(02-28-2017, 10:57 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: In a couple of hours, President Trump will give his first speech to the joint houses of Congress. Should be interesting.

This morning on FOX News, Trump gave himself an A for achievement and a C+ for messaging in regards to his first month in office.

President Trump is expected to talk about his huge budget request. He wants to increase military spending substantially, even though he's promised reduced taxes, especially for the top 10% and top 1% in terms of wealth.

I support reviewing and scrapping regulations that hurt more than help business with no real benefit to the environment or the economy. But, I'm concerned he'll want to basically gut the Environmental Protection Agency. I sure hope not.

The U.S. already spends 10x the amount of $$ on military/defense than the next top 10 countries spend combined. We're not underfunded or 'losing' in terms of our military, in my opinion, but I suspect that Trump will insist otherwise again.

He's also expected to talk about his immigration ban (the new EO has not been submitted yet; the ban remains on hold) along with his deportation plan.

The EPA is a joke. Has everyone forgotten what they did to the Animas river in Colorado? The EPA doesn't deal in terms of regulations and standards. They deal in fines. Money. And that's all the EPA does. Make money.

I agree that the EPA has some serious problems and a lot of bureaucracy, Gunnar. That was not only apparent in the examples you cited, but also when it comes to the Flint water crisis.

But, I support the EPA's charter and they do some important work protecting people and the environment.

So, I'd rather see the agency reformed and elevated than greatly minimized and neutered.

My state values nature & the outdoors in general. I hope that continues regardless of what fuckface does.

(02-28-2017, 12:41 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: I agree that the EPA has some serious problems and a lot of bureaucracy, Gunnar. That was not only apparent in the examples you cited, but also when it comes to the Flint water crisis.

But, I support the EPA's charter and they do some important work protecting people and the environment.

So, I'd rather see the agency reformed and elevated than greatly minimized and neutered.

When the EPA learns to be proactive instead of reactive I may jump on board, lets hold our breath shall we?

I'm not gonna join you in holding your breath, Gunnar.

I'm gonna just keep acknowledging both the good and bad of our various governmental agencies and supporting continuous improvement.

The EPA has done a lot of good. The agency has been a driving force in dramatically cutting air pollution and acid rain, preserving the bald eagle and other endangered species and lands, ridding the country of dangerous leaded gasoline almost entirely, etc... At present, the agency is working on climate change and clean energy strategies.

The EPA needs to clean house to become more efficient, in my opinion. A lot of the problems lie at the state EPA level, so it's probably more challenging to do that quickly though.

Waiting on 9pm, the Trumpster is addressing Congress! Oh oh.

Nobody tried more than me to like him, but he's starting to work on my goddamn nerves.

(02-28-2017, 08:39 PM)Carsman Wrote: Waiting on 9pm, the Trumpster is addressing Congress! Oh oh.

So far it looks like the fucking muppet show with Trump as Dr. Evil from Austin Powers.

I like what he said about healthcare, but he didn't propose how that's going to get done.

I'm typing another message just to make to 4 in a row.

(02-28-2017, 09:37 PM)sally Wrote: Nobody tried more than me to like him, but he's starting to work on my goddamn nerves.

(02-28-2017, 10:27 PM)sally Wrote:

(02-28-2017, 08:39 PM)Carsman Wrote: Waiting on 9pm, the Trumpster is addressing Congress! Oh oh.

So far it looks like the fucking muppet show with Trump as Dr. Evil from Austin Powers.

(02-28-2017, 10:47 PM)sally Wrote: I like what he said about healthcare, but he didn't propose how that's going to get done.

(02-28-2017, 10:49 PM)sally Wrote: I'm typing another message just to make to 4 in a row.

I was pleasingly surprised that the Donald did as good as he did.

The hater's are gonna hate, no matter what he did/does!

He does have an unorthodox style, so lets give him at least a chance for his "first 100 days"!

(To be revisited in two months for "yea or nay" update)

(03-01-2017, 09:19 AM)Carsman Wrote:

(02-28-2017, 09:37 PM)sally Wrote: Nobody tried more than me to like him, but he's starting to work on my goddamn nerves.

(02-28-2017, 10:27 PM)sally Wrote:

(02-28-2017, 08:39 PM)Carsman Wrote: Waiting on 9pm, the Trumpster is addressing Congress! Oh oh.

So far it looks like the fucking muppet show with Trump as Dr. Evil from Austin Powers.

(02-28-2017, 10:47 PM)sally Wrote: I like what he said about healthcare, but he didn't propose how that's going to get done.

(02-28-2017, 10:49 PM)sally Wrote: I'm typing another message just to make to 4 in a row.

I was pleasingly surprised that the Donald did as good as he did.

The hater's are gonna hate, no matter what he did/does!

He does have an unorthodox style, so lets give him at least a chance for his "first 100 days"!

(To be revisited in two months for "yea or nay" update)

He was surprisingly presidential last night.

President Trump was definitely much better in tone and messaging last night than he has been thus far, in my opinion too.

He's reportedly putting off signing the new immigration ban Executive Order for a while so as not to take away from the positive reaction to his first joint Congressional address. That's smart.

Also smart, if true, is the fact that he's reportedly removing Iraq from the list of 7 banned countries since they're an ally and we've got military personnel safety to consider there. It will also reportedly exempt permanent residents, green-card holders, and visa holders from the 6 remaining countries.

Putting Ryan Owens' widow on full display was gratuitous, I thought, but also smart and hopefully sincere. She clearly was moved by the tribute to her late husband and the long standing ovation; it probably served to mitigate the attention on Owens' dad's feelings that President Trump is responsible for Ryan's death.

Trump's starting a new crime unit called VOICE -- Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement? That was news to me and I disagree with the concept and necessity on a few levels.

I don't see Trump being able to get a good deal of what he's proposing to expand the military, crime enforcement, healthcare reform, etc... through the Congressional budget committees when he's proposing to cut taxes at the same time. Unless/until President Trump can offer realistic evidence that cutting regulations and his forecasts for economic growth will mitigate some or all of the cost of the requested budget increases, I think Paul Ryan will be pushing back hard.

Hahaha! The bar is set so low for that moron.

(03-01-2017, 12:17 PM)Duchess Wrote: Hahaha! The bar is set so low for that moron.

The bar was very low ahead of last night's address, no doubt.

I was glad to see that he cleared that low bar and at least condemned hate crimes and put some compassion and willingness to compromise on display last night.

Now, it will be interesting to see if he was sincere and follows through.

I don't feel like he is being held to any kind of standard. Many of the comments I've seen (outside of Mock) are from those who think the speech was a success because he remained on the teleprompter and didn't say anything outrageous. Big fuckin' deal.

Meanwhile his press secretary is confiscating staff phones so they all can be checked to see who they are communicating with.

It was a good speech at any rate and hopefully more to come. I loved the look on Pelosi's face! Warren was squeaking in her chair too. It looked like the day Obama came out with Obamacare but with opposing thumbs.

Smart people fall for the presidential pivot every time. Suckers.

I feel the need to clarify. *sigh* I wasn't calling anyone here a sucker.

I've grown to hate the word 'pivot'.

I don't think Donald Trump is going to change his views or style.

But, if he wants to succeed in getting legislation passed, getting his budget requests approved, and increasing his favorable rating..........he's going to have to learn from his mistakes to date, start listening to and cooperating with people, and cut way back on the false rhetoric and misinformation.

Can he do that? Remains to be seen.