’s wife had only this to say: ‘My heart is borken.’

http://www.dailysquat.com/gordon-ramsey-hold-benefit-buffet-swedish-chef-died-terror-attack/

[joan1984]

The President was referring to a presentation he saw on Fox, and clips being played from a report done about migrant crime in Sweden, soon for release.

That the media and other critics of Trump were unaware of Fox's presentation is fascinating. The President's supporters knew exactly what was referring to in his remarks, for the most part, and a simple search on AlGores amazing internet, peace be upon him, would have saved the critics, including present company here, some possible time, and angst.

Pray for Sweden, they need it.

From the horse's mouth, or his ass at his Florida rally yesterday. You take your pick.

“You look at what’s happening,” he told his supporters. “We’ve got to keep our country safe. You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?”

[Katiebee]

Doesn't it bother you that this President believes everything people tell him? People who are singularly not privy to actual news or intelligence?

He claims he was told things, and that points to people who actually know nothing or are trying to toady to him.

I find this expressly disturbing for the man who has the power to destroy the world, and our lives in less dramatic methods.

Someone who is so glaringly gullible should not be POTUS. I have to wonder at his mental competence. And if he is not mentally competent, capable,or too stupid to make his own decisions, then he should be removed from his position.

Add to this that the man is incomparably incoherent. He cannot utter a common sentence  without stopping the thought and interspersing 3 other ideas without completing  the original thought.

[Katiebee]

If you would like me too, I can definitively state that the last portion of the statement I qouted from him points to an action taking place. A singular occurance of importance, not something occuring over a long period and perhaps being comprised of many unrelated occurances.

If Trump was speaking about crime statistics, then saying "look at what's happening last night" is a base canard. Or in plain speaking, a lie, propaganda.

The use of alternate facts, that this administration indulges in is nothing less than propaganda like that used by the Nazis and Soviet Russia. But it seems that the GOP and the Trump base are more or less ok with this.

The statement made by Trump on Saturday is just propaganda. And I ascribe the basest of motives to him for using this. If it isn't motivated by an intention to subvert our Constitution, then it is motivated by gross incompetence. In either case Trump is not fit to be POTUS and should be removed from office.

[Northwest]

Actually, it's pretty doubtful that Trump could follow along and understand this thread. Now THAT'S scary.

[Katiebee]

That is a succinct theory with plausible evidence for what I have feared. If this is true, then without his father gifting him the 1 million seed money, Trump would be digging ditches for a living

For the office of the Presidemcy, reading is a requirement.

Care to defend your man Joan?

[Northwest]

That is a succinct theory with plausible evidence for what I have feared. If this is true, then without his father gifting him the 1 million seed money, Trump would be digging ditches for a living

For the office of the Presidemcy, reading is a requirement.

Care to defend your man Joan?

That was the same thought which entered my mind after I watched the clip. Apparently those first few millions really do open doors, and make all sorts of things possible, because I can't imagine trying to even survive without being able to read.