The Trump Presidency: Sweet/Sweat 16

[phiwum]

So true. As obvious as it was during the election that this world class ignoramus was vastly under-qualified in several respects, his performance in office has been far worse than most of us imagined.

It's hard for me to remember precisely what I imagined prior to the inauguration. He hasn't gotten us into any wars. I think that was a genuine concern of mine. The stock market actually rallied after the election and I thought it would tank. I don't understand how investors think the unpredictability of Trump is acceptable, but so far they've lived with it. (Yes, I know there are bumps here and there and other signals of anxiety but overall it's doing well considering.)

I don't know whether he's worse than I expected. I think he's worse in ways I never even considered, but not as bad as I feared in the things I thought about.

Don't know why I was so shortsighted as to never even consider an attempt to buy Greenland leading to diplomatic tension with Denmark. Really shoulda seen that coming in retrospect.

 

[phiwum]

I'll admit that waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in between the primaries and general election back in 2016 that was sort of my vague idea; that the GOP had just let Trump be Trump in the primaries to lock in his core cult of personality base and was then going to groom / reel him in to fit the mold of more generic Republican.

I... might has misread the terrain on that one to put it lightly.

Memory is unreliable, but I don't think I anticipated him being a president in the usual manner. I also didn't think that he'd be nearly so far from that manner. I never thought that the president would govern by insulting and childish tweets. Like you, I thought that advisors and GOP politicos would teach him how to act.

 

[JoeMorgue]

I initially thought Trump was just going to be a Republican with literally no filter, that he in the end wouldn't do or say anything functionally different from past Republican Presidents, he would just present it with absolutely no concessions made to how it looks.

But I do agree that I don't think I ever got a bead on him enough to make anything that approached a solid "prediction" more just vague guesses.

 

[I Am The Scum]

Interesting development: Rick Wiles (a super crazy Christian radio guy) is calling for Donald Trump to be impeached. He even called Trump the "son of perdition," whatever that means.

Too early to say if it sticks. Rick might get shouted down on social media and then roll over.

 

[bruto]

It's no madder than other things he's said, but is Trump even aware of the contradiction in simultaneously claiming we have the best economy and strongest dollar ever AND we're in a financial crisis that requires immediate action like cutting interest rates and dropping taxes?

Of course not. Is the Pope Jewish? Do Greenlanders need more paper towels? Is Baltimore in the Sudan? Contradictions are fake news.

 

[I Am The Scum]

I don't know whether he's worse than I expected. I think he's worse in ways I never even considered, but not as bad as I feared in the things I thought about.

I definitely never considered the rampant criminality and disregard for ethics and laws.

 

[Segnosaur]

It's hard for me to remember precisely what I imagined prior to the inauguration. He hasn't gotten us into any wars. I think that was a genuine concern of mine.

That is a pretty low bar to set though... After all, its not like there are a ton of potential wars that we expect to break out at a moment's notice.

If I remember correctly, the only real war that broke out during Obama's tenure was Libya, and he certainly wasn't the one who initiated it. (Everything else was a war that he more or less inherited.... Afghanistan, Iraq, ISIS.)

The stock market actually rallied after the election and I thought it would tank. I don't understand how investors think the unpredictability of Trump is acceptable, but so far they've lived with it.

Stock market investors are often short-sighted in their investments. Some of Trump's actions would be good for the stock market in the short term: removing regulations, the tax cuts (allowing stock buybacks).

The problem is when you look at the long term... yes, profits and stock prices will temporarily rise if you remove regulations, but the resulting instability means problems in the future.

(It should also be noted that while the stock market has hit new heights under Trump, it was also growing under Obama, so its basically continuing a trend that began long before Trump got into office. In fact, its growth rate is actually lower than under Obama.)

 

[alfaniner]

I don't like Trump very much but I think he fits the definition of a moldy human. It would explain the coloration, and perhaps the "hair".

I remember when the "hair" was the main source of talk about just how ridiculous he was. He far surpassed that quickly.

 

[The Don]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...557d10-c428-11e9-b72f-b31dfaa77212_story.html

Good Americans should support him because he's supporting Israel. All good Jews, and Americans for that matter, only want to do everything for Israel no matter the costs. Also, American Jews are Jews first and foremost and that's why they owe loyalty towards Israel above all else.

That's pretty much what you get from Trumps line of reasoning.

IMO President Trump's reasoning goes:

• I'm really nice to Israel
• I think Israel is a Jewish country
• Therefore all American Jews should support me
• Any Jew that doesn't support me is betraying their religion and their country (of the USA, not Israel)

That final point is just an extension of his opinion that anything other than unconditional praise of himself or his administration (but mostly himself) is unpatriotic and tantamount to treason

 

[jimbob]

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news...ile-playing-with-toy-greenland-20190822188429

 

[plague311]

It's being reported that farmers and truckers - a core part of Trump's support in 2016 - are turning against him because of the effects of his economic policies

From that article:

Bob Kuylen, a farmer of 35 years in North Dakota, told CNBC in Aug. that government subsidies for his 1,500-acre wheat and sunflower farm covers $15 per acre. Kuylen lost $70 per acre this year, however.

I've said this same thing more than once over the last few years. I do a lot of driving in company vehicles that force me to listen to the radio, which is mostly right wing talk radio. The tone for people calling in has steadily shifted over the last few years.

This directly affects me as well since we are a managed services provider\Automation programming company and the bulk of my clients are farmers or truckers. They ship potatoes, soybeans, etc. When they don't have money, they don't upgrade equipment, which means I sit here doing nothing more than pissing people off on this forum from time to time. It's been really, really tough here lately. North Dakota is generally pretty recession proof because the ag culture has mostly been left alone over the years. This is directly ******* North Dakota hard.

Trump Tweets

Germany sells 30 year bonds offering negative yields. Germany competes with the USA. Our Federal Reserve does not allow us to do what we must do. They put us at a disadvantage against our competition. Strong Dollar, No Inflation! They move like quicksand. Fight or go home!

I was listening to Left, Right, and Center (the podcast) the other day, and even the Dems said that Trump might be on to something. Several people believe that the Fed should be making changes, but also said that Trump brought this on himself. His continuous naysaying of the Fed is causing issues because they want to be independent. Now whatever move they make he will either take credit for it or **** all over them. It's a lose\lose for them.

 

[GlennB]

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news...ile-playing-with-toy-greenland-20190822188429

 

[Dr. Keith]

It's no madder than other things he's said, but is Trump even aware of the contradiction in simultaneously claiming we have the best economy and strongest dollar ever AND we're in a financial crisis that requires immediate action like cutting interest rates and dropping taxes?

His ability to contradict himself so strongly within a single tweet is so frustrating for those of us who prefer logic to feeling. His snowflakes just know that he is sticking it to the foreigners and that's all that matters.

 

[Belz...]

His ability to contradict himself so strongly within a single tweet is so frustrating for those of us who prefer logic to feeling. His snowflakes just know that he is sticking it to the foreigners and that's all that matters.

That's why he can't be defeated by scandal. His supported don't care about what he says, so long as he pisses off libtards. Well, some of them do, I guess, but they fit what he says to what they want, which is easy given how mush nonsense he splorts out.

 

[TofuFighter]

... He even called Trump the "son of perdition," whatever that means.
....

Question: "Who is the son of perdition?"
Answer: The title “son of perdition” is used twice in the New Testament, first in John 17:12 and again in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The phrase simply means “man doomed to destruction” and is not reserved for any one individual. In fact, there are two people to which the title “son of perdition” is applied. In context, John 17:12 is referring to Judas Iscariot, while 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is referring to the “man of lawlessness”—the Antichrist—who will appear in the end times before Christ’s return.

So... the antichrist seems to be the reference there. I'm not sure that accusation would bother trump personally, but it would certainly bother him if he thought the sentiment would catch hold and cost him votes. Then we'd hear how he's the least antichristy person alive followed by him hugging a cross and giving his cheesy-grin/thumbs up combo.

eta: or he can just say he is the antichrist, then try to take credit for the imminent second coming per his earlier tweet.

 

[FenerFan]

Interesting development: Rick Wiles (a super crazy Christian radio guy) is calling for Donald Trump to be impeached. He even called Trump the "son of perdition," whatever that means.

Too early to say if it sticks. Rick might get shouted down on social media and then roll over.

I found this:

The title “son of perdition” is used twice in the New Testament, first in John 17:12 and again in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The phrase simply means “man doomed to destruction” and is not reserved for any one individual. In fact, there are two people to which the title “son of perdition” is applied. In context, John 17:12 is referring to Judas Iscariot, while 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is referring to the “man of lawlessness”—the Antichrist—who will appear in the end times before Christ’s return.

So, Judas or the Antichrist, pick your poison.

Oops, ninjaed by TofuFighter

 

[jimbob]

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news...ile-playing-with-toy-greenland-20190822188429

Many a true word. He seems personally offended by the Danes* and their refusal to not point out his offer was ridiculous. It's almost as though he has a mental illness that makes him unsuitable to be president.







*Dann, I hope it's inspired some patriotic feeling in you.

 

[gregthehammer]

Huh, who would have guessed Tom Cotton was behind the suggestion to buy Greenland? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...and-sale-trump-met-denmark-report/2081531001/

 

[plague311]

Sarah Sanders joins Fox?!?!

I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you!

ETA: Also, Trump is "seriously" looking into ending the 14th Amendment. I mean, he can't, but he's seriously looking into it.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he is "seriously" considering ending US birthright citizenship despite the fact that such a move would face immediate legal challenge and is at odds with Supreme Court precedent.

"We're looking at that very seriously, birthright citizenship," Trump told reporters outside the White House, echoing his administration's previous vow to unilaterally end the process by which babies born in the country automatically become citizens.

 

[Armitage72]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...557d10-c428-11e9-b72f-b31dfaa77212_story.html

Good Americans should support him because he's supporting Israel. All good Jews, and Americans for that matter, only want to do everything for Israel no matter the costs. Also, American Jews are Jews first and foremost and that's why they owe loyalty towards Israel above all else.

It seems similar to the idea that all Muslims are loyal to Islam before America and are secretly waiting for the signal to rise up and make the US part of the global Caliphate. People who aren't Christian aren't as American as Christians.

I don't know whether he's worse than I expected. I think he's worse in ways I never even considered, but not as bad as I feared in the things I thought about.

I've mentioned before that people on another forum I frequented at the time reacted after the election with a frightened "Oh God. What's he going to do?" When his level of competence started to become evident, it generally morphed into an exasperated "Oh God. What's he done now?"