The Trump Presidency VII

[quadraginta]

I'm saying the Republican Senate doesn't trust Trump and they have warned him that firing Sessions would not be acceptable.

Somehow I just don't see Trump being intimidated by something like that. If anything he would take it as a challenge.

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.

Subtle? Does Trump do subtle?

 

[CapelDodger]

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

My concern is that focusing on genocide at the end of the road we miss that the way-station is bad enough, and leaves open the argument that actions aren't fascistic if there's no genocidal intent.

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

I say "problematic populations" because they do represent a problem in the eyes of the authorities, if not in reality.


The rural Boer population was a problem to the British because they were the sea in which the Boer guerillas swam, and were too scattered to be supervised and controlled in situ : hence the "concentration". They weren't scapegoats, they were victims of a callous policy.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

"My Administration is acting swiftly to address the illegal immigration crisis on the Southern Border. Loopholes in our immigration laws all supported by extremist open border Democrats...and that's what they are - they're extremist open border Democrats...."

"Democrats want open Borders, where anyone can come into our Country, and stay. This is Nancy Pelosi’s dream. It won’t happen!"

 

[acbytesla]

Somehow I just don't see Trump being intimidated by something like that. If anything he would take it as a challenge.

Ordinarily I would agree. But the US Senate could stop the appointment of Session's replacement in its tracks an Rosenstein would still be DAG and the Mueller investigation would continue on. So what would be the point?

 

[dudalb]

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.

The scary thing if Trump did propose a "final solution for the illegal immigrant problem" his cult would support him.

 

[acbytesla]

The scary thing if Trump did propose a "final solution for the illegal immigrant problem" his cult would support him.

You *********** KNOW they would. They wouldn't even break up the families to do it.

So far, what I've seen from Trump supporters is ZERO empathy for anyone.

Melanie's jacket summed up their opinions about the downtrodden.

I Really Don't Care!

 

[CapelDodger]

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.

Not so surprising, though. Soldiers don't usually have a problem with other soldiers, military manuals cover their treatment, and there are processes for drawing supplies for them from the commissariat. Miltary manuals also cover the treatment of civilian populations in situ. What they generally don't cover is the administration and supply of camps full of civilians, which are not a normal feature of war.


Of course, in practice this applies to "civilised" warfare between uniformed armies. Captured Boer regulars were shipped abroad : captured Boer guerillas were subject to different rules of war, which were summary and usually terminal.

 

[Minoosh]

They really should get rid of the filibuster rule.

Is that the same thing I once understood as "cloture? Is there room for the "going nuclear" option (which is an unfortunately phrase, when literally "going nuclear" is bandied about).

If it's the same thing, I've read of some maneuver that allows the majority party to sidestep it case-by-case. It involved taking a couple of different kind of votes.

I really did once understand it. For my job. It came up during one of the times Congress tried to fix immigration.

 

[Minoosh]

Captured Boer regulars were shipped abroad : captured Boer guerillas were subject to different rules of war, which were summary and usually terminal.

Which was it in "Breaker Morant"?

 

[Sideroxylon]

Which was it in "Breaker Morant"?

Rule .303.

 

[Andy_Ross]

trump tweets

"“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!"


Didn't the White House say there was no hidden meaning?

 

[acbytesla]

trump tweets

"“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!"


Didn't the White House say there was no hidden meaning?

Lugenpresse!

 

[acbytesla]

Is that the same thing I once understood as "cloture? Is there room for the "going nuclear" option (which is an unfortunately phrase, when literally "going nuclear" is bandied about).

If it's the same thing, I've read of some maneuver that allows the majority party to sidestep it case-by-case. It involved taking a couple of different kind of votes.

I really did once understand it. For my job. It came up during one of the times Congress tried to fix immigration.

No, but I understand as the term is often used in conjunction.

'Cloture' is a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

 

[quadraginta]

My concern is that focusing on genocide at the end of the road we miss that the way-station is bad enough, and leaves open the argument that actions aren't fascistic if there's no genocidal intent.


I say "problematic populations" because they do represent a problem in the eyes of the authorities, if not in reality.


The rural Boer population was a problem to the British because they were the sea in which the Boer guerillas swam, and were too scattered to be supervised and controlled in situ : hence the "concentration". They weren't scapegoats, they were victims of a callous policy.

You're right.

They weren't scapegoats.

They were hostages.

 

[quadraginta]

Ordinarily I would agree. But the US Senate could stop the appointment of Session's replacement in its tracks an Rosenstein would still be DAG and the Mueller investigation would continue on. So what would be the point?

Sure they could.

That's not the right way to look at it though.

The question is, would Trump actually believe they would do that?

This is a man so convinced he has the upper hand, so secure in his self-admiration that he has publicly claimed more than once that he could shoot someone down on Fifth Ave. in broad daylight and not lose his supporters.

And the scary thing is that he may be right about that.

The GOP in both houses of Congress has demonstrated repeatedly that regardless of what pronouncements of disapproval they may dribble out for public consumption, when the chips are down they fall in line for Trump.

So the obvious follow-up question is, does Trump have any real reason to worry that the Senate GOP would stall a nomination from him just to preserve the integrity of the Mueller investigation (not to mention their own integrity)?

And all the evidence, all the signs tend to point to "No." being the answer.

Why should Trump worry about them?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

trump tweets

"“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!"


Didn't the White House say there was no hidden meaning?

OK, now I believe it. It had such trashy lettering, hardly fashionable, not to mention tone-deaf.

 

[quadraginta]

Not so surprising, though. Soldiers don't usually have a problem with other soldiers, military manuals cover their treatment, and there are processes for drawing supplies for them from the commissariat. Miltary manuals also cover the treatment of civilian populations in situ. What they generally don't cover is the administration and supply of camps full of civilians, which are not a normal feature of war.

Yeah. It had only been done by the Spanish in Cuba and the U.S. in the Philippines in the previous five or ten years.

Kitchener knew exactly what he was doing, why he was doing it, and what the outcome would be. It was no surprise.

Of course, in practice this applies to "civilised" warfare between uniformed armies. Captured Boer regulars were shipped abroad : captured Boer guerillas were subject to different rules of war, which were summary and usually terminal.

It wasn't captured Boer guerrillas who died of exposure, disease, and starvation in the British concentration camps. Like you said, the captured soldiers were shipped out. Any adult Boer male who wasn't in uniform and couldn't prove beyond any doubt that he wasn't a guerrilla was summarily executed.

It was non-combatants, mostly women and children, who died in the camps.

 

[AnonyMoose]

trump tweets

"“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!"


Didn't the White House say there was no hidden meaning?

So apparently Trump and his wife are a match made in heaven for each other afterall.... two peas in a pod.

FLOTUS decided to troll the media while she's on a so-called humanitarian visit that was supposed to be all about the children.

Instead, she made it all about herself (and her husband) by her adolescent fashion choice.

She managed to turn a good thing.... into a Trump thing.



Just when I thought this president, his administration, and his family members couldn't possibly lower the bar any further...

Low hanging fruit doesn't even begin to describe these people.




In next week's news:

POTUS and FLOTUS wear matching t-shirts to the annual African-American Lifetime Awards Ceremony:

"Boss Massa"
"Boss Massa Ho"

 

[Cleon]

Best idea I've heard yet: from now on, those detention camps are now Trumpcamps. Let this be his legacy.

 

[Trebuchet]

Isn't there a loophole on the requirement for a Senate confirmation of Trump appointing a replacement for Sessions? Along the lines that if the replacement has been previously confirmed to an appointment at a similar level, a new confirmation isn't necessary? I think that just happened for Secretary of State.

Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

After a Google: No, Pompeo was confirmed. Anybody know about the loophole?