Presidents often say that the hardest thing they have to do, and their most sacred responsibility, is to decide to send troops into harm’s way. Presidential candidate Donald Trump declared two months before the 2016 U.S. election that this is “the most difficult decision you can possibly ever make” and that “there is no greater burden that anybody could have.” Apparently, the decision is so difficult and burdensome that President Trump has now opted to avoid it altogether.
On Tuesday it was widely reported that Trump had given Secretary of Defense James Mattis the power to determine U.S. force levels in Afghanistan. This revelation comes after reports in April that the Defense Department had been similarly authorized to determine force levels in Iraq and Syria. During that time — and to further hide the reality of war from Americans — the Trump administration inexplicably stopped disclosing major conventional troop deployments to Iraq and Syria, a practice generally upheld by the past three presidents. Today, the U.S. military each quarter reveals the number of Pentagon contractors (including those who are U.S. citizens) in Iraq but, absurdly, not the number of actual service members.
This latest transfer of commander-in-chief-like powers from the White House to the Pentagon is unprecedented for such a consequential decision, and it establishes a dismal model for the remainder of the Trump presidency and for future presidents as well. Trump is not simply further delegating authority in line with his boasts of giving military commanders “total authorization.” Rather, the president is dispersing his own responsibility to an extremely popular and colorful retired Marine general. The buck for war and peace no longer stops in the White House Oval Office but in the Pentagon E-Ring.
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
Dropping the first name last initial, without a link, or even her twitter handle, is just sloppy electioneering.
I can't imagine, even at my most inebriated, hearing a bouncer offering me an hour with a stripper for only $1,400 and thinking That sounds like a reasonable idea.-Two Sheds
Remember when Trump declared a victoryfor the American worker because Ford decided not to move their plant to Mexico? You may want to be sitting down for this update...that plant is moving to China instead.
Shocking, I know.
Ford Motor said on Tuesday that it would build its next-generation small car for American consumers in China rather than Mexico, where the automaker canceled plans for a new factory this year.
The company was building a $1.6 billion assembly plant for the next Focus model in Mexico, but it ran into stiff opposition from President Trump and then canceled the project.
I'm confused, does this make us great again yet?
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
Skinypupy wrote:Remember when Trump declared a victoryfor the American worker because Ford decided not to move their plant to Mexico? You may want to be sitting down for this update...that plant is moving to China instead.
Shocking, I know.
Ford Motor said on Tuesday that it would build its next-generation small car for American consumers in China rather than Mexico, where the automaker canceled plans for a new factory this year.
The company was building a $1.6 billion assembly plant for the next Focus model in Mexico, but it ran into stiff opposition from President Trump and then canceled the project.
I'm confused, does this make us great again yet?
I'm still meh, on the Focus moving and I live within a short bike ride of Wayne Assembly. I do have concern about Ford exposing engineering to China, if only because of a very very long track record of China taking in business only to steal Intellectual and Engineering properties. However, that concern is slightly assuaged by GM having partnered with China for Buick (I think) manufacturing in the past.
President Trump’s budget calls for sharply reducing funding for programs that shelter the poor and combat homelessness — with a notable exception: It leaves intact a type of federal housing subsidy that is paid directly to private landlords.
One of those landlords is Trump himself, who earns millions of dollars each year as a part-owner of Starrett City, the nation’s largest subsidized housing complex. Trump’s 4 percent stake in the Brooklyn complex earned him at least $5 million between January of last year and April 15, according to his recent financial disclosure.
Trump’s business empire intersects with government in countless ways, from taxation to permitting to the issuing of patents, but the housing subsidy is one of the clearest examples of the conflicts experts have predicted. While there is no indication that Trump himself was involved in the decision, it is nonetheless a stark illustration of how his financial interests can directly rise or fall on the policies of his administration.
How stuff like this continually gets brushed aside as "nothing to see here" is endlessly frustrating.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
That's unreal. Not unlike the Trump Administration thanking a bunch of NJ high school students for fighting yearbook injustice:
"Thank you Wyatt and Montana -- two young Americans who aren't afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Our movement to #MAGA is working because of great people like you!" said the post Monday on Trump's Facebook page.
I'm actually a bit surprised he didn't give them a Purple Heart for doing such an amazing job.
Well, it's not like Trump would give away his Purple Heart. He earned that the hard way.
I can't imagine, even at my most inebriated, hearing a bouncer offering me an hour with a stripper for only $1,400 and thinking That sounds like a reasonable idea.-Two Sheds
Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
"A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on." -Terry Pratchett, The Truth "The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to those who think they've found it." -Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
Wait, wait...I thought the Republican (and Trump) position was deficits! The US is bankrupt! Obviously this must be erroneous information and I'm sure Rip will be along to remind us that they have years of experience championing the fiscal well-being of the country.
malchior wrote:Wait, wait...I thought the Republican (and Trump) position was deficits! The US is bankrupt! Obviously this must be erroneous information and I'm sure Rip will be along to remind us that they have years of experience championing the fiscal well-being of the country.
I think you will find that when the water gets up to your knees you will be far less concerned with the deficit.
Speaking of that I have heard that Putin has agreed to sell a plot of land in Siberia to anyone who loses their home to rising waters in the U.S.
Zarathud wrote:Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
I think that's the plan. Another big mess for the next Dem President/Congress to clean up.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
malchior wrote:Wait, wait...I thought the Republican (and Trump) position was deficits! The US is bankrupt! Obviously this must be erroneous information and I'm sure Rip will be along to remind us that they have years of experience championing the fiscal well-being of the country.
I think you will find that when the water gets up to your knees you will be far less concerned with the deficit.
Speaking of that I have heard that Putin has agreed to sell a plot of land in Siberia to anyone who loses their home to rising waters in the U.S.
Prepay for yours now for a huge discount.
I presume it's going to be a Trump (tm) housing development?
malchior wrote:Wait, wait...I thought the Republican (and Trump) position was deficits! The US is bankrupt! Obviously this must be erroneous information and I'm sure Rip will be along to remind us that they have years of experience championing the fiscal well-being of the country.
I think you will find that when the water gets up to your knees you will be far less concerned with the deficit.
Speaking of that I have heard that Putin has agreed to sell a plot of land in Siberia to anyone who loses their home to rising waters in the U.S.
Prepay for yours now for a huge discount.
I presume it's going to be a Trump (tm) housing development?
Would you trust your family's health and safety to anything less?
"A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on." -Terry Pratchett, The Truth "The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to those who think they've found it." -Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
- No windows; nothing to see here so why do you need them?
- Developer forgot to use nails and screws? No problem; Trump (tm) won't pay the developer and pass the savings to his friends in the nail and screw industry. Presumably, your nails and screws will trickle down to your house.
- Two washing machines in every laundry room (because you should never mix whites and coloreds).
- Every street is a beautifully curated cul-de-sac (enjoy your dead-ends).
- Every house is built by a qualified coal miner. You do want coal miners do have jobs, don't you?
- An estimated 82.7 million jobs will be created by the building Trump Estates Siberia (tm). (approximately none of those in the US, but he'll add the number to his job creation stats nevertheless).
- Powered by renewable energy (furnace is designed to run purely on horseshit, which you'll need to shovel only 12 times per day in the summer, continuously in the winter. What do you mean you don't have horses? Everyone Trump knows has horses!)
"A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on." -Terry Pratchett, The Truth "The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to those who think they've found it." -Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
Zarathud wrote:Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
I think that's the plan. Another big mess for the next Dem President/Congress to clean up.
What's bizarre is that the economy is already healthy and at full employment, courtesy (at least in part) of the last Dem administration's policies. Cities like Boston are coping with labor shortages. The entities that will benefit from massive tax cuts are the same ones that are prospering already. Those Trump voters in the left-behind economy? Not so much.
Zarathud wrote:Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
I think that's the plan. Another big mess for the next Dem President/Congress to clean up.
What's bizarre is that the economy is already healthy and at full employment, courtesy (at least in part) of the last Dem administration's policies. Cities like Boston are coping with labor shortages. The entities that will benefit from massive tax cuts are the same ones that are prospering already. Those Trump voters in the left-behind economy? Not so much.
They will get some help i imagine. This will be their chance to further entrench their power. I fully expect the tax policy to put pressure on blue states and help red states. Even though the blue states are already getting the shaft already.
Zarathud wrote:Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
I think that's the plan. Another big mess for the next Dem President/Congress to clean up.
What's bizarre is that the economy is already healthy and at full employment, courtesy (at least in part) of the last Dem administration's policies. Cities like Boston are coping with labor shortages. The entities that will benefit from massive tax cuts are the same ones that are prospering already. Those Trump voters in the left-behind economy? Not so much.
I only skimmed your post but I assume you're saying Boston needs to get more into coal mining.
Zarathud wrote:Word is that the Republicans tax cuts are so generous that they blow the budget even assuming 10 years of magic economic growth (the disproven Laffrer curve). They're looking at changing the budget rules to get rid of "pay-as-you go" or changing the window.
Terrible economic and tax policy is on its way.
I think that's the plan. Another big mess for the next Dem President/Congress to clean up.
What's bizarre is that the economy is already healthy and at full employment, courtesy (at least in part) of the last Dem administration's policies. Cities like Boston are coping with labor shortages. The entities that will benefit from massive tax cuts are the same ones that are prospering already. Those Trump voters in the left-behind economy? Not so much.
Yeah, the Dems are pretty damned horrible at salesmanship. Much better at actual policy (now). Also, the "health" of the economy is bypassing a lot of people, especially those who voted for Trump. A lot of states aren't currently built to thrive in a 21st Century economy.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
For some reason of all the hot takes (and they're pretty hot today), "the democrats need to stand for something" is the one that's bothering me the most for some reason.
It is a platform. It is coherent. They constantly lose elections. So I guess it has that going for it. But seriously the problem isn't the platform. Many things are going wrong and they simply can't get traction.
They are losers to be honest. And the longer they take to figure out a way to deal with that the harder it will be for them to be effective. The Republican platform and many proposed changes are generally not popular but will get enacted. The Dem platform polls favorably and doesn't stand a chance in hell. And that has caused some of the anger that the Republicans have channeled more effectively. It is a huge problem.
Kind of silly to say that democrats constantly lose elections. I mean, they do, but so do republicans. The Democrats just held a two-term presidency and got many more votes for a third term, just poorly distributed under our archaic system, and held the Senate from 2006 - 2014. If the reference is to the special elections...they've almost all been in super republican districts (that being the point from Trump's perspective), and by comparison to those districts, they currently look on track to win big in 2018 (with the caveat that lots could change).
It's the same reason that democrats went 4 for 4 in special elections in 2009 (and also flipped the seat of a retiring Republican as well). Still didn't go super well for them in 2010.
I'm sort of OK with Dems feeling a bit of unwarranted panic, because the fact remains that they DO have a marketing problem. Their gains are coming from Trump and the GOP's collective meltdown, not because of anything they've done.
If they can start now trying to shore up those weaknesses, it gives them some cushion in 2018. The Trump administration is too volatile to count on them doing all the work for you.
