The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump

[Alefroth]

The first Trump presidency thread got to 603.

[Holman]

They’re totally going to restore those Confederate monuments, aren’t they?

Restoring Trust and Sanity to American History” executive order..

Otherwise known as The “Frail, insecure, white manbabies have to be told they’re the bestest, strongest, bigliest ‘Muricans to ever ‘Murica or else they’ll throw yet another whiny-ass tantrum” Act.

Everyone should read the order. It basically states that treatments of historical subjects in museums, parks, etc must glorify America and never criticize it.

That's not history. That's myth.

[Zaxxon]

Everyone should read the order. It basically states that treatments of historical subjects in museums, parks, etc must glorify America and never criticize it.

That's not history. That's myth.

It's one required step along the path to full-on authoritarianism.

[LawBeefaroni]

Disgusting.

I almost posted the video below a while back when we started sending prisoners to El Salvador. But I thought CECOT would be hyperbole. CECOT is a dystopian noghtmare.

With Noem standing there, threatening to send deportees there, I guess nothing is hyperbole. She is a fucking animal and the US is losing any moral compass it had.


This prison is a high-tech hole for the disappeared. Once in, there is pretty much zero chance of contact with the outside. This is the perfect place to get rid of political enemies.


Creating a prison for the "worst of the worst" is a great way to create a prison for anyone you want.

[Unagi]

we are about 4.8 % through "Season 2"

[Blackhawk]

we are about 4.8 % through "Season 2"

In other words, we're only part way through the first episode.

[IceBear]

Wow, really not hiding manipulating the democratic process

From the AP:
Musk promises to go to Wisconsin to personally deliver $2 million to voters in Supreme Court race

[Hyena]

Wow, really not hiding manipulating the democratic process

From the AP:
Musk promises to go to Wisconsin to personally deliver $2 million to voters in Supreme Court race

How is this even legal? I mean, there's rules to campaign donations, how is it legal to flat-out say, "If you vote for this guy, I'll make you generationally wealthy!"

[Holman]

Wow, really not hiding manipulating the democratic process

From the AP:
Musk promises to go to Wisconsin to personally deliver $2 million to voters in Supreme Court race

How is this even legal? I mean, there's rules to campaign donations, how is it legal to flat-out say, "If you vote for this guy, I'll make you generationally wealthy!"

I think his defense is that you got a lottery ticket for signing his earlier petition, not for actually voting.

Still shady as F.

[Skinypupy]

Wow, really not hiding manipulating the democratic process

From the AP:
Musk promises to go to Wisconsin to personally deliver $2 million to voters in Supreme Court race

How is this even legal? I mean, there's rules to campaign donations, how is it legal to flat-out say, "If you vote for this guy, I'll make you generationally wealthy!"

It's legal because...who's going to stop them? A philosophy that now applies to...(gestures vaguely at everything).

Also, it's worth repeating for the cheap seats. Elon is everything they have accused Soros of being for decades.

And then some.

[Hyena]

Wow, really not hiding manipulating the democratic process

From the AP:
Musk promises to go to Wisconsin to personally deliver $2 million to voters in Supreme Court race

How is this even legal? I mean, there's rules to campaign donations, how is it legal to flat-out say, "If you vote for this guy, I'll make you generationally wealthy!"

I think his defense is that you got a lottery ticket for signing his earlier petition, not for actually voting.

Still shady as F.

Thin defense...

[Alefroth]

Also, it's worth repeating for the cheap seats. Elon is everything they have accused Soros of being for decades.

And then some.

I'd love to see Soros or Gates start doing exactly what Musk is doing.

[LawBeefaroni]

It never ends.

https://apnews.com/article/nikola-trevo ... f2dc3f6764

Trevor Milton, the founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola who was sentenced to prison last year for fraud, was pardoned by President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed Friday.

The pardon of Milton, who was sentenced to four years in prison for exaggerating the potential of his technology, could wipe out hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution that prosecutors were seeking for defrauded investors.

Milton, 42, and his wife donated more than $1.8 million to a Trump re-election campaign fund less than a month before the November election, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Obvious quid pro quo. Pay venal man $1.8M to wipe out up to $600M in restitution.

Absolute golden age of fraud and grift.


Oh, and Milton's lawyer is Pam Bondi's brother. I'm sure his rates weren't bribe-inflated. This is why peole fall over themselves and give up any sense of morality or ethics to get in Trump's orbit. The opportunity for enrichment is almost infinite.

[LordMortis]

https://apnews.com/article/trump-earthq ... 9803e6239b

Let's see how much follow through there is by the GOP Administration dismantling all aid to all people foreign and domestic and what sort of quid pro quo is expected for him personally if any aid does go through.

Sarah Charles, a former senior USAID official who oversaw disaster-response teams and overall humanitarian work under the Biden administration, said the system was now “in shambles,” without the people or resources to move quickly to pull out survivors from collapsed buildings and otherwise save lives.

A powerful quake shook Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, killing at least 150 people and burying others under the rubble of high-rises.

Asked about the quake by reporters in Washington, Trump said: “We’re going to be helping. We’ve already alerted the people. Yeah, it’s terrible what happened.”

I hope he's got enough paper towels to throw around.

[msduncan]

we are about 4.8 % through "Season 2"

In other words, we're only part way through the first episode.

Pause it. I'm going to go get some chips and a drink.

[Blackhawk]

Can you get me one, too?

[Blackhawk]

Make it a double.

[Isgrimnur]

I see what you did there.

I know this keeps getting mentioned, but I really want to point out that the use of services like Signal is explicitly mentioned in Project 2025 as a way to avoid detection and FOIA requirements.

Snopes

However, Project 2025 does not recommend government officials use Signal or other chat applications. In fact, the "Project 2025 training videos" referenced by some social media users actually show a Project 2025 contributor, who spoke in the footage, explicitly warning future political appointees to be careful not to violate recordkeeping laws if they use encrypted chat platforms with auto-delete functions like Signal. Therefore, we have rated this claim as false.

However, these videos do offer strategies for avoiding public-record request disclosures, including by having conversations in person rather than through a texting chain.

[Smoove_B]

Huh. I thought it was mentioned in the actual printed documents, not the videos.

[Holman]

"Whatever you do, do NOT violate recordkeeping laws by using encrypted chat platforms with auto-delete functions like Signal!" [sprains face winking]

(And, of course, using Signal set to auto-delete is exactly what the Houthi Small Group was doing.)

[msduncan]

Okay, can the thread have enough pages for a Season 3?

[YellowKing]

That fat dementia-riddled fuck will be lucky to survive long enough for a third term.

[Holman]

That fat dementia-riddled fuck will be lucky to survive long enough for a third term.

I'm sure one of the "methods" available is a cage match between Elon and Don Jr to determine the rightful heir.

Pay-to-view starting at $500,000 obviously.

[Blackhawk]

Okay, can the thread have enough pages for a Season 3?

On the bright side, the more he talks about it, the more he'll be sabotaging the 2028 election if he doesn't run. MAGA will absolutely write him in or refuse to vote.

[Kraken]

Okay, can the thread have enough pages for a Season 3?

On the bright side, the more he talks about it, the more he'll be sabotaging the 2028 election if he doesn't run. MAGA will absolutely write him in or refuse to vote.

However the details unfold, trump is never going to leave office under his own steam. We can only be thankful that "president for life" won't be for long, in the unlikely event that he's still shambling around and spewing vitriol at the end of this term.

[LordMortis]

Can market manipulation get any more obvious

https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-ta ... aed6661a6c

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Wednesday will be “Liberation Day” — a moment when he plans to roll out a set of tariffs that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods.

The details of Trump’s next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes.

It is also possible that the tariffs are short-lived if Trump feels he can cut a deal after imposing them.

“I’m certainly open to it, if we can do something,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll get something for it.”

Hey but at least we'll get inflation, decreased consumer spending and layoffs out of this, right?

[LawBeefaroni]

The message is clear that the White House is open for bribery.

[msduncan]

Can market manipulation get any more obvious

https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-ta ... aed6661a6c

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Wednesday will be “Liberation Day” — a moment when he plans to roll out a set of tariffs that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods.

The details of Trump’s next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes.

It is also possible that the tariffs are short-lived if Trump feels he can cut a deal after imposing them.

“I’m certainly open to it, if we can do something,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll get something for it.”

Hey but at least we'll get inflation, decreased consumer spending and layoffs out of this, right?

Well, liberation day is in a few days. I'm sure everything will turn around after that.

[LawBeefaroni]

This is dumb but doesn't absolve it of being more blatant grifting.

https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/market ... an-bitcoin

On March 31, Eric Trump and Donald Jr. — U.S. President Donald Trump’s sons — entered into a partnership with the Bitcoin mining firm Hut 8 to launch American Bitcoin.

[Isgrimnur]

Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies

Senator Cory Booker has been giving a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, highlighting what he described as the “recklessness” of the Trump administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address on Monday night and said he would continue to speak for as long as he could “physically endure”. By 7.30am ET, Booker was still going.

[El Guapo]

Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies

Senator Cory Booker has been giving a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, highlighting what he described as the “recklessness” of the Trump administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address on Monday night and said he would continue to speak for as long as he could “physically endure”. By 7.30am ET, Booker was still going.

I'm glad he did this. This kind of thing is the sort of thing that Democrats need to be doing constantly.

That said, if I can nitpick a bit I wish he had a specific ask attached, like the resignation of Hegseth for example.

[msduncan]

Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies

Senator Cory Booker has been giving a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, highlighting what he described as the “recklessness” of the Trump administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address on Monday night and said he would continue to speak for as long as he could “physically endure”. By 7.30am ET, Booker was still going.

I'm glad he did this. This kind of thing is the sort of thing that Democrats need to be doing constantly.

That said, if I can nitpick a bit I wish he had a specific ask attached, like the resignation of Hegseth for example.

This is exactly how it's supposed to be done. And yes, he should have attached something to it.... but maybe more filibusters of things will be coming. Right now I'm not sure what Congress is doing at all (either side). I don't know if it's the lack of coverage or whether they've literally just been occupying seats.

[LordMortis]

I somehow put this in the wrong thread, so move it to where it belongs...

Live streaming

https://www.youtube.com/live/rCUK2VbdLS4

[Rumpy]

Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies

Senator Cory Booker has been giving a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, highlighting what he described as the “recklessness” of the Trump administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address on Monday night and said he would continue to speak for as long as he could “physically endure”. By 7.30am ET, Booker was still going.

I'm glad he did this. This kind of thing is the sort of thing that Democrats need to be doing constantly.

That said, if I can nitpick a bit I wish he had a specific ask attached, like the resignation of Hegseth for example.

This is exactly how it's supposed to be done. And yes, he should have attached something to it.... but maybe more filibusters of things will be coming. Right now I'm not sure what Congress is doing at all (either side). I don't know if it's the lack of coverage or whether they've literally just been occupying seats.

It's encouraging to see Democrats sticking their neck out for once. More of this!

[Holman]

If Booker makes it until 7:19pm, he will break the 24h18m record set by Strom Thurmond's speech against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.

This is fitting.

What's amazing is that he has stayed on-topic and serious the entire time. It's a passionate performance. (When Ted Cruz tried something similar, he wound up just rambling and reading Green Eggs and Ham to kill time.)

[LordMortis]

How can he be story telling and this full of energy and emotion and clear thinking after 24 hours?

[LawBeefaroni]

I somehow put this in the wrong thread, so move it to where it belongs...

Live streaming

https://www.youtube.com/live/rCUK2VbdLS4

Thanks for the link. Really impressive effort by Booker. Unbelievable. Have a feeling he's going to end really strong.

[Holman]

What's amazing is that he has stayed on-topic and serious the entire time. It's a passionate performance. (When Ted Cruz tried something similar, he wound up just rambling and reading Green Eggs and Ham to kill time.)

And apparently Strom Thurmond spent hours just reading from an encyclopedia.

[LordMortis]

John Lewis and forgiveness to Medicaid as he hits the record and then goes on a moral America and Signal.

Edit: Now that he's yielding, I dunno what it will accomplish but these last two hours were a fantastic bit of speaking.

[msduncan]

What's amazing is that he has stayed on-topic and serious the entire time. It's a passionate performance. (When Ted Cruz tried something similar, he wound up just rambling and reading Green Eggs and Ham to kill time.)

And apparently Strom Thurmond spent hours just reading from an encyclopedia.

I did a 12 hour stream once on Twitch. It was difficult to keep talking and make any sense whatsoever. 20 somethings can do it....but the older you get the tougher it gets.