U.S. Politics

[glalt]

I just read today that Trump is already at work doing good things. He officially pulled the US out of the latest disastrous trade deal and has frozen federal hiring except for the military. He is right now chopping useless regulations that inhibit business. Soon the government employees who were needed to enforce those useless regulations will need to look for a new job. The downsizing of the bloated government has begun.

[glalt]

The rabid democrats hate the electoral college. Fortunately our founding fathers were wise enough to see that a popular vote would be a disaster. Having Kalifornia and cities like Chicago electing the president would be sickening and would lead to a total collapse of the country. If I were a democrat I would change parties or at the very least claim to be an independent. The way they are acting is beyond shameful. I hope Trump is able to get us back on the right path. Obama and the congress obviously don't know how to balance a checkbook. ten trillion dollars wasted and down the drain. The spoiled celebrities who made huge amounts of money think they are important when the fact is that they are living in a fantasy world. Those who said they would leave the country if Trump were elected are liars just like their heroine.

[Jello]

Face it, Jello. Your gal didn't get in..

You read alot into my post that isn't there. Please show me where I said Hillary is "my gal" or that she should have won?
Point is when you loose the popular vote, and have a low approval rating, what do you expect? Facts are facts and some facts seem to trigger the new POTUS.

Here's his first press briefing (Well, 2nd. First one was just Sean yelling at the press for 5 minutes about how tremendous the inauguration was )

[Lone Star]

The rabid democrats hate the electoral college. Fortunately our founding fathers were wise enough to see that a popular vote would be a disaster. Having Kalifornia and cities like Chicago electing the president would be sickening and would lead to a total collapse of the country. If I were a democrat I would change parties or at the very least claim to be an independent. The way they are acting is beyond shameful. I hope Trump is able to get us back on the right path. Obama and the congress obviously don't know how to balance a checkbook. ten trillion dollars wasted and down the drain. The spoiled celebrities who made huge amounts of money think they are important when the fact is that they are living in a fantasy world. Those who said they would leave the country if Trump were elected are liars just like their heroine.

You're correct.

Trump's not messing around. TPP is gone, there's a hiring freeze, and no more abortions with federal funds. He's also scaled back ODontCare by removing the penalty. There are at least two GOP plans to replace with choices. For those who want to keep ODontCare, they'll have that option in one of the plans, but it won't be as good as the other choices.

Trump has already begun roundtable discussions with CEOs of corporations asking them what needs to be done for them to start hiring again and expanding. These aren't the one-time bs sessions that Obama had (and never had again). He has also met with significant labor union leaders.

And as for the Electoral College, it is the best thing to prevent 4 or 5 large states and major cities from deciding the election for everyone else. This is a hint as to why the Dems flood California and New York and Florida with illegals and were working diligently to flip Texas the same way. If Dems ever get control over Florida and Texas like they have with NY and CA, it's all over. The EC also allows small states to play a role and be a factor in the outcome. New Hampshire and Maine were even important in this election as result and were in play.

[stattointhailand]

"Trump has already begun roundtable discussions with CEOs of corporations asking them what needs to be done for them to start hiring again and expanding."

And the answer ............. For the CEO's etc to make obscene amounts of money, and have a safety net in place to make sure it is the workers that take the hit and not them if it all goes t*tsup .......... does he of all people really need to ask them?

[Liam Dale]

"Trump has already begun roundtable discussions with CEOs of corporations asking them what needs to be done for them to start hiring again and expanding."

And the answer ............. For the CEO's etc to make obscene amounts of money, and have a safety net in place to make sure it is the workers that take the hit and not them if it all goes t*tsup .......... does he of all people really need to ask them?

I'm totally there with the statto.. USA has just become the reality TV station of the world.. who needs to watch CBB or ANY other reality TV show.. when Trump provides my daily input of inanity and flotsam.. I'm almost overwhelmed with mediocrity.. and hoping the Brit pound/Thai baht rises as a result of this 4 year circus of catastrophe.. (I had to google how to spull that properly)..

[Jello]

\\\\\\\\\\\More fake news from the evil liberal media /////////////

The new PC term for a lie is "alternative fact" and "falsehood". (2+2=5)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSwPvkd1KT8

Is the Trump administration purposely muddying the waters?

Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer has lost his credibility following his first press briefing on Saturday, says Stephen Harper's former spokesman Andrew MacDougall
To read more: http://cbc.ca/1.3946578

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8dpYEvS4YI

"If their willing to lie about something as trivial as crowd size, think about what they might be willing to lie about conserning matters of war and peace and other things that are far more serious". - Brian Fallon
During an appearance on CNN’s Reliable Sources, Brian Fallon said that President Trump‘s administration is lying to America and the media must not let him get away with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn0I-IQ-XXU

Of course none of this should really matter to the most powerful man in the world, Why worry about the mainstream media when you have twitter?

And now some truly fake news:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvXJnukCFoo
No more excuses. Go Donald!

[BigRick808]

Trump signs orders on border wall, immigration enforcement

http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... order-wall

President Trump on Wednesday signed two executive orders on immigration, including one that directs federal agencies to begin construction of a wall on the border with Mexico, his signature campaign promise.

Trump signed the actions during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as his aides met in the White House with two top Mexican cabinet officials.

"A nation without borders is not a nation," Trump said during a speech at DHS headquarters. “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders.”

The president said his directive "will save thousands of lives, millions of jobs, and billions and billions of dollars."

One of the orders signed by Trump calls for the construction of “a large physical barrier on the southern border,” according to White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The other order deals with immigration enforcement and ends the "catch and release" policy that quickly returned border crossers back to Mexico instead of arresting and processing them for deportation. The policy was a fixture of the Bush administration and was later reinstated on an informal basis by former President Barack Obama.

"Federal agents are going to unapologetically enforce the law, no ifs, ands or buts," Spicer said.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... order-wall

[Jello]

\\\\\\\\\\\More fake news from the evil liberal media: /////////////

Conflict of intrest?

Trump signs orders reviving pipeline projects, TransCanada says it will reapply for Keystone
According to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Trump directed agencies to approve it without delay -- and told agencies to expedite reviews and approvals for the remaining parts of the Dakota project.
“There’s an energy revolution that’s going to happen in this country,” he said.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01 ... s-say.html

Donald Trump's stock in Dakota Access oil pipeline raises concerns
President-elect Donald Trump holds stock in the company building the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline, and pipeline opponents warn that Trump’s investments could affect any decision he makes on the $3.8 billion project as president.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trum ... -concerns/

so the pipeline is for our energy independence or foreign markets?

Though Promised for Domestic Use, Dakota Access Pipeline May Fuel Oil Exports
Proponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which will connect fracked crude oil from the Bakken fields in North Dakota to markets across the country — claim the controversial project will enhance energy independence. But at least a portion of the oil may well end up as exports to foreign markets, either as crude or as a refined product.
https://theintercept.com/2016/09/01/dak ... ss-export/

Winning wasn't good enough?

Trump seeks ‘major investigation’ into unsupported claims of voter fraud
President Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he plans to ask "for a major investigation" into claimed voter fraud following his unfounded belief that he lost the popular vote in November's election because millions of illegal votes were cast.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ ... spartanntp

Top three petitions on the White House website:

Immediately release Donald Trump's full tax returns, with all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance.

Divest or put in a blind trust all of the President's business and financial assets

Donald Trump: Resign as President of the United States in Violation of the Emoluments Clause. Release Your Tax Returns
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/

Trump won't release his tax returns because...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJDOhAeWAvI

And now the truly fake news:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_zZY7lgfzo

[Lone Star]

The more Trump accomplishes, and there will be more, the more inept and/or purposely negligent it shows Obama and/or his advisers to have been over 8 years.

There's only three things that I hope are the underpinnings of all of Trump's "America First" actions: defend and follow the Constitution, promote Free Enterprise and nurture Individual Liberty. So far, so good.

[BigRick808]

I'm with you 100% on that. And I do believe much of Obama's actions were done with ill intent. Or doing what he was told to fulfill the agenda of others.

[Jello]

\\\\\\\\\\\More fake news from the evil liberal media: /////////////

Ethics-

Trump says lawsuit claiming he violated the Constitution is 'without merit'
A liberal watchdog group filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution's ban on officials accepting benefits from foreign governments.
The suit, backed by several prominent Consitutional scholars, claims that Trump's business dealings with foreign countries who rent space in his buildings or lend money to his real estate ventures run afoul of the foreign emoluments clause.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/t ... uit-234015

Trump Hotels, Amid Calls to Divest, Instead Plans U.S. Expansion
Only days after Donald Trump took the oath of office, the head of his hotel-management company outlined hopes for an ambitious expansion across the U.S., raising new questions about potential conflicts between his business and the presidency.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... n-ceo-says

Mar-a-Lago membership fee doubles to $200,000
Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach resort owned by the Trump Organization, doubled its initiation fee to $200,000 following the election of Donald Trump as president.
A membership at Mar-a-Lago now includes a chance to mingle with the 45th president. Trump plans to use the resort as his occasional "Winter White House."
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/25/mar-a-la ... 00000.html

Republicans sign off on Trump's ethics plan — for now
Democrats and ethics watchdogs say Trump failed to guard against conflicts of interest, but top Republicans say they'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
In the Senate, Majority Whip John Cornyn took only a slightly tougher line on Trump’s ethics plan, saying he needed to conduct a more thorough review of Trump’s ethics plan. He added he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Republican leaders soon approach the president-elect’s legal team for a briefing.
Trump’s ethics plan, announced Wednesday, bans his company from doing foreign deals while he's president and requires any domestic deals to be cleared by its own ethics official. Trump declined to divest from the company and will continue to maintain a financial stake in it.
That approach came under withering attack from Walter Schaub, the head of the nonpartisan Office of Government Ethics, who on Wednesday called the setup “meaningless” and predicted it would put the new administration in the line of constant controversy.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/t ... ion-233560

Opinion piece on "alternative facts". Is it a strategic move?

Trump's Real War Isn't With the Media. It's With Facts.
And it’s there that his tactical skirmishes with the press begin to make sense. Delegitimizing the media is important to Trump because delegitimizing certain facts is important to Trump.
The spat over crowd size is a low-stakes, semi-comic dispute, but the groundwork is being laid for much more consequential debates over what is, and isn’t, true.

Delegitimizing the institutions that might report inconvenient or damaging facts about the president is strategic for an administration that has made a slew of impossible promises and takes office amid a cloud of ethics concerns and potential scandals.
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/ ... auguration

[mickojak]

For my whole life, I have been used to politicians promising everything in pre-election, and delivering nothing in government.
I have never heard of any western leader that has implemented his promises so soon after election.

Love him or hate him, the man has balls, and big ones.
This may be the most interesting year of our lives.
Maybe more countries will elect leaders like him?

I look forward to watching this year unfold.
Mick

[halfbiscuit]

Are Americans thick ?

[fatbob]

History will be the judge, it's a bit early to know???
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and ... 009a83.htm

[newtovillagelife]

Yes I guess they are thick (and fat) and easily led.

[Jello]

US travel restrictions:

Protest held outside JFK airport after Iraqi men detained


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K3sSmHwsS0

Countries where Trump does business are not hit by new travel restrictions
The seven nations targeted for new visitation restrictions by President Trump on Friday all have something in common: They are places he does not appear to have any business interests.
The executive order he signed Friday bars all entry for the next 90 days by travelers from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya. Excluded from the lists are several majority-Muslim nations where the Trump Organization is active and which in some cases have also faced troublesome issues with terrorism.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ ... spartandhp

Trump’s flashy executive actions could run aground
President Donald Trump’s team made little effort to consult with federal agency lawyers or lawmakers as they churned out executive actions this week, stoking fears the White House is creating the appearance of real momentum with flawed orders that might be unworkable, unenforceable or even illegal.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/t ... und-234200

Trump's Nominees Confirm He Lied About Social Security And Medicare Cuts
Donald Trump's campaign pandered to seniors by promising he'd break with Republicans and keep their Medicare and Social Security intact.
Then he nominated Representative Tom Price for Health and Human Services. Price wants to cut millions out of Medicare and privatize the whole system, and admitted the cuts in his confirmation hearing under questioning from Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Then he nominated Representative Nick Mulvaney as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mulvaney wants to raise the retirement age for Social Security to age 70, among other things. I'm sure handing the whole program off to Wall Street is on the table too, but a Budget Director can only do so much.
http://crooksandliars.com:8080/2017/01/ ... lied-about

Vice President Pence promised to stop taxpayer-funded abortion — but it's already not allowed
But it's already illegal to use taxpayer funding to pay for an abortion.
Congress first passed the Hyde Amendment in 1977, four years after the Supreme Court ruled women have a constitutional right to abortion in Roe v. Wade. It prevents Medicaid dollars from paying for abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's health is endangered.

'Defunding' Planned Parenthood has very little to do with abortions
While politicians have popularized the term "defunding" when talking about stripping federal funds for Planned Parenthood, the group's political communications director, Erica Sackin, said this is misleading.
"There's no line item in the budget for Planned Parenthood," Sackin told Business Insider. "We're not funded through the federal budget bill."

Planned Parenthood health centers serve 2.5 million people each year, nearly two-thirds of whom rely on public programs like Medicaid to pay for their care. When lawmakers pass bills to "defund" the organization, (as many states have), those patients then have to pay for healthcare at Planned Parenthood out of pocket.
But, again, the Hyde Amendment prevents women from using Medicaid to pay for abortions.

So while it may seem as if "defunding" Planned Parenthood is a way to prevent abortions, Sackin said, "it's going to affect people who don't have anywhere else to go" get care like cancer screenings.
http://www.businessinsider.com/taxpayer ... ump-2017-1

The Keystone pipeline will create just 35 permanent jobs. Don't believe the lies
“Pipelines do not require much labor to operate in the long term” – they will further delay the inevitable transition to clean, renewable energy our economy needs and the American people demand.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ump-claims

There’s a reason Trump keeps lying about voter fraud
By deliberately undermining confidence in the integrity of our democracy, the president can make it quite a bit easier for his party to push legislation making it harder for certain eligible voters to vote.
Trump is doing the country a disservice making things up about the integrity of our elections. But it’s important to remember this isn’t just about him overcompensating for his embarrassment that nearly 3 million more people voted for Hillary Clinton than for him. This is about the president’s reelection campaign. He wants Congress and state legislatures to make it easier for him to win in four years by making it harder for people to vote.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... fa324f01d6

Man behind voter fraud claim: Proof is coming


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIYHIycbWb8

[FrazeeDK]

bet the Dems regret choosing Hillary as their candidate now.... Plus, Trump has taken Obama's pen and phone and gone to town with the Executive Order overreach. Obama set the precedent and payback is a mo-fo.... The Executive Branch has been out of control for a long time and shows no sign of stopping...

[Jello]

Federal hiring freeze-

What trumps hiring freeze means (and doesn't)
Where the move matters is in its symbolic value: A signal to congressional Republicans that Trump is serious about reforming generations-old civil service laws, and tossing the ball firmly into their court.
If Trump actually goes to war with the federal workforce and cuts it down, he’ll be managing a trick that has largely eluded earlier presidents. Ronald Reagan, too, imposed a hiring freeze on his first day in office. Jimmy Carter imposed three different hiring freezes during his presidency. But overall, the size of the federal workforce has barely budged over the past few decades, stuck at about 2 million people since the late 1960s, according to the Office of Personnel Management. (And counter to the Republican rhetoric about bloat, it’s quite a bit smaller, relatively speaking: as the country has grown, the percentage of American workers employed by the federal government has fallen from 5 percent to 2 percent in the last 60 years.)
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/20 ... ans-000287

[Lone Star]

bet the Dems regret choosing Hillary as their candidate now.... Plus, Trump has taken Obama's pen and phone and gone to town with the Executive Order overreach. Obama set the precedent and payback is a mo-fo.... The Executive Branch has been out of control for a long time and shows no sign of stopping...

When Obama decided to write law, change law and ignore law -- on his own -- I knew it would come back to bite him. Most of what Trump has done has only rescinded what Obama did. By the August 2017 Congressional Recess, it will be like Obama was never there.

Everything on Trump's agenda will be addressed. Capitol Hill Republicans expect to have repealed and replaced Obamacare, filled the vacant seat on the Supreme Court, and executed the most dramatic reform of the federal tax code since President Ronald W. Reagan’s flattening of tax rates in 1986.

Even the wall was passed in 2006, and Hillary, Biden and Obama all voted for it. They were all senators at that time (probably thinking it would never be built). So Trump's EO only puts the wheels in motion to get it built. The law is there. The money is there.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/109-2006/s262

One thing is certain. This president loves America and respects the Will of the People.