Cont: President Trump: Part 3

[Foolmewunz]

Source

Trump's projecting again. He barely knows that Lincoln was a Republican in all likelihood. Probably found out about it sometime in late 2015. His knowledge of history is pretty abysmal. (Maybe he should ask Frederick Douglass? I hear he's doing pretty good and might have a decent history library.)

 

[Jim_MDP]

Trump's projecting again. He barely knows that Lincoln was a Republican in all likelihood. Probably found out about it sometime in late 2015. His knowledge of history is pretty abysmal. (Maybe he should ask Frederick Douglass? I hear he's doing pretty good and might have a decent history library.)

"I hear" Frederick's popularity is climbing.

Did Donald take notice because it worried him?

 

[FenerFan]

"Ronnie Hill," chasing after the ladies.

Wonderful.

Actually, I was referring to how the song is often used in videos showing people running around aimlessly, knocking stuff over, or just generally screwing up. It was used on Benny Hill in that same way, too, IIRC. I think it fits Trump as President. I wasn't thinking about the lecherous old man angle.

 

[FenerFan]

More examples as to why I have stated for the record that Trump is unfit to be President of the United States.


Trump's credibility is shot

(CNN)Monday was a turning point for Donald Trump's credibility. He had fibbed about crowd numbers, and pushed crazy conspiracy stories about illegal voters. But continuing to claim that former President Obama ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower, even after the sitting FBI and NSA directors made clear it was false, was a new low.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/21/opinions/credibility-of-president-opinion-psaki/index.html


Tillerson plan to skip NATO, visit Russia puts allies on edge

Washington (CNN)The State Department scrambled Tuesday to suggest new dates for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers after his plan to skip the annual gathering -- but travel to Russia -- came to light.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/21/politics/tillerson-to-skip-nato-visit-russia/index.html


Generals come to State Department defense

Washington (CNN)A small army of retired three- and four-star generals launched a mission on Capitol Hill Tuesday: to defend the State Department against drastic budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump's budget would increase military spending by about $54 billion dollars, while cutting the State Department's budget by $11 billion, or 28.7%, in large part by slashing aid and development funds.

Reducing the investment in diplomacy, aid and development will make the US ultimately less safe, argued retired four-star Gen. George Casey, the former commanding general in Iraq from 2004 to 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/21/politics/generals-defend-state-department-funding-congress/index.html

I agree with Casey. A million dollars can buy 2 or 3 air-to-airs, maybe, or a whole lot of food and/or necessities to distribute to locals. This, IMO, goes more towards protecting long-term US interests than beefing up the military. (I want to add that, personally, I am all for a strong defense. I think well-equipped and well-trained soldiers are very important).
However, the huge slash in State's budget is a bad mistake. The vacuum of influence left overseas can gladly be filled by those working against US interests. They will happily win the hearts, minds, and trigger fingers of a portion of the next generation.
I also wanted to add that the games Trump seems to be playing with NATO are harmful, too. The NATO countries, excluding Turkey these days, are our closest allies in the world, aren't they? The idea that the US would exit from the group is very bad. I may be wrong, but isn't membership in NATO one of the cornerstones of our overall defense strategy? Wouldn't the logistics of dismantling of our relationship with NATO be complex and expensive? I'm sure contingency plans are sitting somewhere in the Pentagon, but implementing them would be a nightmare. Trump shouldn't even be hinting that the U.S. might exit the group.

 

[SezMe]

Then why did he agree to meet her at all? That doesn't quite fit.

I'd SPECULATE that he wants to be seen on the world's stage; to be seen as presidential since so many pundits on both sides of the aisle have asserted that he is not of presidential timbre.

 

[SezMe]

That's a pretty bold assertion. Do you have anything to back that up ?

Always check to see if Marplots' tongue is firmly embedded in his cheek.

 

[SezMe]

Ivanka is getting a White House office:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/ivanka-trump-white-house-236273

It is the Security Clearence part that worries me.

Me too. In addition it makes Trump's assertion of no close association with the kids who are running his businesses a sham.

Off-Topic: Here's a tough question: In the picture of her does the makeup on her face weigh more or less than a pound?

 

[SezMe]

Many adult children live with their elderly parents to provide the special care they need.

Gave me my requisite chuckle-a-day. Thanks.

 

[Cain]

I'm really curious. If we aren't willing to help our allies from a defense perspective why in the hell do we need to increase our already massive defense budget?

I'm with Trump when it comes to letting Europe pay for its own damn defense. What's ridiculous is that instead of using that money to invest in social infrastructure -- butter -- he wants to pour it into MORE guns. Lunacy.

It's like he doesn't understand why we have foreign aid or why we provide Europe's defense. It's telling that Republicans Marco ****in' Rubio need to say that foreign aid is "strategic," and "not charity." Similarly, the United States does not keep military bases in Germany to protect "Old Europe," or people with strange accents. The planners in the Postwar period did it (in part) to prevent the rise of a power that could challenge US dominance.

The EU has many of the resources necessary to be a superpower. What they obviously lack is political cohesion, especially now, but as securitization theorists like to point out, nothing can hasten that change more than a security reframe.

 

[Belz...]

Countries are a social construct. They do not have "honesty" or "principles".

Oh, how "edgy" of you. Seriously, did you read some old political essay recently? Sticking to an ideology that has little to no application in the real world just makes you look foolish.

 

[The Don]

BBC article which outlines the challenges that ranchers now and will face thanks to Trump's trade plans.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39238269

The beef industry is already reeling from the loss of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which President Trump withdrew from in his first week in office.

The free trade agreement with Pacific Rim countries, including many in Asia, was set to expand America's export market for beef. By some estimates, it could have added $400m in sales each year.

and

He's not alone. Last year the American beef industry earned over $6bn (£4.9bn) from overseas sales. Among the biggest purchasers are Canada and Mexico, partners with the US in the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).

President Trump's promise to renegotiate Nafta and possibly place tariffs on Mexico or other US trading partners has the industry worried.

Of course both are speculation at this stage - there isn't a parallel industry where the TPP remained in force so it's entirely possible that the missed opportunities are vastly overstated and there's no indication what whether there will be changes to NAFTA and if so what they are and their likely impact would be.

 

[Spindrift]

It's like he doesn't understand why we have foreign aid or why we provide Europe's defense.

It's not like he doesn't understand, I'm sure he really doesn't understand.

 

[Stacko]

Mike Flynn didn't sign Trump's ethics pledge leaving him free to continue foreign government lobbying if he chooses.

The White House’s former top national security official did not sign an ethics pledge ostensibly required of all Trump administration appointees barring them from ethically questionable lobbying activities, The Daily Beast has learned.

A spokesman for former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn confirmed on Tuesday that Flynn did not sign the pledge during his brief tenure.

The pledge, imposed by executive order a week after President Donald Trump took office, bars all federal appointees from lobbying their former colleagues for five years after leaving the administration and bans them from lobbying on behalf of foreign governments for life.

 

[CapelDodger]

Source

Geddafuggoudahere!

That's Fake News, surely. No, not the bit about Lincoln, the bit about Mr President Trump.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Oh, how "edgy" of you. Seriously, did you read some old political essay recently? Sticking to an ideology that has little to no application in the real world just makes you look foolish.

Application in the real world? Argentina defaulted on the principle that they were not the people who made horrible decisions.

 

[fagin]

Application in the real world? Argentina defaulted on the principle that they were not the people who made horrible decisions.

Eight times so far I believe.

And how has that worked out for them?

 

[Belz...]

Application in the real world? Argentina defaulted on the principle that they were not the people who made horrible decisions.

That has literally nothing to do with what I posted.

 

[Spindrift]

That has literally nothing to do with what I posted.

Are you surprised?

 

[acbytesla]

I agree with Casey. A million dollars can buy 2 or 3 air-to-airs, maybe, or a whole lot of food and/or necessities to distribute to locals. This, IMO, goes more towards protecting long-term US interests than beefing up the military. (I want to add that, personally, I am all for a strong defense. I think well-equipped and well-trained soldiers are very important).
However, the huge slash in State's budget is a bad mistake. The vacuum of influence left overseas can gladly be filled by those working against US interests. They will happily win the hearts, minds, and trigger fingers of a portion of the next generation.
I also wanted to add that the games Trump seems to be playing with NATO are harmful, too. The NATO countries, excluding Turkey these days, are our closest allies in the world, aren't they? The idea that the US would exit from the group is very bad. I may be wrong, but isn't membership in NATO one of the cornerstones of our overall defense strategy? Wouldn't the logistics of dismantling of our relationship with NATO be complex and expensive? I'm sure contingency plans are sitting somewhere in the Pentagon, but implementing them would be a nightmare. Trump shouldn't even be hinting that the U.S. might exit the group.

What does a strong military mean? You don't think our military is strong now? America is like the white trash neighbor who buys every firearm possible but his children are in rags and haven't seen a dentist or a doctor and his house is falling apart.

 

[acbytesla]

I'm with Trump when it comes to letting Europe pay for its own damn defense. What's ridiculous is that instead of using that money to invest in social infrastructure -- butter -- he wants to pour it into MORE guns. Lunacy.

It's like he doesn't understand why we have foreign aid or why we provide Europe's defense. It's telling that Republicans Marco ****in' Rubio need to say that foreign aid is "strategic," and "not charity." Similarly, the United States does not keep military bases in Germany to protect "Old Europe," or people with strange accents. The planners in the Postwar period did it (in part) to prevent the rise of a power that could challenge US dominance.

The EU has many of the resources necessary to be a superpower. What they obviously lack is political cohesion, especially now, but as securitization theorists like to point out, nothing can hasten that change more than a security reframe.

I really think Trump is an idiot. The idea that we need to increase our already bloated military budget is ridiculous. As for how much we spend on diplomacy and foreign aid, I agree with you 100 percent. That said it is almost impossible to quantify it's value.