The Trump Presidency VII

[Sideroxylon]

Amongst Scott Pruitt's $4.6m spending on security is $2749.62 on "tactical pants" and "tactical polos"

There is that fiscal conservatism the GOP adore.

 

[Darat]

There is that fiscal conservatism the GOP adore.

Hey he needs to be ready in case Peter Fonda starts shooting tweets in his direction!

 

[TurkeysGhost]

There is that fiscal conservatism the GOP adore.

Surely there are other conservatives that are antithetical to the mission the EPA. Why do we have to have one that is also openly corrupt to head it?

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

"We shouldn’t be hiring judges by the thousands, as our ridiculous immigration laws demand, we should be changing our laws, building the Wall, hire Border Agents and Ice and not let people come into our country based on the legal phrase they are told to say as their password."

"The Border has been a big mess and problem for many years. At some point Schumer and Pelosi, who are weak on Crime and Border security, will be forced to do a real deal, so easy, that solves this long time problem. Schumer used to want Border security - now he’ll take Crime!"

"What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need 9 votes by Democrats in the Senate, and the Dems are only looking to Obstruct (which they feel is good for them in the Mid-Terms). Republicans must get rid of the stupid Filibuster Rule-it is killing you!"

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump rescinds Obama policy protecting oceans


President Trump is repealing a controversial executive order drafted by former President Obama that was meant to protect the Great Lakes and the oceans bordering the United States.

In his own executive order signed late Tuesday, Trump put a new emphasis on industries that use the oceans, particularly oil and natural gas drilling, while also mentioning environmental stewardship.

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1009782248076447745

 

[BobTheCoward]

Trump Tweets

"We shouldn’t be hiring judges by the thousands, as our ridiculous immigration laws demand, we should be changing our laws, building the Wall, hire Border Agents and Ice and not let people come into our country based on the legal phrase they are told to say as their password."

"The Border has been a big mess and problem for many years. At some point Schumer and Pelosi, who are weak on Crime and Border security, will be forced to do a real deal, so easy, that solves this long time problem. Schumer used to want Border security - now he’ll take Crime!"

"What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need 9 votes by Democrats in the Senate, and the Dems are only looking to Obstruct (which they feel is good for them in the Mid-Terms). Republicans must get rid of the stupid Filibuster Rule-it is killing you!"

They really should get rid of the filibuster rule.

 

[Foolmewunz]

And the big baby has cancelled the annual Congressional Picnic at the White House.

He has no common sense at all, does he? Has someone called the Marine Band to tell them they have to play another jilted Donnie event?

 

[Doubt]

Sessions looks like Keebler Elf. Miller OTOH, reminds me of a cross between the Grim Reaper and Nosferatu. That man gives me the heebie jeebees.

Miller is the living empbodymetn of Douglas Neidermeyer from Animal House. That is more about temperament than appearance. Although Miller would never choose to serve in the military. Too many dark people there for him.

 

[Worm]

And the big baby has cancelled the annual Congressional Picnic at the White House.

He has no common sense at all, does he? Has someone called the Marine Band to tell them they have to play another jilted Donnie event?

"We'll make it another time when things are going extremely well."

We won't hold our breath.

Interesting that he used as part of his reasoning...

"It doesn't feel right to have a picnic for Congress when we're working on doing something very important."

Seriously, when is the US Government not 'working on something important'? If you use that kind of reasoning, the picnic would never have happened in the first place. That's a perfectly reasonable argument, but not the one he's making.

 

[bonzombiekitty]

"We'll make it another time when things are going extremely well."

We won't hold our breath.

Interesting that he used as part of his reasoning...

"It doesn't feel right to have a picnic for Congress when we're working on doing something very important."

Isn't that a really good time to have a picnic? Promote good will between everyone and all that?

 

[quadraginta]

Actually, a long way. There's an important difference between concentration camps (which the internment camps were) and extermination camps. The former are about surveillance and control of problematic populations : the latter are about genocide. Concentration camps often become death-traps, of course, through lack of facilities and support and/or brutal regimes, but that isn't their immediate purpose.

Concentration camps are ideal for becoming extermination camps. One might even say it is a necessary prerequisite.

The British managed to kill more than four times as many women and children in their concentration camps (nearly one out of four of the imprisoned) as they they did Boer soldiers in combat. Most of those were children under sixteen, almost half the population of Boer children.

The Boer POWs which the British captured were sent out of the country. Their survival rate was far higher. Hell of a thing when they protect the lives of the enemy soldiers but condemn their women and children to slow, painful deaths by starvation and disease.

I don't think it mattered much to the families and relatives of those children whether or not extermination was the "immediate purpose". It had the same effect.

 

[Segnosaur]

When Sessions was Quoting Romans 13 to justify the zero tolerance immigration policy, the ****-eating grin he wore the whole time was weird and unsettling. It suggested a glee that he just couldn't hide. He does seem to get off on visiting harm to the vulnerable.

Well for what its worth, some people in Session's own church as condemned him for his actions.

From: https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/19/politics/sessions-church-complaint/index.html
More than 600 members of the United Methodist Church have issued a formal complaint against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a fellow church member, charging that his "zero tolerance" policy on immigration violates church rules and may constitute child abuse.
(Note the complaints weren't coming from Sessions' own minister but from others in the church at large.)

 

[quadraginta]

I suspect Trump might fire Sessions for coming up with this policy.

Maybe, but I'm not so sure. I think a great many Republican Congressmen and Senators don't trust Trump and Sessions is one of them.

I'm probably not parsing this correctly.

You seem to be saying that Trump won't fire Sessions because Sessions doesn't trust Trump.

 

[ponderingturtle]

Isn't that a really good time to have a picnic? Promote good will between everyone and all that?

Only if you understand politics.

 

[jimbob]

Not really a weird personality, Trump is completely in line with other such people: Chavez, Putin, Berlusconi, Orban and Erdogan all have the same key characteristics:
1. Narcissistic
2. Appealing to the deplorable vote
3. Claiming everything is someone elses' fault, usually evil foreigners
4. Compulsive liar

All have the same voter base too: people who adore and worship them and seem unable to grasp their faults. There are differences - Chavez was notably socialist whereas Berlusconi, Orban, Erdogan and Trump are all nominally right-wingers and Putin is an opprotunist hyena - but their key message is the same, their key strategy is the same, their voter base is the same, their behavior in office is the same and, this is important, all benefit greatly from having an opposition in disarray and unable to close their ranks.

This last bit is important, I think. A well organized anti-Trup (or any other) election in a proper democratic setting would unseat these clowns in no time. Chavez destroyed Venezuelan democracy before croacking, Erdogan did Turkey in for the most part, Putins' work was done by Yeltsin for him, but Berlusconi was unable to get his party in power in Italy, his allies joined up with some hugely popular weirdos who wouldn't cocause with him instead. We'll see how Orban and Trump pull it off, Hungary and USA are all still sufficiently democratic to be unseated with the next election. Yes, I know Hungary just had one, but if their opposition closes ranks they can still begin healing the country.

McHrozni

I'm not sure about I wouldn't say that Putin is a compulsive liar. It's calculated with him at least. I suspect it is with the rest too.

 

[WilliamSeger]

I can only assume you know what the rolling eyes mean, I can clarify that. Thinking Trump is going to be able to decree the final solution is THE next level in fantasy thinking. There isn’t one bit of critical thought in that and I’m not in that place with you. It is literally impossible in this country. It would literally have to be voted in by the people after many decades of opponents working against it. And both demorats and republicans would work against it.

It is simply foolishness. But it seems many here believe it.

You're talking about a paranoid and delusional man who literally believes that he can shoot people and his cult will still support him. Yes, I hope it's impossible for him to carry out his fascist agenda in this country, and the reaction to his family separation policy is a welcome sign, but you are the foolish one to think that Trump won't push it as far as he can.

 

[NoahFence]

You're talking about a paranoid and delusional man who literally believes that he can shoot people and his cult will still support him. Yes, I hope it's impossible for him to carry out his fascist agenda in this country, and the reaction to his family separation policy is a welcome sign, but you are the foolish one to think that Trump won't push it as far as he can.

You're free to tell logger he's delusional as well.

 

[Hellbound]

Actually, a long way. There's an important difference between concentration camps (which the internment camps were) and extermination camps. The former are about surveillance and control of problematic populations : the latter are about genocide. Concentration camps often become death-traps, of course, through lack of facilities and support and/or brutal regimes, but that isn't their immediate purpose.

It's a potential weigh station on the road. If the inhumane treatment can be normalized, then further dehumanizing can occur.

I'd also say "scapegoated populations" is more accurate in practice, blanket vilification of a demographic is almost assuredly based on a complete farce.

Delphic stated it better tan I could. It's a step towards it. It was a clear case where the civil liberties and constitutionally guaranteed rights of U.S. citizens were flagrantly violated based on fear of the "other". The Tuskogee experiment is a step further, as is the Trail of Tears. While neither may have had the intent of genocide, they were definitely indifferent to it.

All are steps towards "it happening here". Thinking we can't go down that road when we've already visited several rest stops along the way is just denial.

 

[acbytesla]

I thought the way he announced DACA ending was sick. There was a smug, joyless, malicious glee in the phrase "has been rescinded." Like he was scolding scofflaws who thought they were going to get away with it but they had another thing coming.

But people seemed to like him in the Senate so maybe this is not how he comes across at all.

If you say you're going to end "catch and release," separation of families is an unavoidable consequence. "Zero tolerance" is almost always a bad policy, but I'm sure it helps sew up the xenophobe vote.

I saw Al Franken talking about Sessions as they both served on the judiciary committee and he said while he disagreed with him a lot that he enjoyed his company.

 

[acbytesla]

I'm probably not parsing this correctly.

You seem to be saying that Trump won't fire Sessions because Sessions doesn't trust Trump.

I'm saying the Republican Senate doesn't trust Trump and they have warned him that firing Sessions would not be acceptable. But I think their reaction was to subtle threats that he would fire Sessions so someone else could fire Rosenstein and end the Mueller investigation.