THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

[aussiefriend]

Sir P. Grabby

Boom boom!

[BigMark]

Shakalaka!

[Carsman]

The Donald's approval rating went up a whopping "5%" after his Congressional speech!

[HairOfTheDog]

The new immigration travel ban was signed today.

It excludes Iraq, which definitely should not have been on the list in the first place.

It also exempts legal residents, visa holders, and green card holders from the 6 banned countries: Libya, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria.

In the revised Executive Order, Syrians are no longer banned indefinitely. Refugees from Syria will be subject to the same restrictions as the other 5 countries.

The ban takes effect March 16^th, even though President Trump defended the hasty roll out of the first ban on grounds that there was an emergency need/threat demanding that drastic action be taken right away.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think this version of the EO will probably stand up in court. But, it will be challenged and Trump's oft-repeated desire to ban Muslims during his campaign, Rudy's FOX interview admitting that Trump asked him how he could ban Muslims in a way that didn't violate religious discrimination laws, and the apparent lack of emergency need/threat will surely be used to oppose the new EO.

The fact that Homeland Security and all credible research shows that no one in the U.S. has been killed in a terror attack from immigrants or refugees from any of the 6 affected countries will likely also be used by those opposed to the ban.

In addition, the Homeland Security report, supported by the research of other experts, indicates that even more extreme vetting won't minimize the potential threat. Evidence shows that immigrants who turn to terrorism are radicalized after spending several years in the new country and failing to assimilate. I expect that fact will be used to oppose the new ban in court as well.

[Duchess]

If steel comes to the United States from Russia, is it still American steel that will make America great again? Just wondering.

[HairOfTheDog]

If steel comes to the United States from Russia, is it still American steel that will make America great again? Just wondering.

No. But, as I understand it, President Trump has backed off his mandate that only American steel be used for the Keystone Pipeline because a Russian company had already been engaged in the project before it was nixed by President Obama.

I've seen some people inquiring whether Russian steel would also be used in the construction of The Wall.

From what I've read, border control agents do not want a great big wall along the border. It doesn't make sense for them not to be able to see what's going down on the other side.

Border patrol wants more fencing and more agents, which is what Clinton and Sanders both proposed.

Also, there is no indication that Mexico is going to pay for The Wall. If that doesn't change and Trump tries to cover the cost through punitive tariffs, it will be American consumers and businesses who will be paying for The Wall.

[Midwest Spy]

For those of you who've watched House of Cards with Kevin Spacey, this whole Russian thing is really fascinating (and maybe dangerous).

In the show, Spacey becomes President (finally) and he suddenly is interacting a ton with the Russian Pres, who is created in Putin's likeness.

Just wondering if Don has watched the series (probably) and just can't help himself getting wrapped up with Russia?

[BigMark]

The Russian people are more like us than the chinese, we understand each other.

[sally]

My people are Russian. Ancestry.com, baby.

[BigMark]

Russian bitches are hot.

[Maggot]

Contracts for the government need "made in America" documentation. I sell fabricated steel to Air Force bases, Naval bases and quite a few projects that the government has a hand in. I thought keystone was a private organization that was not under government contract but was indeed a private sub contractor under the oil company. I could be wrong but for the last few years that cert was needed to even bid on government jobs.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah, Trump was apparently ignorant about BUSINESS contracts and practices like that, or he was lying, when he made a point of touting to the media his "American steel only" mandate in the Keystone Executive Order he signed.

[Maggot]

I'm not really sure about any of the contracts regarding keystone so I cannot really comment on the government involvement. Maybe a deal between industry and legal rights for the good of America was reached at some point in the negotiations. Regarding states rights for the groundwork and the payoffs given by the oil companies
I'm sure it is about the green and not righteousness by any means. We do live in a capitalist society and the feds have their hands in it fairly deep.

[BigMark]

Read it again o wise one, future pipelines will me American steel.

[HairOfTheDog]

Read it again o wise one, future pipelines will me American steel.

I don't know which wise one you're addressing, but the EO says 'new, retrofit, repair', etc.

I can see how the Keystone project falls into gray area.

But, I don't believe President Trump always meant to exempt it. I think he didn't know about inventory, previous administration negotiations, and supplier contracts before he pushed that EO through.

The reason I think that is because Donald Trump told me so back on February 23^rd. I listened to him tell a room full of steel CEOs that they're gonna be busy since he (Trump) greenlighted the Keystone and Dakota Pipelines which must be built with only U.S. steel.

I found a video of that meeting; it's at the link and President Trump makes the statement I cited within the first 30 seconds. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/23/trump-key...steel.html

[Duchess]

The National Park Service has released the official photos of the trump inauguration crowd and he's not going to be happy. Nope.

[aussiefriend]

Don't be so negative Duch! Of course he will be happy, hundreds and hundreds of people turned out to see him!

[Duchess]

Heh. I see what you did there.

[aussiefriend]

Heh. I see what you did there.

It's tricky when you post from your phone.