THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

[Blindgreed1]

I saw these #'s yesterday and automatically assumed it was a typo because the media invested so much time in flaming Trump's speech. Someone commented that he just read a speech that someone else wrote for him, so I looked it up. The last president to write his own speech?... Woodrow Wilson.

Are you cereal? Progressives better get a reality check. I mean for a party that claims to be for the "little" man, having Joe Kennedy deliver the rebuttal only shows how out of touch the dems are. I mean the Kennedy's are the antithesis of middle class.

One of the most privileged families in America, if not THE most.

[Maggot]

The ACLU is upset Trump used the term "America" 66 times or so because it was to inclusive. The American Civil liberty Union.

[HairOfTheDog]

Are you cereal? Progressives better get a reality check. I mean for a party that claims to be for the "little" man, having Joe Kennedy deliver the rebuttal only shows how out of touch the dems are. I mean the Kennedy's are the antithesis of middle class.

One of the most privileged families in America, if not THE most.

Yeah guys, but rural Republican and Independent voters (along with some Democratic voters) did elect a very privileged New York billionaire to the presidency running on a "working man" platform.

These days, it seems a whole lot of voters care about what politicians say and promise more than they care about politicians' backgrounds and personal characteristics.

Anyway, Joe Kennedy is younger and not as far left as most of the Democratic politicians in the spotlight, he's reportedly not considering running for President in 2020 (and was thus willing to take on the thankless and risky 'rebutter' role), and the Kennedy name and policies define "Democrat" to a lot of people. I'm not sure the Dems had a better option.

[HairOfTheDog]

The ACLU is upset Trump used the term "America" 66 times or so because it was to inclusive. The American Civil liberty Union.

The ACLU sometimes really misses the mark and looks foolish, that's for sure.

In context, I get what Faiz Shakir, the ACLU's national political director, was getting at in his written statement below.

Tonight, President Trump said the word ‘America’ more than 80 times in his speech. Yet, after a divisive first year, we hear and feel how exclusionary that ‘America’ is, with policies that have harmed so many vulnerable American communities. The ACLU stands ready to protect these communities, both in the courts and at the polls.

In particular, the immigration plan put forth by Trump would hold Dreamers hostage to his demands for a harmful border wall and an even larger mass deportation force. We are at this crossroads because of the President’s deeply destructive ideas fomented by his nativist allies and divisive rhetoric. We will continue to stand up for these young immigrants and ensure they continue to contribute to our country. We cannot let America’s Dreamers be deported.

But, I still think the complaint about Trump's frequent use of the word 'America' is petty and off-base.

[Blindgreed1]

The ACLU is upset Trump used the term "America" 66 times or so because it was to inclusive. The American Civil liberty Union.

The ACLU sometimes really misses the mark and looks foolish, that's for sure.

In context, I get what Faiz Shakir, the ACLU's national political director, was getting at in his written statement below.

Tonight, President Trump said the word ‘America’ more than 80 times in his speech. Yet, after a divisive first year, we hear and feel how exclusionary that ‘America’ is, with policies that have harmed so many vulnerable American communities. The ACLU stands ready to protect these communities, both in the courts and at the polls.

In particular, the immigration plan put forth by Trump would hold Dreamers hostage to his demands for a harmful border wall and an even larger mass deportation force. We are at this crossroads because of the President’s deeply destructive ideas fomented by his nativist allies and divisive rhetoric. We will continue to stand up for these young immigrants and ensure they continue to contribute to our country. We cannot let America’s Dreamers be deported.

But, I still think the complaint about Trump's frequent use of the word 'America' is petty and off-base.

The immigration plan bummed me out. I had hoped to hear something encouraging as far as Trumps alleged "compromise" with the left on immigration reform, but what I heard solidified that there will be no immigration reform anytime soon. And pardon me for asking, but does anyone really think a 12 YEAR path to citizenship is something that will encourage immigrants to become citizens? FFS... A swing and a miss for sure.

[BigMark]

I think you mean illegal alien citizenship reform.

[Maggot]

You really have to stop the flow then give a decent way to become a citizen 12yrs is a long time but it's much better than tomorrow. I don't understand why Dems don't like the idea of turning them and other illegals into citizens. For one of the first times they can become legal I would have thought that was why they wanted to be here. They could vote, be drafted, be in the selective service program and truly be self sustaining. The amount is staggering 1.8 million I'm not sure if that's the population of Hawaii but it's a lot. The Illegal occupation needs to stop at any rate and in that every American should agree.

[Blindgreed1]

The Illegal occupation needs to stop at any rate and in that every American should agree.

I agree wholeheartedly. But make it easier for them to become legal. The Dems are never going to play ball with that 4 column plan so there is where it stalls and dies. The wall is a ridiculous idea that will never work. There are already a myriad of tunnels under the existing wall. Scrap that idea and make it easier and cheaper, but do extensive vetting. Stop throwing money away on the war on drugs and see how quickly things improve.

[Maggot]

Or get some sand worms from Dune.

[HairOfTheDog]

This is what I feared was coming and really really really hope is short term.

Today, the Dow ended down 1,175 points, a 4.6% decline. That makes it the largest ever single-day point drop for the Dow in history.

After 9 years of strong stock market gains, including very strong growth since Trump took office, values are still up as compared to this time last year. But, the volatility shown late last week and today is concerning.

It could be that the market is experiencing correction to inflated stock values that are now coming down for a few reasons:

1. Interest rates have begun rising since the government disclosed it will have to ramp up borrowing in 2018 to make up for revenue lost to the tax-cut bill.

2. The possibility that recent increases in hourly wages, pushed up even more by corporations handing out bonuses and pay bumps in the wake of the tax bill, may force the Fed to move faster to fight inflation (thus offsetting the economic benefits of the tax cuts).

3. Jerome Powell -- the new Fed chair installed by Trump and sworn in Monday -- is not expected to deviate sharply from his predecessor Janet Yellen, who had a gentle hand when it came to raising interest rates and was largely seen as a gift to Wall Street. However, he's not nearly as well-known to Wall Street as Yellen and thus there is some risk associated with uncertainty.

The "what goes up must come down" reality is why it was surprising to many that President Trump so often boasted that he's responsible for stock market growth and tied the economy (which is still strong here and around the world) to the stock market. They are not the same, as Duchess pointed out upthread.

Presidents rarely ever comment on the stock market or attempt to take credit for its gains like Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn have done. In so doing, they tied stock market declines directly to their policies and leadership as well, by all rational logic (though I doubt any of them will take responsibility for negative performance like they did for positive performance).

Please let this be a short term correction and not the beginning of a bear market.

[Duchess]

That's ^^^^^ even more fucked up than trump calling Dems treasonous for their SOTU reaction. Or would that be non-reaction?

[Donovan]

Trump has requested a giant military parade. Because small penis. At a cost of millions. And this year will be the first in which his policies truly become enacted. Prepare for escalating chaos.

[BigMark]

Everybody loves a parade!

[Duchess]

Trump has requested a giant military parade. Because small penis. At a cost of millions.

At the cost of millions it seems kinda minor to mention that the road will have to be replaced afterwards.

This is what they do in Russia & North Korea. He wanted that parade for his inauguration. There are no real checks & balances because so many are scared shitless of him. I can hardly wait until all those cocksuckas are run out of town on a rail.

[HairOfTheDog]

Trump has requested a giant military parade. Because small penis. At a cost of millions.

At the cost of millions it seems kinda minor to mention that the road will have to be replaced afterwards.

This is what they do in Russia & North Korea. He wanted that parade for his inauguration. There are no real checks & balances because so many are scared shitless of him. I can hardly wait until all those cocksuckas are run out of town on a rail.

I don't object to military parades designed to honor returning soldiers at the end of a war.

But, a military parade for show-off and celebration purposes is a stupid waste of tax-payer money and governmental focus. I hope Congress listens to the majority of its constituents and quashes Trump's dream on this one.

Robert James O’Neill is a FOX News contributor and the former Navy Seal who shot Osama BinLaden dead. Even he objects to Trump's military parade proposal.

“A military parade is third world bulls—-,” O'Neill wrote . “We prepare. We deter. We fight. Stop this conversation.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/chec...-bad-idea/

I wish Trump would listen to O'Neill, but doubt that he will.

[Duchess]

trump wants his personal pilot to run the FAA. *sigh*

He can't stop asking for unqualified people to be put in positions of power because those who are qualified are not touching this administration with a 10 ft. pole.

[BigMark]

We need more pride in this country.

[Duchess]

We need more pride in this country.

How so? Maybe you could elaborate a little? Pride in what exactly?

[Blindgreed1]

Here you go Duchess

[BigMark]

Pride in America, proud to BE an American. Half the people in this State want a different flag to fly over us.