Trump

[Avis habilis]

"Look at my works! I have the best works! Really tremendous!"

[Lustful Bride]

Even Fox news is having trouble continuing to kiss his ass.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fox-and-friends-host-blasts-trump-for-pulling-troops-out-of-syria-he-said-president-obama-was-the-founder-of-isis-he-just-refounded-isis/ar-BBRgd6j?ocid=spartandhp

[TheGlyphstone]

I have to applaud the screencap they chose of Sanders; makes it look like she's about to burst into tears.

[gaggedLouise]

Working from an old mashup of samples of George W Bush speaking, I can easily imagine a similar spoof of Trump saying, in his typical drawl: "I've been spending a lot of time on the phone lately...talking to fellow leaders...about the methods of shutting down governments...theirs and mine...to achieve safety" 

[Lustful Bride]

Working from an old mashup of samples of George W Bush speaking, I can easily imagine a similar spoof of Trump saying, in his typical drawl: "I've been spending a lot of time on the phone lately...talking to fellow leaders...about the methods of shutting down governments...theirs and mine...to achieve safety" 

Something appropriate. 

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT4qX9UPJ3c

[gaggedLouise]

No solution in sight and the shutdown will almost certainly begin by midnight - including federal agencies placed under the Departments of Justice, State and - Homeland Security, among others. And once it's kicked in, it could very likely go on into January.

Ironically, the DHS is precisely the one that would be in charge of building and operating the Mexico Wall. 

[Tolvo]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076239448461987841

So Trump tweeted out what his new design for the wall is and it looks even dumber than most people imagined. Basically a giant steel picket fence.



Lots of people are now doing edits.

https://twitter.com/goldenfiddle/status/1076259285808615429

[gaggedLouise]

He did it!!

*double facepalm for the Christmas Gov Shutdown and the new design for the Wall*

[AmberStarfire]

I saw this on the news today - Aussies affected when visiting the US due to Trump's policies:
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/trumps-immigration-crackdown-snares-aussies/news-story/b639baefd12ec37d8c7495c312bda664

I've flown through the US and visited places on the visa waiver before. I heard they were talking about no longer offering it though it seems like they still do. American immigration was always intimidating but now moreso.

[Orval Wintermute]

I thought that Government agencies that were "essential" to security and safety were out of bounds when it came to a Government shut down.

So Federal Prisons, FBI, Military, Food Inspectors etc. still had jobs to do and would be funded; but Education, Park Services  etc. essentially anything the populace can live without for a while get defunded. So that being the case how is Homeland Security defunded? Or are they admitting the DHS doesn't do anything that's vital to National Security?

[Tolvo]

It's that things which didn't have their budget decided and agreed upon are shut down. Which includes DHS. Which the Dems agreed to budgeting them, until Trump made it a demand that it include funding his Wall. And that they can't be budgeted without the Wall.

[Lustful Bride]

I thought that Government agencies that were "essential" to security and safety were out of bounds when it came to a Government shut down.

So Federal Prisons, FBI, Military, Food Inspectors etc. still had jobs to do and would be funded; but Education, Park Services  etc. essentially anything the populace can live without for a while get defunded. So that being the case how is Homeland Security defunded? Or are they admitting the DHS doesn't do anything that's vital to National Security?

Has the DHS done anything to actually stop terror? I've heard about the FBI and CIA, local law enforcement, hell even DEA stopping acts of terror and crime, but not a peep from the DHS that isn't about the "oh so scary people from south of the border."

[TheGlyphstone]

The rhetoric is that terrorists and criminals can use the same border conduits used by the migrants, IIRC?

[legomaster00156]

The rhetoric is that terrorists and criminals can use the same border conduits used by the migrants, IIRC?

The rhetoric is that terrorists and criminals are among the immigrants, or else are all of the immigrants, depending on just how racist someone is trying to be.

[Orval Wintermute]

Has the DHS done anything to actually stop terror? I've heard about the FBI and CIA, local law enforcement, hell even DEA stopping acts of terror and crime, but not a peep from the DHS that isn't about the "oh so scary people from south of the border."

Local LEO's (Law Enforcement Organizations) by definition aren't Federally funded, but funding for the NSA, DOD and the rest of the TLA's (Three Letter Agencies) comes from Congress. So if DHS funding isn't essential for security then why does it exist?

[Lustful Bride]

Local LEO's (Law Enforcement Organizations) by definition aren't Federally funded, but funding for the NSA, DOD and the rest of the TLA's (Three Letter Agencies) comes from Congress. So if DHS funding isn't essential for security then why does it exist?

To keep an eye on the plebeians of course

I am both amused and concerned that the old trope of "FBI Good Guys CIA Bad Guys" is shifting to "FBI good, CIA meh, NSA evil meh, and DHS Bad"   @_@ What a weird era we live in.

[Tolvo]

Tbh they're all pretty reprehensible in my book and historically have a lot of blood on their hands(The FBI worked against the Civil Rights Movement a lot for example and assassinated people. The CIA has destroyed countless countries). But we kind of rely on them for certain things. And for now the CIA and FBI are on and off working counter to Trump, depending on the situation and who is doing what. But basically I'd rather see the CIA and FBI completely rebuilt from the ground up, NSA as well. DHS gone. Though ya know, being anarchist leaning and a leftist, I'd rather have none of the above. And have everyone in ICE thrown in jail.

[Lustful Bride]

Tbh they're all pretty reprehensible in my book and historically have a lot of blood on their hands(The FBI worked against the Civil Rights Movement a lot for example and assassinated people. The CIA has destroyed countless countries). But we kind of rely on them for certain things. And for now the CIA and FBI are on and off working counter to Trump, depending on the situation and who is doing what. But basically I'd rather see the CIA and FBI completely rebuilt from the ground up, NSA as well. DHS gone.

I can agree with that in part. Id like to see them rebuilt and the more harmful aspects altered and/or removed if possible. (Especially ICE), we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater since they do accomplish a fair amount of good, and if we don't play the great game of politics other nations will do so and are doing so now. ITs a necessary evil but we don't have to be cruel about it.

Though ya know, being anarchist leaning and a leftist, I'd rather have none of the above.

I wish I could trust humanity like that, but I don't, and it has given me reason to fear anarchy and lack of order. My mind set is abit more....order and control for security while still trying to preserve individual freedoms. But I respect (and kidn of envy) your POV.

[Tolvo]

Well keep in mind, anarchist doesn't actually mean "No structure no order no government period!" I understand thinking it does, and there are a lot of anarchists like that, many also focus on being anti systems of oppression but will still allow smaller less powerful governments. It's why I say anarchist leaning, I'm anti-borders, pro prison abolition, but I think a level of government is fine and is necessary. Communes can exist but that won't work for most of society or people. We still need hospitals to exist for example, and medicine, a lot of things require a governing body to function that are necessary for the lives of many people. Like I want to see the police completely reworked, but I don't think we can just go "Well no cops period. Our completely just mob vengeance will sort out all problems." So anarchocommunist is probably the closest label to what I am. But it still ain't a perfect label.

[Lustful Bride]

Well keep in mind, anarchist doesn't actually mean "No structure no order no government period!" I understand thinking it does, and there are a lot of anarchists like that, many also focus on being anti systems of oppression but will still allow smaller less powerful governments.

I think you need a better name for it because when I think Anarchist I think of crazies who talk about blowing up oilfields and police buildings and wanting mankind to go back to discord and chaos.

It's why I say anarchist leaning, I'm anti-borders, pro prison abolition, but I think a level of government is fine and is necessary. Communes can exist but that won't work for most of society or people. We still need hospitals to exist for example, and medicine, a lot of things require a governing body to function that are necessary for the lives of many people.

My first encounter with an anarchist was back in my highschool days and was a more extreme person who argued that the sick and disabled should be allowed to die because itl help the rest of humanity, and the sick being kept alive is only to make drug companies richer and for everyone else to pay. >_>  I'm glad you are a more sane and reasonable person. Much better example of your ideology.

Like I want to see the police completely reworked, but I don't think we can just go "Well no cops period. Our completely just mob vengeance will sort out all problems." So anarchocommunist is probably the closest label to what I am. But it still ain't a perfect label.

I may not full agree (I am fine with cops getting military surplus in this era of mass shootings and terrorism but I do agree that lately they have been way too trigger happy and abusive) but I can agree with you on that idea and again I say you need a new name to reflect that more moderate ideals. You should form your own group with a welcoming motto....and blackjack! X3

[Lustful Bride]

I think he is genuinely incapable of just not talking.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-rips-grandstanding-isis-envoy-mcgurk-following-resignation/ar-BBRjBoT?ocid=spartandhp

[gaggedLouise]

As a candidate, Trump claimed (in his typical humble style) to be the one who would win back Christmas - the word Christmas and the public Christian framing of the holiday - to the Amrican people, and ban the "multicultural" greeting of Happy Holidays! Now it turns out that his own hotel chains and stores are sticking with the kind of language he vowed to push back, there is no mention of Christmas specifically, or Biblical iconography. :)

Trump seized on this during his campaign, repeatedly promising that under his presidency people would be trotting out “Merry Christmas” again. (He offered no proof that people had stopped using the phrase.) He has continued to talk about it since then – including in July this year, when he told a rally that Christmas “was under siege” before his victory, and in a recent fundraising email.

But it’s not just the online Trump store, that is failing to keep the president’s Christmas promise.

This week a visit to Trump Tower, Trump’s signature New York City erection, revealed that Christmas is not mentioned anywhere in the building’s public space. A phrase that is mentioned: “Holiday”, specifically at the Trump Grill, where the “Holiday Menu” options include the Trump Burger – it comes with cheese, egg, and “brownie ala mode”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/23/trump-war-on-christmas-happy-holidays-businesses

Of course, Trump could argue that he is no longer personally running his business empire now that he's moved to the White House, and so there's nothing he can do - but that would not be remotely convincing when it's his own long-time close associates, even his sons (or am I misremembering that one?) that are overseeing his businesses - and thinking of how he has repeatedly lashed out at various corporations like Google, Apple and others and told them to step in line and behave in a way that would conform to his political ideas.

[Tolvo]

Keep in mind, he cancelled the Christmas meet and greet with the president. And also because of the government shut down, shut down the White House Christmas Tree and visitation.

[gaggedLouise]

Keep in mind, he cancelled the Christmas meet and greet with the president. And also because of the government shut down, shut down the White House Christmas Tree and visitation.

*nods*

I bet if he had got his Moscow Trump Tower, the restaurants, entertainment and decoration there would have stuck with "Happy Holidays" and would not have used the Russian word for Christmas - especially not on January 6 which *is* when Russians celebrate the day with real fervour.

Also, I love this double-entendre phrase:

Trump Tower, Trump’s signature New York City erection

[The Lovely Tsaritsa]

*nods*

I bet if he had got his Moscow Trump Tower, the restaurants, entertainment and decoration there would have stuck with "Happy Holidays" and would not have used the Russian word for Christmas - especially not on January 6 which *is* when Russians celebrate the day with real fervour.

But, 7 January is real Christmas! Everyone knows this!

Счастливого рождества!