POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

[ManInTheBar]

Yup, he's an eejit

But that's not illegal in itself

[Saint]

Yup, he's an eejit

But that's not illegal in itself

No, he's a very stable genius. Good genes, the best

[Kiwias]

Again, this is not without precedent and of all the things one might have a go at Trump for trying to get his own policies enacted would not be my first choice.

Have a go at the policy oh yes
Deplore the deliberately divisive, selfish narrative for sure
Be sceptical that this tactic will do anything other than make many Americans poorer (and encourage opponents to dig their heels in)
Mock the mixture of egotism and idiocy apparent in his behaviour
Despair at the return to nativist and mercantilist policies
Fear the consequences of blood and soil politics

All of these and more

But it would be naive to expect a President to simply avoid a shutdown 'because'......

Trying to push for his own policy to be enacted is by no means near the top of issues to criticise Trump for but using government shutdowns as readily as he does is far from admirable.

[houtkabouter]

Pelosi is handling him quite well, the beaded curtain comment was quite good.

It’s quite remarkable how calmly the democrats are dealing with his frothy outrage. It’s almost like the strategy is to let the manchild screech into the night.

[ManInTheBar]

Again, this is not without precedent and of all the things one might have a go at Trump for trying to get his own policies enacted would not be my first choice.

Have a go at the policy oh yes
Deplore the deliberately divisive, selfish narrative for sure
Be sceptical that this tactic will do anything other than make many Americans poorer (and encourage opponents to dig their heels in)
Mock the mixture of egotism and idiocy apparent in his behaviour
Despair at the return to nativist and mercantilist policies
Fear the consequences of blood and soil politics

All of these and more

But it would be naive to expect a President to simply avoid a shutdown 'because'......

Trying to push for his own policy to be enacted is by no means near the top of issues to criticise Trump for but using government shutdowns as readily as he does is far from admirable.

But but but Obama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St ... wn_of_2013

[4071]

Also he's not I thought legally allowed to commit any area of his government to a spend it doesn’t have appropriated funds for, nor direct monies that were intended for something else? This is one of those times the executive is the weakest branch of government, which is sort of the point when he's not supposed to be able to act like a dictator

While I am completely onside for most Trump-bashing I would comment that the number of Presidents who have NOT campaigned for funding for their policies in advance of the act of appropriation must be close to, if not exactly, zero

He has shutdown the federal government, or parts of it. That goes quite a long way past campaigning for funding.

Again, this is not without precedent and of all the things one might have a go at Trump for trying to get his own policies enacted would not be my first choice.

Have a go at the policy oh yes
Deplore the deliberately divisive, selfish narrative for sure
Be sceptical that this tactic will do anything other than make many Americans poorer (and encourage opponents to dig their heels in)
Mock the mixture of egotism and idiocy apparent in his behaviour
Despair at the return to nativist and mercantilist policies
Fear the consequences of blood and soil politics

All of these and more

But it would be naive to expect a President to simply avoid a shutdown 'because'......

As I recall, his campaign promise was that Mexico would pay for it...

[Kiwias]

But but but Obama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St ... wn_of_2013

The border wall is the fantasy of a nationalist president, not even an existing law, while ACA was a law already enacted that was a big first step in addressing the US's problem with healthcare, and the Tea Party-driven GOP was pushing for using a government shutdown to force its repeal the moment they took office.

Trump threatened the shutdown to get his way whereas Obama was protecting a law that was of significant help to millions of Americans.

[ManInTheBar]

But but but Obama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St ... wn_of_2013

The border wall is the fantasy of a nationalist president, not even an existing law, while ACA was a law already enacted that was a big first step in addressing the US's problem with healthcare, and the Tea Party-driven GOP was pushing for using a government shutdown to force its repeal the moment they took office.

Trump threatened the shutdown to get his way whereas Obama was protecting a law that was of significant help to millions of Americans.

Ok I'm not going to die in a ditch over this.

[Flockwitt]

I see Trump's cunning plan with Syria is to have Israel pick up the slack.

[The Man Without Fear]

And to cut down all the trees to solve the California wildfire problem.

I assume he came off the B Ark.

[Saint]

So the daughters of the podiatrist that "diagnosed" the bone spurs say it was well known in the fanily to have been a favour to Fred Trump

[eugenefraxby]

That’s Cadet Bonespur to you pal.
God he’s a fûcking rotter.

[happyhooker]

That’s Cadet Bonespur to you pal.
God he’s a fûcking rotter.

Now that's damning

[ManInTheBar]

Definitely worse than a cad

[Anonymous 1]

So the daughters of the podiatrist that "diagnosed" the bone spurs say it was well known in the fanily to have been a favour to Fred Trump

He has got to be one of the worst liars ever

Trump said in 2016 the doctor wrote a ”very strong letter” saying he had the foot condition, but Trump has also said it was ultimately a high draft number that kept him from serving. But by the time the draft was instituted in 1969, Trump had been medically ineligible for service for a year.

Trump should either produce proof he had the spurs removed or release an X-Ray showing the offending spurs.

[obelixtim]

When are the men in white coats coming to take him away? Long overdue. The imbecile is barking.

[ManInTheBar]

Barking? He's the full Dagenham & Upminster

[obelixtim]

Barking? He's the full Dagenham & Upminster

Essex ancestry? That explains a lot.

[Anonymous 1]

I would also use any means possible to avoid the draft. However as I'm not a conchie and just death averse I wouldn't slag off those who had served. Trump really is a slag.

[eugenefraxby]

That’s Cadet Bonespur to you pal.
God he’s a fûcking rotter.

Now that's damning

I would humbly draw your attention to Steve Jones’s verdict on Bill Grundy HH

[EverReady]

Seeing him there with all the soldiers in Iraq got me to thinking that maybe he ain't so bad after all.

[eugenefraxby]

That’s truly rancid bait EverR

[waguser]

Seeing him there with all the soldiers in Iraq got me to thinking that maybe he ain't so bad after all.

I csn smell your Jalopy

[wamberal99]

I would also use any means possible to avoid the draft. However as I'm not a conchie and just death averse I wouldn't slag off those who had served. Trump really is a slag.

Would you lie about it? That is the issue, had he told the truth he would not be where he is today.

[Akkerman]

i did the gaurdian trump quiz, 12/12

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... iz-of-2018

i need to stop paying so much attention, but how to do that ?

[Hong Kong]

i did the gaurdian trump quiz, 12/12

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... iz-of-2018

i need to stop paying so much attention, but how to do that ?

9/12. I refused to believe what he said about the queen of soul...

[Saint]

Anyway, the lesson that should be learnt from Trump's jaunt to Iraq is that if you get him out of the country and off twitter, the stock market performs better

[Turbogoat]

Trump's first ever trip to visit US military personnel in almost 2 years as POTUS is an interesting one.

There's been a fair bit of noise from his critics for a while now about him not ever going to see them, so it's a bit churlish to now have a go at him for actually doing what they were demanding.

He went over Christmas time, which is traditional (now), so it'd be just as churlish to argue that the timing is just to shore up his position after being such a little bitch over Mattis resigning in protest.

He really, really should've stuck to the script though. These VVIP visits are political points gimmes and do a lot to placate the folks back home, especially the military families and vets. (The personnel in the base he visits really really hate these things btw. All the stress about making things look pretty, extra security, all the faffing about, it's a pain in the balls).

It's hitting the ex-servicemen discussions right now just what he's done on his trip though. All the unsecured footage of SEAL Team 5 etc... is just a massive breech of OPSEC.

His goddam speech - where he's upset that US military action hasn't been reimbursed by allies etc... has basically just anointed them as mercenaries. The US isn't going to be the World's sucker anymore, they're going to get paid for their actions now. That's not sitting well with a lot of vets. Neither are his bizarre claims about payrises either.

Combine this mercenary status, with firing Mattis, pulling out of Syria via tweet, using troops for political capital on the SW border, and wanting to use the military as his own personal toy soldiers to march in a parade for him etc... there's a lot of ex and current military families not being quite so blinldy pro-Trump any more.

[waguser]

Agreed totally on the stupidity of criticisimg Trump re military visits. It was always a weak stick to beat him with as it is arguably a non essential propaganda function but also easily fixed.

I find it interesting that he may have f**ked it up.

What was the seal Opsec foul up ? Surely not his fault?

Surely the Military would know to keep him a mile away from leakable detail.

[Saint]

Agreed totally on the stupidity of criticisimg Trump re military visits. It was always a weak stick to beat him with as it is arguably a non essential propaganda function but also easily fixed.

I find it interesting that he may have f**ked it up.

What was the seal Opsec foul up ? Surely not his fault?

Surely the Military would know to keep him a mile away from leakable detail.

The WH Press pool report identifies the Chaplain of Seal Team 5 by name and rank, as well as the fact he's in Team 5 and in country. Trump also posted a video of a number of military personnel, who appear to be SPECOPS, with their faces clearly visible and identifiable

Also some questions being raised about OPSEC for the trip itself, but that is likely an issue for the Secret Service and Air Force to consider

[Taranaki Snapper]

...has basically just anointed them as mercenaries. The US isn't going to be the World's sucker anymore, they're going to get paid for their actions now. That's not sitting well with a lot of vets. Neither are his bizarre claims about payrises either.

Combine this mercenary status, with firing Mattis, pulling out of Syria via tweet, using troops for political capital on the SW border, and wanting to use the military as his own personal toy soldiers to march in a parade for him etc... there's a lot of ex and current military families not being quite so blinldy pro-Trump any more.

Academi (Blackwater) have just run a magazine ad proclaiming "We Are Coming"...looks like the Black Prince might still get his wish...

‘We are coming’: Blackwater’s ominous message portends a new Trump era of privatized warfare

https://www.alternet.org/2018/12/we-are ... d-warfare/

[Turbogoat]

It wasn't known that the team had deployed to Iraq to begin with, it wasn't just a routine visit for them. It was actually the team chaplain who confirmed it was them in country. Trump then tweeted out pics of them with their faces uncovered, usually they'd have the black reverse-ninja banner over their eyes or be digitally blurred out before any publicity pics get released, eg:



But, by simply putting them out via his own twitter account, Trump circumvented any of the typical security procedures that would've taken place normally.
the President can declassify pretty much anything he feels the need to, so he's not committing any crime by endangering the well being of the SEALs or their families like this, just showing what an oblivious twunk he really is.

[Turbogoat]

...has basically just anointed them as mercenaries. The US isn't going to be the World's sucker anymore, they're going to get paid for their actions now. That's not sitting well with a lot of vets. Neither are his bizarre claims about payrises either.

Combine this mercenary status, with firing Mattis, pulling out of Syria via tweet, using troops for political capital on the SW border, and wanting to use the military as his own personal toy soldiers to march in a parade for him etc... there's a lot of ex and current military families not being quite so blinldy pro-Trump any more.

Academi (Blackwater) have just run a magazine ad proclaiming "We Are Coming"...looks like the Black Prince might still get his wish...

‘We are coming’: Blackwater’s ominous message portends a new Trump era of privatized warfare

https://www.alternet.org/2018/12/we-are ... d-warfare/

Wonder if it's actually an indicator of things to come or just their usual marketing schtick? Erik has been pushing for this sort of thing for a loooong time.

[Taranaki Snapper]

Maybe his sister will let him put Mercs at every school...

[Sandstorm]

Maybe his sister will let him put Mercs at every school...

Imported cars?

[houtkabouter]

Visiting the troops - fantastic, well done POTUS


Doing something ridiculously stupid - well done you f**king Mong can you not just do one thing right.

[Rinkals]

Visiting the troops - fantastic, well done POTUS


Doing something ridiculously stupid - well done you f**king Mong can you not just do one thing right.

I dunno.

In the interests of giving credit where it is due, I honestly didn't expect him to have the balls to actually visit a war zone. I rather suspect that, having waited 2 years before raising the courage to visit his first one, we can expect to see him visit more often now that he's seen that it's fairly safe.

[Uthikoloshe]

Visiting the troops - fantastic, well done POTUS


Doing something ridiculously stupid - well done you f**king Mong can you not just do one thing right.

I dunno.

In the interests of giving credit where it is due, I honestly didn't expect him to have the balls to actually visit a war zone. I rather suspect that, having waited 2 years before raising the courage to visit his first one, we can expect to see him visit more often now that he's seen that it's fairly safe.

Houts is the poster child for TDS

[houtkabouter]

It took a while but he did it so good one him. He’s done something right.

TBF he should have just sent Melania, most of the troops would have preferred that anyway. I’m fairly sure nothing in a war zone could frighten her, she’s seen Trump naked, which must cause horrific trauma.

[houtkabouter]

Visiting the troops - fantastic, well done POTUS


Doing something ridiculously stupid - well done you f**king Mong can you not just do one thing right.

I dunno.

In the interests of giving credit where it is due, I honestly didn't expect him to have the balls to actually visit a war zone. I rather suspect that, having waited 2 years before raising the courage to visit his first one, we can expect to see him visit more often now that he's seen that it's fairly safe.

Houts is the poster child for TDS

I’m shocked you didn’t grace us with one of your sublime memes. Well done you, have a trrumpy bear.