Trump Thread

[HopAlongBunny]

Here is another non-starter:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...-grand-canyon/

It's all good.
Coal and nuclear aren't economic now, but that's okay because the little people will pay for it:

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/...k-perry-244535

Corporate welfare? Oh my, I think you might misunderestimate the vital strategic importance of maintaining capacity with less efficient solutions.

[drone]

Nice to see my state give Trump and the GOP the collective finger yesterday. It will be interesting to watch the effects ripple through the federal level as vulnerable GOP congressmen start sweating.

[Montmorency]

In his ongoing law blog on impeachable offenses, Frank Bowman examines the implications of Trump quasi-ordering the Justice Dept. and the courts and LE to pursue politically-motivated investigation/prosecution against Trump's enemies. In the comments you have the spectacle of Frank patiently replying to some characteristically-unhinged screeds.


Also, FOX interview:

Are you worried that the State Department doesn't have enough Donald Trump nominees in there to push your vision through?

Let me tell you, the one that matters is me... I'm the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that's what the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly.

State Department "Decapitated"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The U.S.’s ranks of diplomats are losing key leaders at a “dizzying speed” as the State Department struggles to recruit talent amid a hiring freeze and sinking morale in the Trump administration, according to a new essay from a top ambassador.

Sixty percent of the agency’s career ambassadors, the highest rank for diplomats, have retired or quit since January. Nearly half of career ministers — the next level down and equivalent to the military’s three-star generals — are gone too, down to 19 from 33. The next-level minister counselors have seen their numbers drop by 62 diplomats, to 369, since Labor Day “and are still falling,” writes Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, the president of the American Foreign Service Association union.

[...]

So far, the Trump administration has only seven high-level political appointees confirmed by the Senate and working in the department — outside of Tillerson but including USAID Administrator Mark Green and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. Eight nominees are working their way through the confirmation process, with the Senate awaiting their paperwork or the nominees awaiting a Senate hearing or vote.

But in the absence of Trump appointments, there are 30 senior roles filled by career diplomats in an acting capacity. Although there are people doing the work, they do not enjoy the full legal authority of their role or the image of speaking on the administration’s behalf to the world.

There are 39 other senior roles that are vacant, but Tillerson has said he plans to eliminate 18 of those and fold their responsibilities into other jobs. The Trump administration has nominated someone for one of those 39 roles — the chief of protocol — who is awaiting confirmation.

Nearly three dozen ambassadorships remain vacant as well, with the embassies’ No. 2, called the charge d’affaires, leading those U.S. missions.

Let me tell you, the one that matters is me... I'm the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that's what the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly.

Bring. Him. Down.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[spmetla]

He is a threat to our democracy and the world in general. I hope the Dems take the house next year so he can be impeached.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

He is a threat to our democracy and the world in general. I hope the Dems take the house next year so he can be impeached.

Nope. Just an asshat. More of a historical blip when all is said and done. Gives Chester Arthur a chance to get off of the bottom of the list of unmemorables.

[Montmorency]

Nope. Just an asshat. More of a historical blip when all is said and done. Gives Chester Arthur a chance to get off of the bottom of the list of unmemorables.

I don't see how you can be dismissive. The man himself is ignominious, but he represents a national crisis that will continue through all his term and will not end with its termination by whichever means.

Chester Arthur lived in an era of different government and political structures, and was at least a relatively decent man. "Unmemorable" is not equivalent to heinous.

[Strike For The South]

Nope. Just an asshat. More of a historical blip when all is said and done. Gives Chester Arthur a chance to get off of the bottom of the list of unmemorables.

This is wrong.

[Greyblades]

Nope. Just an asshat. More of a historical blip when all is said and done. Gives Chester Arthur a chance to get off of the bottom of the list of unmemorables.

I applaud the attempt to be the voice of reason but I'm afraid it's futile: this has become an echochamber; a cycle of raising eachother's spirits over forlorne hopes and then pushing eachother into rage over smokescreens.

It's sad, but trump derangement syndrome can only end when they want it to end. Psychological warfare experts will be studying this era for centuries to come.

[Husar]

I applaud the attempt to be the voice of reason but I'm afraid it's futile: this has become an echochamber; a cycle of raising eachother's spirits over forlorne hopes and then pushing eachother into rage over smokescreens.

It's sad, but trump derangement syndrome can only end when they want it to end. Psychological warfare experts will be studying this era for centuries to come.

You are very unclear once more. Who are "they"? What is "trump derangement syndrome"? What is an "echochamber"? And are you still supporting Trump like you did some months ago when you said he had achieved all his goals? Because your post could be interpreted several ways depending on all that.

[spmetla]

I applaud the attempt to be the voice of reason but I'm afraid it's futile: this has become an echochamber; a cycle of raising eachother's spirits over forlorne hopes and then pushing eachother into rage over smokescreens.

It's sad, but trump derangement syndrome can only end when they want it to end. Psychological warfare experts will be studying this era for centuries to come.

This is no echochamber, there's no shortage of opposing opinions. Just because most people see that an inept, unworldly, narcissist is unsuited for one of the most important political positions in the planet doesn't make it an echo-chamber. I'm quite conservative on a host of issues and rather hawkish too but he is one man that is wholly unsuited to the office he's in. He might just be an asshat but that type of person in such an important position is a threat to standing of the United States in the world as well as the stability of the post-WWII/post-coldwar world order.
As much as I dislike the even more extreme policies of Mike Pence I would much more prefer his mental stability and general competence than the current POTUS. Just to be clear I didn't vote for Hillary either, had to throw away my vote in protest with Gary Johnson.

As for derangement, if you're referring to our hopes that he's impeached, well that just that, a hope. He's got no shortage of shady people in his immediate periphery that have ties to Russia to include his immediate family members, in-laws and quite possibly himself if the Trump Tower Moscow bit is to be believed.

If he's not impeached I'd hope that at least the Republican establishment can see that the Trump wing of the party is not useful under their current 'big tent' arrangement and force them to create an actual Tea Party, Christian Values Party, or Trump Party instead of continuing the hijack of the Republican party by xenophobic protectionist simpletons in the vein of Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. Yes, they'd lose votes and seats but at least they'd have some principles I could once again support.