The Former Trump Presidency Thread

[Isgrimnur]

You go where the people are.

[Paingod]

Diversity is all well and good, but there is a time for unity, too, and Democrats struggle with that.

So, the Democrats are Fractured But Whole, and the Republicans are just Fractured Buttholes.

[Max Peck]

Nate Silver summed it up pretty nicely.

I gave away my thesis earlier on Twitter-dot-com, but I think my theme is that this speech was the start of the 2020 campaign. That is to say, a fairly partisan speech, with quite a lot of red meat for the base — and even some sections that trolled Democrats — but delivered in a more controlled and less impulsive fashion than the “modern-day presidential” approach that Trump takes on social media. Any pundit who thinks it was a “pivot” is an idiot, full stop. It’s the opposite of a pivot — it’s a doubling-down. But this version of Trump would be fairly effective if he were on the campaign trail every day in 2019 or 2020.

[YellowKing]

It won't last. Trump got high marks for his first speech last year, and we see how that turned out. Months of "shithole" comments, political gaffes, and total clusterfucks. The only certainty with Trump is that he will never change.

[pr0ner]

Trump is bragging about numbers again, this time claiming his SOTU is the most watched ever.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 9222843394

Of course, it's a lie, and it's not even close to the record (GWB hit 62.1 million one year). The viewership was actually SMALLER than Trump's speech last year.

[Daehawk]

Lying fucktard. Why do we allow this liar to keep going and going?

[TheMix]

Thing is... I wonder if he's actually lying. That is, does he even know what the correct numbers are? For all we know, the people around him feed him the lies because it keeps him happy. So he may only be regurgitating what he's been told.

And it's not likely that he's watching non-Fox news to get the correct info.

Don't get me wrong, I completely believe that he'd lie on his own. I'm just wondering if there is a basis. Someone gave him those numbers....

[Carpet_pissr]

Lying fucktard. Why do we allow this liar to keep going and going?

I would say "Ask Rip" but then I know his answer already: "Hillary"

And to the "does he know he's lying" point above - I would not be surprised if he is so delusional from his own self absorbed view of life, that if given a lie detector test on some of these things, he would likely pass. He probably actually believes his bullshit. Or MUST believe it so strongly, to satisfy his ego, that it becomes reality TO HIM.

If you consider that his mentor's philosophy was "believe it and it will be true" (ok, paraphrased for brevity), it's not such a stretch.

[LawBeefaroni]

Trump is bragging about numbers again, this time claiming his SOTU is the most watched ever.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 9222843394

Of course, it's a lie, and it's not even close to the record (GWB hit 62.1 million one year). The viewership was actually SMALLER than Trump's speech last year.

Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:32 pm

Clearly the most watched State of the Union ever. I heard it got better ratings than the upcoming Superbowl. The best.

Predictability breeds what? Contempt? Complacency? Boredom?

I'm not sure but he's predictable as all hell.

[LordMortis]

I must have put this in the wrong thread. The full numbers weren't out yet yesterday when I went looking.

I guess I wasn't alone in not wanting to be subjected to TV last night.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily- ... n-30-2018/

Coverage on the Big 4 networks (including post-speech analysis) drew 19.8 million viewers, pending updates, vs. 23 million for the address last year (which was technically not a State of the Union, as incoming presidents get a year before their first formal SOTU). In metered-market households, the four-network average was a 14.8 rating, compared to 16.0 last year.

Trump’s 2017 address drew a combined audience of 47.74 million on cable and broadcast last year; final numbers for the State of the Union will be out later in the day.

That's not too much more than 5% of the populace is it?

Compared to Obama's record low

https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media ... 016-217718

Obama's final State of the Union address draws record-low TV audience

By ALEX WEPRIN

01/13/2016 01:50 PM EST

President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address drew 31.3 million viewers across 12 networks, marking a new record low in viewership, according to Nielsen.

More than 21 million people watched on the "big four" broadcast networks. CBS led the broadcasters with 6.89 million viewers, followed by NBC with 6.62 million viewers, ABC with 5.02 million viewers, and Fox with 2.37 million.

Obama's worst is bigger than Trump's first.

Bolding mine

[Combustible Lemur]

I suspect there are a lot of people like me who would watch or try every year feeling civilly good about myself, and yet now want to neither give this president the satisfaction of an ego stroke nor want to listen to his bullshit word salad. I'll listen to real journalists, clips, and make a determination. His soap box needs to be as small as possible.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[pr0ner]

By the way, was it just me, or did it seem like he was giving that speech just to the Republican side of the chamber? It seemed like he was rarely looking at the Democratic side, and during all the standing ovations (even the ones he was giving himself), he was always turning towards the Republicans.

[Chaz]

By the way, was it just me, or did it seem like he was giving that speech just to the Republican side of the chamber? It seemed like he was rarely looking at the Democratic side, and during all the standing ovations (even the ones he was giving himself), he was always turning towards the Republicans.

That was definitely what he was doing. The only times he looked to his right were when he was saying something he thought the Dems should be going wild for. You could tell this because he gestured grandly at them every time he did. Then he was mad that they didn't stand and cheer, mostly because they can remember things that happened in the past, and remember that he's already failed to actually do the things he said he was going to do, or was lying about what he was saying.

[El Guapo]

I suspect there are a lot of people like me who would watch or try every year feeling civilly good about myself, and yet now want to neither give this president the satisfaction of an ego stroke nor want to listen to his bullshit word salad. I'll listen to real journalists, clips, and make a determination. His soap box needs to be as small as possible.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Same for me. I watched Bush's SOTU addresses. I enjoy good political theatre (which is really all that the SOTU is at this point). But I'm not going to be a part (even if a miniscule one) of Trumpian political theatre.

[Remus West]

I don't think it fair to say Trump clapped for himself. He was clapping for the speech. I doubt he had anything to do with writing it.

[GreenGoo]

I'm not sure but he's predictable as all hell.

That can't be true. He's a master negotiator. You need to play your cards close to your chest in those situations. If he were completely predictable he wouldn't even be able to match the stock market performance with his inherited millions and real estate deals.

[Paingod]

I think he's predictable in his unpredictability. People dealing with him expect some level of something. What they get is an orangutan throwing feces and it catches them off guard. That's maybe the edge that keeps working for him.

Everyone underestimates the power of his self-absorbed ego. This is a man that speaks his mind unfiltered; he'll call you his best friend one moment, try and screw your wife the next, lament that his daughter is his daughter and he can't screw her, then disparage you as a human being for not bowing and scraping before him. He walks into a room and pushes world leaders aside to stand in front and they're too dignified to push him back.

I'd bet his negotiations devolve consistently into threats and bullying - but he has enough resources that it has weight. He doesn't do anything in honesty or good faith. The man walks through life inventing his own reality and has enough money that people let him get away with it. In his own words, he stopped evolving as a human being in 3rd grade. He only respects money and power, thus is adoration of Putin and Murdoch; he sees himself as their equal because he can't see himself any other way.

Getting involved in a business deal with him is probably like stepping into a shitstorm you thought you were prepared for but find yourself lucky to escape with your ass intact unless you're the bigger fish. Then - and only then - will he play nice, because he wants you to like him.

We gave this raging, insecure egomaniac the keys to our country.

The best part is that he seems to have shown a whole generation of politicians that if they just side-step reality and push through as hard as they can and faster than anyone can reasonably respond, they'll win.

[hepcat]

Everything he knows about negotiation he learned from Scrooge McDuck cartoons, I believe.

[YellowKing]

Go watch Episode 6 of DIRTY MONEY on Netflix. They go into length at how Trump only thinks in terms of short-term personal gain. This is why he's had so many businesses fail - he only understands the immediate decision right in front of him, and nothing about long-term risk vs reward. It also goes into detail about his money laundering and business deals with known terrorists, just in case your opinion of him isn't low enough already.

[YellowKing]

"We want to take care of DACA, and I hope we will," Trump said today. "We need the support of the Democrats in order to do it, and they might not want to do it. They talk like they do, but I don't think they do, but we're going to find out very soon."

"To get it done we'll have to make some compromises," Trump said, "unless we elect more Republicans."

"If we win more, we don't have to compromise so much," he added.

Ladies and gentlemen, your bipartisan President.

[hepcat]

Go watch Episode 6 of DIRTY MONEY on Netflix. They go into length at how Trump only thinks in terms of short-term personal gain. This is why he's had so many businesses fail - he only understands the immediate decision right in front of him, and nothing about long-term risk vs reward. It also goes into detail about his money laundering and business deals with known terrorists, just in case your opinion of him isn't low enough already.

I started it last night. He was actually more thoughtful in his interviews when he was younger. He actually makes sense at times. I mean, yeah...he was still a scumbag. But at least he wasn't a senile scumbag.

[ImLawBoy]

Everything he knows about negotiation he learned from Scrooge McDuck cartoons, I believe.

I started it last night. He was actually more thoughtful in his interviews when he was younger. He actually makes sense at times. I mean, yeah...he was still a scumbag. But at least he wasn't a senile scumbag.

Wait - they actually have footage of young Scrooge McDuck???

[LordMortis]

Does a series of photos count?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn1NX6p9DX4

[YellowKing]

Trying to puzzle out what the fallout would be if the memo is released over Wray's objections and he resigns in protest (as rumored he might). Help me sort through the outcomes, OO. Give me a hug and tell me everything is going to be OK.

[Fireball]

It is increasingly unlikely that everything will be okay.

Trump is killing American democracy, and the Republicans are fine with it.

[Carpet_pissr]

Welp, it was a good run!

I mean, we weren't the Romans or the Ottomans, in terms of empire longevity, but powerful and influential while we lasted! Maybe someone should start looking around for city states to annex.

[LawBeefaroni]

It's far from over.

Authoritarianism is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end. It is just the end of the beginning. Yay!


You guys and your crazy optimism.

[Zaxxon]

Your avatar has never been more apt.

[Carpet_pissr]

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Pretty sure there's a reference to a violent "Roman wilderness" in that song as well. Whatever the fuck that means.

[hepcat]

Everything he knows about negotiation he learned from Scrooge McDuck cartoons, I believe.

I started it last night. He was actually more thoughtful in his interviews when he was younger. He actually makes sense at times. I mean, yeah...he was still a scumbag. But at least he wasn't a senile scumbag.

Wait - they actually have footage of young Scrooge McDuck???

D'oh! I accidentally quoted myself instead of YK. Fixed...but the shame of my mistake will haunt me until my dyin....oooh, someone brought in fudge!

[$iljanus]

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Pretty sure there's a reference to a violent "Roman wilderness" in that song as well. Whatever the fuck that means.

Democracy...
Yes, son
I want to kill you...
America... I want to AAAAAAARRRAAAAGH

[Zarathud]

It is increasingly unlikely that everything will be okay.

Trump is killing American democracy, and the Republicans are fine with it.

How do we help curb them? Seriously glad you're there trying to stem the bleeding.

[hepcat]

And now he's saying that folks think he's the greatest president in the history of our country.

Of course, the person who he says told him that is now contradicting him.

He's such a tool.

[LawBeefaroni]

Of course, the person who he says told him that is now contradicting him.

Barely.

A spokesman for Hatch later told reporters that the senator told Trump that he “can” be the best president ever, not that he is.

Bunch of lying cowards, the lot of them.

[GreenGoo]

Of course, the person who he says told him that is now contradicting him.

Barely.

A spokesman for Hatch later told reporters that the senator told Trump that he “can” be the best president ever, not that he is.

Bunch of lying cowards, the lot of them.

He's so close. All he has to do is pass some tax cuts. No one in history has cut taxes without corresponding spending cuts before! It's not debt if you never plan on paying for it!

Libertarians, tell me this; What's the point of having more money and less government if your country is diminished in the process? Because while a country is the sum of the people in it, it is also the sum of the will and unity that a centralized government can bring to bear. Undermining it is undermining your country for personal gain.

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country, etc.

It is just bizarre that a nationalist movement would work to diminish the very nation they purport to support.

What changes or even proposed changes over the last year were designed to #maga?

I hate Drumpf not because he's a Republican or a conservative (he's clearly neither) but because he's a destructive force in the world that prior to this was limited to anyone doing business with him. He had the gall to think he was worthy of the highest office in the world, and the American people agreed with him.

He's burning to the ground every principle that your country was founded on, and people are cheering him on. #maga is the opposite of patriotism. I don't understand how stiggit is more important than your own country. That's a level of hate I can't fathom.

[Rip]

He just handed corporate america a check for 13% (or whatever the number is). No shit people are excited to own stock. It's good for corporate america and it's good for investors. Its impact on the economy is limited. As we've seen, it's unlikely to result in significant job or economic growth. Predicted GDP growth is around 2-2.15% for the US, which if accurate, is below most of the GDP growth year to year that Obama managed. Of course Bush had dumped the economy so bad that Obama had a LOT of room to move up, which he did. If Drumpf can only managed 2% during a strong economy, he's not trying hard enough.

As for the second greatest DOW climb in a single year, when was the last time there was a blanket gift this size to every corporation in america? It'll make a nice footnote in his biography, but it's based not on sound economic policy, but a government gift, with no plan to make up the deficit. If you hate the government, this is one way to hurt it. High five libertarians.

Around 2%..........

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/01/economy ... shows.html

The economy is on track to put up blockbuster growth numbers in the first quarter, according to the latest forecast from the Atlanta Fed.

GDP is expected to surge 5.4 percent to start 2018, the central bank branch estimated in its latest rolling look at how the economy is progressing.

If the forecast holds, it would be the best quarter since the Great Recession ended in 2009. The previous highest was third quarter of 2014, which hit 5.2 percent.

[Zarathud]

At what cost?

[GreenGoo]

I don't really care about how a particular quarter does. Let me know how things turn out at the end of 2018. See you then.

And just so you don't choke on your own gloating when the time comes, I expect 2018 to be not particularly noteworthy at 2-2.5% year to year.

Hey, I'm not rooting for the economy to fail, but things like rolling back regulations absolutely increase profitability while harming quality of life. There are very good reasons regulations exist. The Rand fantasy of everything being paradise if government gets out of the way is a work of fiction. Everything EXCEPT corporate profitability is shit in that world. If they can just put a leash on tort law, they can really get the economy chugging. For a little while anyway.

Money's nice. Being alive is nicer though. Clean air, clean water, corporate responsibility, these are things that are needed for quality of life for the general population and must be balanced against wealth generation for that same population.

[LawBeefaroni]

So that $4B in missile defense appropriations that got turned into a blank check for intelligence agencies...

Apparently the call for the change in language came from the White House.

(CNN)The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee are furious at appropriators for inserting a provision into the must-pass spending bill -- at the White House's request -- that they say would strip Congress' authority to direct how the intelligence agencies spend their funds.

Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, and the committee's top Democrat, Mark Warner of Virginia, said they were blindsided by the push, and they argued that the change would make it harder for lawmakers to oversee moves by an intelligence community that operates in secret.

On the floor of the Senate, Burr proposed an amendment, backed by Warner, to change the language in the continuing resolution that deals with how the intelligence community spends its funds. The bill says funds may be spent "notwithstanding" Section 504 of the 1947 National Security Act, the law that they say prevents the expenditure of funds absent congressional authorization.

...

He tried to add the amendment to the floor by unanimous consent, but Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, objected.

In a statement, Cochran said the language in the CR "is included exactly as requested by the Administration, and is consistent with language that has been adopted many times in the past on continuing resolutions."

One objection is all it took to kill the amendment.

I bet family and friends own a lot of firms that will see some of that money.

[Smoove_B]

I know there's probably a lifetime's worth of information in this thread to catalog, but I need to add this to the pile:

Four years after the United States pledged to help the world fight infectious-disease epidemics such as Ebola, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dramatically downsizing its epidemic prevention activities in 39 out of 49 countries because money is running out, U.S. government officials said.

...

“Not only will CDC be forced to narrow its countries of operations, but the U.S. also stands to lose vital information about epidemic threats garnered on the ground through trusted relationships, real-time surveillance, and research,” wrote the coalition, which included the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium and the Global Health Council.

The coalition also warned that complacency after outbreaks have been contained leads to funding cuts, followed by ever more costly outbreaks. The Ebola outbreak cost U.S. taxpayers $5.4 billion in emergency supplemental funding, forced several U.S. cities to spend millions in containment, disrupted global business and required the deployment of the U.S. military to address the threat.

...

Officials at the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Security Council pushed for more funding in the president's fiscal 2019 budget to be released this month. A senior government official said Thursday that the president's budget "will include details on global health security funding," but declined to elaborate.

The amount of damage being done cannot be overstated.