The Trump Presidency 13: The (James) Baker's Dozen

[Ziggurat]

Since there was no "official" purpose, all of the time and money spent on it except for the security, which taxpayers are required to pay wherever the president goes.

But do you have any actual evidence that his campaign didn't cover those expenses?

 

[JoeMorgue]

I know you were (probably) kidding about that... But, I'm sure there are plenty of (for example) restaurant owners, gas station attendants, and hotel workers who are god-fearing republicans who would be harmed if all those limp-wristed liberals decided who stopped at their establishments on their way to look at the the butterflies suddenly had nothing left to see.

Of course I was being sarcastic and I agree with you in the facts. But politics is not about the facts, it's about the imagery and the symbolism and the narrative I'm saying knocking down a "butterfly preserve" to build a wall to keep out the evil brown people isn't just an acceptable loss, it's a positive.

We keep the brown people out and get to take out one of those nature reserve things the Prius drivers are always up in arms about? It would only be better if it was a Spotted Owl preserve. (Sarcasm obvious I hope)

 

[Belz...]

I know you were (probably) kidding about that... But, I'm sure there are plenty of (for example) restaurant owners, gas station attendants, and hotel workers who are god-fearing republicans who would be harmed if all those limp-wristed liberals decided who stopped at their establishments on their way to look at the the butterflies suddenly had nothing left to see.

I'm not sure they realise that. You know, like those Trumpsters who thought only the liberals would be hurt on their taxes.

 

[newyorkguy]

Ironically, when Trump appeared in El Paso last night he claimed, "We have, say, 35,000 people tonight, and he [O'Rourke] has, say, 200 people, 300 people," Trump said. The El Paso County Coliseum, where Trump appeared, seats about 11,000 people. Bloomberg News reported that O'Rourke's rally drew between 10,000 and 15,000 people. (Trump explained the seeming contradiction by claiming there were thousands more supporters outside the arena, people who were unable to get in.) Link

The irony is, according to the Texas Monthly magazine

Trump won less than 26 percent of the El Paso County vote in 2016, the lowest this city has ever delivered for a major party presidential candidate. Link

As to the crowd sizes, Trump has some kind of cognitive difficulty with crowd-size-recognition. Example: Donnie thought the crowd in the photo on the right (below) was much, much larger than the crowd shown in the photo on the left.
.

 

[Segnosaur]

Of course I was being sarcastic and I agree with you in the facts. But politics is not about the facts, it's about the imagery and the symbolism and the narrative I'm saying knocking down a "butterfly preserve" to build a wall to keep out the evil brown people isn't just an acceptable loss, it's a positive.

I agree... it is about imagery.

I just hope that somewhere there are some political ad experts trying to put together some sort of ad campaign... interviews with workers near the proposed wall. "My job is at risk". "I'm about to lose my farm".

 

[carlitos]

Absolutely certainly NOT Trump's thumbs involved in this.

Given the propensity of reasonable grammar, good spelling, multi-syllable words, and now viable Arabic inclusions, it is now perfectly clear somebody else is running his tweet feed. Someone with actual writing skills and a working brain. Not necessarily a nice person, but certainly not MAGA Dump.

Can I suggest we need a new game here: Did Trump Write That? The aim of the game is to analyse the writing and content of each Trump tweet and then offer a possible author's name. We then keep a tally of tweet counts by name, and see where this leads us. Note, this is not an attempt to analyse what the content means or react to it. It's an exercise in information analysis. Any up for this?

That would be Persian, not Arabic.


This would be a good one; I'd like to be a fly on the wall as the president tries to highlight from left to right, but the text wants to be highlighted from right to left.

 

[Segnosaur]

As to the crowd sizes, Trump has some kind of cognitive difficulty with crowd-size-recognition. Example: Donnie thought the crowd in the photo on the right (below) was much, much larger than the crowd shown in the photo on the left. .

Well, did you ever think that the crowd on the right actually is bigger, but they just blend in to the white background because, being Trump supporters, all lot of them were wearing white hoods?

 

[Belz...]

Well, did you ever think that the crowd on the right actually is bigger, but they just blend in to the white background because, being Trump supporters, all lot of them were wearing white hoods?

 

[JoeMorgue]

It's a trick he learned from Vince McMahon. Just pack the side of the stands opposite the hard cam so the arena looks packed.

 

[Armitage72]

(Trump explained the seeming contradiction by claiming there were thousands more supporters outside the arena, people who were unable to get in.) Link

Every person who walked on the sidewalk or drove on the street near the building during the rally was counted as a supporter who couldn't get in.

 

[JoeMorgue]

It's homeopathy. The fewer supporters he has the stronger the overall solution becomes... somehow.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

I'm sure the Trump crowd bought more MAGA merch than O'Rourke sold Beto stuff.

So Trump wins where it counts for him.

 

[Beelzebuddy]

Absolutely certainly NOT Trump's thumbs involved in this.

Given the propensity of reasonable grammar, good spelling, multi-syllable words, and now viable Arabic inclusions, it is now perfectly clear somebody else is running his tweet feed. Someone with actual writing skills and a working brain. Not necessarily a nice person, but certainly not MAGA Dump.

Can I suggest we need a new game here: Did Trump Write That? The aim of the game is to analyse the writing and content of each Trump tweet and then offer a possible author's name. We then keep a tally of tweet counts by name, and see where this leads us. Note, this is not an attempt to analyse what the content means or react to it. It's an exercise in information analysis. Any up for this?

I've been playing it for a while. So far I've noticed differences between Trump, lackey, Trump just after a briefing on his investigation (NO COLLUSION!), lackey tweeting with Trump looking over his shoulder, and Stephen Miller because no one else is that racist.

[ETA] but you know what'd be fun? Going to the specific tweets from his leaked schedule days and seeing if we can narrow down Trump's actual tweetportunities.

 

[dudalb]

That makes sense... a flood of water, a flood of immigrants. Same thing really.



The article also mentions the possibility of using money that had been earmarked for military infrastructure as well.

I hope Trump tries... the legal hassles will keep the project tied up for years.

It's not a coincidence that the states he is taking money from are "BLue" states.
If a few Democrats drown, that a good thing in Trump's world.

 

[Ladewig]

I was thinking about all those “Washington slept here” signs on the east coast.

Wouldn’t it be fun to put put “Trump lied here” signs at the venues that he lied at.

 

[dudalb]

Since Trump is so keen in building a wall, I thought it would be a good idea to remind people of some of the secondary costs:

The wall is expected to impact the following:

- The National Butterfly Center (which, in addition to its environmental benefits, also brings in tourists to the area.)

- Ranches that have existed near the border that have been run by the same family for over 2 centuries

- The SpaceX launch facility in Texas, which brings in millions of dollars to the local economy. Building a wall will probably mean the facility will need to be moved, removing dozens of jobs from the local area

https://www.vox.com/2018/3/28/17152644/trump-border-wall-texas-environment-refuge-butterflies

https://www.texastribune.org/2018/0...ns-end-texas-families-250-years-ranching-rio/

https://www.techspot.com/news/78677-current-plans-border-wall-split-spacex-texas-launchpad.html

It's also going to impact a lot of landowners who are complaing that what the Trump administration wants to pay for their land is far below fair market value, which the law requires the federal government to pay when exercising eminent domain on private land.
It's going to be a legal mess.
I know, I work for the DOI agency which handles all land acquistation and transfers for the government.

 

[dudalb]

Of course I was being sarcastic and I agree with you in the facts. But politics is not about the facts, it's about the imagery and the symbolism and the narrative I'm saying knocking down a "butterfly preserve" to build a wall to keep out the evil brown people isn't just an acceptable loss, it's a positive.

We keep the brown people out and get to take out one of those nature reserve things the Prius drivers are always up in arms about? It would only be better if it was a Spotted Owl preserve. (Sarcasm obvious I hope)

That politics is often about emotion, about symbolism and imagery ,is what a lot of people here just do not get. It's the Mr. Spock syndrome again (expecting humand beings to be totally logical and have no emotions).
I don't like it at all, but that is the reality,and to ignore that fact is just plain stupid from a political pointe of view.

 

[WilliamSeger]

But do you have any actual evidence that his campaign didn't cover those expenses?

No, you're right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions just because he's a grifter who needs his campaign funds for lawyers. I should wait for the impeachment investigations.

 

[Upchurch]

No, you're right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions just because he's a grifter who needs his campaign funds for lawyers. I should wait for the impeachment investigations.

Perhaps we could see the Trump campaigns financial statements or Trump's personal financial statements to know where the money comes from?

That's a thing we do with presidents and presidential candidates, right?

 

[Norman Alexander]

That would be Persian, not Arabic.

Indeed. I corrected myself a few posts later.

This would be a good one; I'd like to be a fly on the wall as the president tries to highlight from left to right, but the text wants to be highlighted from right to left.

I'd like to see him highlighting anything. I suspect it's all stream-of-conscience output for him, plus loose dentures. United Shtashes! Covfefe!