THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

[Rootilda]

I really hope Maggot posts shit like that to troll us because otherwise, he's got a (lot of) screw(s) loose.

In other news:

How Mark Burnett Resurrected Donald Trump as an Icon of American Success
With “The Apprentice,” the TV producer mythologized Trump—then a floundering D-lister—as the ultimate titan, paving his way to the Presidency.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/...an-success

[Fry Guy]

"News".
An interesting euphanenism for anti-Trump propaganda by the anti-Trump mainstream press.
Wow, a Progressive celebrity, Democrat or Left leaning news outlet says something shitty about Trump. That's both unique and cutting edge journalism.
At least these fantasies are not as torrid as the sexual fantasies you foist on us.

[Fry Guy]

Trump is in full meltdown now. And the minute the Democrats actually are able to provide oversight he will fold like a cheap suit. Idiots still defending him against evil Washington chicanery (see above) fail to mention that the Gross Old Perverts have controlled all three branches of govt for two full years. In other words, this mess is what they do when they ARE UNIMPEDED. Good fucking job, GOP. Fucking losers. How's that stock market silver lining doing for ya? Meanwhile, Trump will resign very shortly in order to keep himself and his kids out of prison, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him relocate overseas someplace. Putin has shifted his focus to prolong the chaos here, which means he will be dropping bombs on Trump starting very soon. Expect to see whatever he has enter the public domain.

Do you want to be checked on these ridiculous claims when they are provably false or are you just virtue signaling how "woke" and "progressive" you are?

[Maggot]

I thought it was funny how fast the media spun around from bitching because he didn't go and in the bat of an eye go to bitching about everything he did when he was there. And the left wing blogosphere. 

Here's a prediction. The left wing will hunt down the soldiers that had their hats signed even though they did nothing wrong and ......MAKE THEM PAY!!!

[Fry Guy]

As someone who has read your posts for the past 10 years in regards to the previous president I find it astounding that you would go from having such high standards for the commander-in-chief to having zero standards. You expressed disgust in a president who wore a helmet while biking with his daughters as if it took away from his manliness and you were horrified that he dare wear a tan suit. When he met with leaders in the Middle East you were outraged at what you saw as groveling before them and yet you are perfectly fine with this prez who has provided cover for the same people when they murdered & dismembered a journalist.

You support and defend the most wretched human to ever lead our nation, one who has lied to Americans over 7500 times.

"Them" who?
You know that the people Obama was bowing and simpering too are not the same people. In fact, you know there was recently a coup.
The truth is i have previously expressed the fact that the new ruler is of immense importance as a counter to Iran who Obama gave hundreds of billions of dollars to. They were in the process of lowering gas prices buying multibillion dollars contracts for aircraft and weapons.
Like many rulers, the Prince is likely a thug and a spoiled brat. I don't know whether the Prince specifically ordered the death of the journalist. I suspect he did. I know one thing though as you do, the Prince would never admit it regardless.

So you have a new Prince of one of the most powerful Middle Eastern countries of the world who is an ally and significant trading partner, who likely killed a journalist and has been condemned.

What ought President Trump do and for what result?

[BigMark]

What if he was a spy?

[Maggot]

What if he was a spy?

Then he should hop on his camel, go to D.C. and get his MAGA hat signed.

[HairOfTheDog]

Trump also recycled a claim from last year that the military hasn't gotten a raise in 10 years and he insisted that they will receive over a 10% increase in their paychecks.  All lies and easily checked.  

These are the types of Trump lies that bother me most -- self-aggrandizing low-brow con jobs directed at people who deserve much better.

As you alluded, military personnel get raises every year, as a matter of process.  And, they are not getting a 10% raise in 2019, they are getting a 2.6% salary increase. https://fox2now.com/2018/12/27/trump-mis...t-to-iraq/    

But, Trump didn't stop with those ignorant lies.  He went on to paint himself as some kind of badass negotiator and champion by claiming he pushed hard to get them the (phony) 10% raise.   

Anyway, it's disappointing that there are people who casually deny or defend how fucked-up it is for the President of the United States to stand in front of active duty service men and women and straight up disrespect them with such blatant bullshit.

And, it's still a bit surreal to me that so many of those deniers/defenders ironically rationalize their idolization of Trump by claiming, "he tells it like it is!". Foolish souls.

[HairOfTheDog]

Workin' the Polls

President Trump pays a whole lot of attention to polls (and ratings).  He would be wise, in my opinion, to ponder the results of this poll before the new Congress is sworn-in on January 3^rd.  

Snip:
More Americans blame President than Democrats for the six-day partial government shutdown, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released today.

The new poll found that 33 percent of American blamed congressional Democrats for the shutdown, while 47 percent blamed Trump. Seven percent blamed Republicans in Congress. A little more than 12 percent said "other" in response to the options of who to blame.

Only 35 percent of those polled said they support including money for a wall on the Mexican border in a bill to open the government. Just 25 percent of those polled said they backed Trump for shutting down parts of the federal government over the issue.

Both sides are now in a public blame game over who is responsible for the shutdown. Democrats are confident they will win that public relations fight because of Trump's past statements at a meeting with congressional Democratic leaders that he would own/embrace a shutdown over the wall. The poll is likely to bolster their confidence. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...-democrats

[Rootilda]

Trump also recycled a claim from last year that the military hasn't gotten a raise in 10 years and he insisted that they will receive over a 10% increase in their paychecks.  All lies and easily checked.  

These are the types  of Trump lies that bother me most -- self-aggrandizing low-brow con jobs directed at people who deserve much better.

As you alluded, military personnel get raises every year, as a matter of process.  And, they are not getting a 10% raise in 2019, they are getting a 2.6% salary increase. https://fox2now.com/2018/12/27/trump-mis...t-to-iraq/    

But, Trump didn't stop with those ignorant lies.  He went on to paint himself as some kind of badass negotiator and champion by claiming he pushed hard to get them the (phony) 10% raise.   

Anyway, it's disappointing that there are people who casually deny or defend how fucked-up it is for the President of the United States to stand in front of active duty service men and women and straight up disrespect them with such blatant bullshit.  

And, it's still a bit surreal to me that so many of those deniers/defenders ironically rationalize their idolization of Trump by claiming, "he tells it like it is!".  Foolish souls.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't often read The New Yorker and hadn't heard of Paul Noth before you posted that sketch Rootilda.  

The simple old-school political cartoons sometimes pack the hardest punches. This one by Noth is also good.

[Fry Guy]

Workin' the Polls

President Trump pays a whole lot of attention to polls (and ratings).  He would be wise, in my opinion, to ponder the results of this poll before the new Congress is sworn-in on January 3^rd.  

Snip:
More Americans blame President than Democrats for the six-day partial government shutdown, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released today.

The new poll found that 33 percent of American blamed congressional Democrats for the shutdown, while 47 percent blamed Trump. Seven percent blamed Republicans in Congress. A little more than 12 percent said "other" in response to the options of who to blame.

Only 35 percent of those polled said they support including money for a wall on the Mexican border in a bill to open the government. Just 25 percent of those polled said they backed Trump for shutting down parts of the federal government over the issue.

Both sides are now in a public blame game over who is responsible for the shutdown. Democrats are confident they will win that public relations fight because of Trump's past statements at a meeting with congressional Democratic leaders that he would own/embrace a shutdown over the wall. The poll is likely to bolster their confidence. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...-democrats

The polls are magical things made by otherworldly wizards. Like the polls that said Brexit would lose and Donald Trump had 98.4% chance to lose.

But imagine this simple poll.

Poll Trump's popularity vs ANY of the current frontrunners for Democratic Presidential candidate?

Polls.

[Duchess]

I don't often read The New Yorker and hadn't heard of Paul Noth before you posted that sketch Rootilda.  

The simple old-school political cartoons sometimes pack the hardest punches. This one by Noth is also good.

   Spot on

[HairOfTheDog]

Shutdown Showdown

The partial government shutdown entered its 12^th day today.

Nine federal departments remain unfunded and hundreds of thousands of federal workers face missing paychecks amid an impasse over funding for the border wall/fence/barrier. 

Democrats have pledged to pass spending legislation with border security money over $1billion, but without 'wall' money, when they take control of the House on Thursday. 

But Trump has already promised to oppose the measure, leaving Congress and the White House still far from a solution (McConnell has said he won't put the bill to vote on the Senate floor if Trump won't sign it anyway).

(continued)

[HairOfTheDog]

A tweet Wednesday morning raised questions about why Trump still demands taxpayer money for the wall. He claimed "Mexico is paying for the wall" through a replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Trump administration has struggled to explain that assertion, and Congress still needs to approve the deal for it to take effect.

He also claimed "much of the wall has already been fully renovated or built." Congress has not passed funding for the wall as Trump proposed, but has put money toward replacing existing fencing or building new fences on the border.

This morning, Trump encouraged Pelosi, via tweet, to 'make a deal' and invited she and Schumer to the White House today.  Pelosi responded by tweet.

[/url]Nancy Pelosi

✔@NancyPelosi

@realDonaldTrump has given Democrats a great opportunity to show how we will govern responsibly & quickly pass our plan to end the irresponsible #TrumpShutdown – just the first sign of things to come in our new Democratic Majority committed to working #ForThePeople.


Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump

Border Security and the Wall “thing” and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?
[url=https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1080177487517233157]

Aside from Pelosi, Schumer and McConnell, the White House also invited congressional leaders Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Steve Scalise, R-La., along with Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and John Thune, R-S.D.

I don't think a deal will be had today, but we'll see.

Ref:  https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/02/pelosi-s...sists.html

[Maggot]

He invited them over to listen to his old "Korla Pandit" records.

[HairOfTheDog]

A Bit from Mitt

Mitt Romney penned an Op-Ed for he Washington Post yesterday, ahead of his Thursday swearing-in as a newly-elected U.S. Senator.

Snip:

Mitt Romney: The president shapes the public character of the nation. Trump’s character falls short.

The Trump presidency made a deep descent in December. The departures of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, the appointment of senior persons of lesser experience, the abandonment of allies who fight beside us, and the president’s thoughtless claim that America has long been a “sucker” in world affairs all defined his presidency down.

It is well known that Donald Trump was not my choice for the Republican presidential nomination. After he became the nominee, I hoped his campaign would refrain from resentment and name-calling. It did not. When he won the election, I hoped he would rise to the occasion. His early appointments of Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Nikki Haley, Gary Cohn, H.R. McMaster, Kelly and Mattis were encouraging. But, on balance, his conduct over the past two years, particularly his actions last month, is evidence that the president has not risen to the mantle of the office.

It is not that all of the president’s policies have been misguided. He was right to align U.S. corporate taxes with those of global competitors, to strip out excessive regulations, to crack down on China’s unfair trade practices, to reform criminal justice and to appoint conservative judges. These are policies mainstream Republicans have promoted for years. But policies and appointments are only a part of a presidency.

To a great degree, a presidency shapes the public character of the nation. A president should unite us and inspire us to follow “our better angels.” A president should demonstrate the essential qualities of honesty and integrity, and elevate the national discourse with comity and mutual respect. As a nation, we have been blessed with presidents who have called on the greatness of the American spirit. With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbent’s shortfall has been most glaring.

The world is also watching. America has long been looked to for leadership. Our economic and military strength was part of that, of course, but our enduring commitment to principled conduct in foreign relations, and to the rights of all people to freedom and equal justice, was even more esteemed. Trump’s words and actions have caused dismay around the world. In a 2016 Pew Research Center poll, 84 percent of people in Germany, Britain, France, Canada and Sweden believed the American president would “do the right thing in world affairs.” One year later, that number had fallen to 16 percent.

Romney goes on to call for repairing our fiscal condition, working together for less tribalism, and promising to support the President when he agrees with him and speak out against the President when he does not.  Full piece:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/...faf5ef1cfe

Trump responded today, by tweet, saying he won the presidency and Mitt did not, and he hopes Mitt isn't a 'Flake' of a senator and will be a team player and strong on border security.  https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-...player-win

[Maggot]

Romney speaks for his Democrat party but uses the term "tribalism" wrong.

[HairOfTheDog]

Romney speaks for his Democrat party but uses the term "tribalism" wrong.

Romney supports the Republican party platform and most of Trump's policies.  

So, serious question Mags -- why do you think Romney is now a Democrat, because he's calling for character, honesty, and integrity?

[Duchess]

"speaks for his Democratic party" Ahahahahahaha!