All Hail God-Emperor Trump

[Oniya]

Just as a note, Dan Rather, one of the last of the great newsmen, has two Facebook pages where he actively talks about the news - his own personal page, and new one called 'News and Guts' after his media company.

He's apparently not too happy with the idea of 'alternative facts':

Quote from the personal page

These are not normal times. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

When you have a spokesperson for the president of the United States wrap up a lie in the Orwellian phrase "alternative facts”…

When you have a press secretary in his first appearance before the White House reporters threaten, bully, lie, and then walk out of the briefing room without the cajones to answer a single question…

When you have a President stand before the stars of the fallen CIA agents and boast about the size of his crowds (lies) and how great his authoritarian inaugural speech was….

These are not normal times.

The press has never seen anything like this before. The public has never seen anything like this before. And the political leaders of both parties have never seen anything like this before.

What can we do? We can all step up and say simply and without equivocation. "A lie, is a lie, is a lie!" And if someone won't say it, those of us who know that there is such a thing as the truth must do whatever is in our power to diminish the liar's malignant reach into our society.

There is one group of people who can do a lot - very quickly. And that is Republicans in Congress. Without their support, Donald Trump's presidency will falter. So here is what I think everyone in the press must do. If you are interviewing a Paul Ryan, a Mitch McConnell, or any other GOP elected official, the first question must be "what will you do to combat the lying from the White House?" If they dodge and weave, keep with the follow ups. And if they refuse to give a satisfactory answer, end the interview.

Facts and the truth are not partisan. They are the bedrock of our democracy. And you are either with them, with us, with our Constitution, our history, and the future of our nation, or you are against it. Everyone must answer that question.

[Callie Del Noire]

This is what gets me..

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/20/1622924/-The-Orange-Swindler-s-First-Priority-Ending-Net-Neutrality

And now it's Son of Sopa/PIPA (whatever the f- it was called)

Does anyone know if this is on the up and up?:

[Vekseid]

Network Neutrality going away is one of a handful of things I can't have the face of the site be apolitical over. The other being Jeff Sessions' appointment and his stated intent to prosecute obscenity - if he gets approved.

In principle, it doesn't affect E all that much... but the implications of this getting followed on by various 'free basics' programs are pretty horrific.

With rumors of Zuckerburg looking at the Democratic ticket in 2020, you would think Republicans would be flipping the fuck out over this. The guy just tried to pull this shit in India.

[Cassandra LeMay]

Anyone else reminded of Comical Ali, the Iraqi propaganda minister from about 10 years back?

Destroying your credibility on day 1 of the job isn't exactly smart, and the internet never forgets.

Oh yeah. Watching Baghdad Bob was fun.

But I have my doubts if the credibility problem will be a real problem. A big part of Trump's selling point was - and is - that he is the only one who can be trusted. Once people buy into that claim, fighting the media might well enhance his standing among his supporters. Trust in the media, politicians, and experts is at an all time low. Sure, playing on those trust issues might not win him support beyond the people who voted for him, but we have seen that those people are enough to win the presidency.

[Oniya]

Oh yeah. Watching Baghdad Bob was fun.

But I have my doubts if the credibility problem will be a real problem. A big part of Trump's selling point was - and is - that he is the only one who can be trusted. Once people buy into that claim, fighting the media might well enhance his standing among his supporters. Trust in the media, politicians, and experts is at an all time low. Sure, playing on those trust issues might not win him support beyond the people who voted for him, but we have seen that those people are enough to win the presidency.

He's going to have a harder time playing on those trust issues as these people find that he's sold them a truckload of sailboat fuel.

[TheGlyphstone]

He's going to have a harder time playing on those trust issues as these people find that he's sold them a truckload of sailboat fuel.

We just have to hope they wake up and smell the cow patties, instead of going full Gambler's Fallacy and doubling down on 'he'll come through eventually once his enemies stop sabotaging him'.

[Mithlomwen]

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed executive actions to advance approval of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

I'm speechless.  I shouldn't be surprised.....but I truly have no words. 

*just shakes head* 

[DominantPoet]

Pumpkinhead just signed an executive order pushing the DAP (Dakota Access Pipeline) ahead, apparently (also, ninja'd ). He's just going to negotiate with them slightly, which is probably just greed speak for "I'm going to make sure you can get more money out of fucking up the environment!".

Three days and his disdain for the environment is pretty clear (not that it wasn't to many already). Forget worrying about four years from now, what the heck is going to happen a month from now? He's been in power three days and he's already done a ridiculous amount of crazy.

[Norwegian One]

http://time.com/4645559/donald-trump-epa-social-media-blackout/

Another department gagged, it seems.

[Mithlomwen]

Can we initiate impeachment proceedings now? 

*joking.....sorta

[Verasaille]

I sure wish someone would wake up and start impeaching the man who is lying, destroying diplomatic ties, fucking up the environment, encouraging misogyny, causing millions to be without health insurance, and effectively rolling over this country with his anarchy.

Where does it stop? Seriously? How about a grassroots campaign to get him out of office before he starts WW3?

[Valerian]

He's already being sued for violating the emoluments clause of the US Constitution (details here), which prohibits the president from benefiting because of gifts or payments from a foreign power.  Unfortunately that's likely to get thrown out of court because the group filing the suit (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) doesn't really have the legal standing to sue.  They have to show they suffered definite injury because of Trump's law-breaking, and that apparently won't be easy to do.  :/

[Norwegian One]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/01/trump-aides-cant-stop-blabbing-about-how-hes-a-madman.html?mid=twitter-share-di

More and more, I see him as a 70-year-old child. I am increasingly happy to be living on the other side of the pond, though I feel for you all.

[gaggedLouise]

During a White House dinner with top people from Congress, both Dems and Reps, Trump made the brazen claim that several million illegal immigrants had voted for Hillary and robbed him of the chance to beat her in the popular vote. No evidence provided of course. The story of what he had said (not its veracity) was confirmed by several of the guests, and later by Sean Spicer. He didn't offer any good sources to back up the claim either.

This is just incredibly cheap - and a textbook example of "I want you to believe this stuff out of the blue because it's Me saying it". 

[HairyHeretic]

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed executive actions to advance approval of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

I'm speechless.  I shouldn't be surprised.....but I truly have no words. 

*just shakes head*

I read that he has some degree of stock or other interest in (one of?) the companies involved in this.

Surely that is a conflict of interest, and to some degree illegal?

[Iniquitous]

He does have some form of vested interest in the Dakota Access Pipeline.


Found this to be an interesting read. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/mental-health/some-experts-say-trump-team-s-falsehoods-are-classic-gaslighting-n711021 

[Cassandra LeMay]

He's going to have a harder time playing on those trust issues as these people find that he's sold them a truckload of sailboat fuel.

And how will those people find that out? He can say unemployment is down when it's up, that inflation is low when it's high, and whatever he likes. As long as people believe him now, why should they doubt him later? Once he has gagged all the major government departments, how many people will really go through the trouble of researching the facts for themselves when it is so much easier to trust the White House?

[Oniya]

And how will those people find that out? He can say unemployment is down when it's up, that inflation is low when it's high, and whatever he likes. As long as people believe him now, why should they doubt him later? Once he has gagged all the major government departments, how many people will really go through the trouble of researching the facts for themselves when it is so much easier to trust the White House?

'He says unemployment is down, but I still don't have a job.'
'He says inflation is low, but I can't afford groceries.'

Some facts come up and smack you in the face.

[Cassandra LeMay]

'He says unemployment is down, but I still don't have a job.'
'He says inflation is low, but I can't afford groceries.'

Some facts come up and smack you in the face.

"But if he says employment is rising every month, it's only a matter of time before I get a job too.
He's already done so much for the country, lets give him a second chance.!

[Verasaille]

The way he is stifling everyone who is disagreeing with him is scary.

I think this is a very good comment, even if it is from the GOT.

[Oniya]

There probably will be some people that hold to it that strongly.  As time goes on, their numbers will dwindle for one reason or another.  Maybe a loved one gets sick and has no ACA to get treatment - but they were sooooo proud when T-Rump nixed 'Obamacare'.  Maybe they have to make that choice between food and shelter.  (And if they choose food, then they might have to get through the voting ID hurdles before the next election.) 

Circuses only keep the people happy for so long before they miss the bread.

[DominantPoet]

There probably will be some people that hold to it that strongly.  As time goes on, their numbers will dwindle for one reason or another.  Maybe a loved one gets sick and has no ACA to get treatment - but they were sooooo proud when T-Rump nixed 'Obamacare'.  Maybe they have to make that choice between food and shelter.  (And if they choose food, then they might have to get through the voting ID hurdles before the next election.) 

Circuses only keep the people happy for so long before they miss the bread.

The unfortunate disease that affects so many people - "I don't care until it affects me". And then, by golly, they sure care!

[MiraMirror]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/24/journalists-charged-felonies-trump-inauguration-unrest

I'm just waiting for someone on Facebook to explain how this is a good thing and Trump is still a perfect person, and not at all a whiny, overgrown orange that gained sentience and hair.

Unbelievable.

[CuriousEyes]

Kind of astounding in the scheme of modern politics just how quickly he's ripping through all of his campaign promises. Coupled with how terrifying and potenially damning/damaging they all are...

Supposedly the Supreme Court front-runner is a 50 year old who is to the right of Scalia on certain issues. So let's look forward to 30 years of that and hope Kennedy/Ginsburg can make it at least to the mid-terms (although Dems are Supposedly in a worse position there too so it might get worse before it gets better).

[Cassandra LeMay]

The unfortunate disease that affects so many people - "I don't care until it affects me". And then, by golly, they sure care!

There is that, yes. But people also have an almost unlimited capacity to blame anyone and everyone but themselves. It can be so much easier to blame liberals, the media, foreigners, the Bilderberg conspiracy, or god-knows-whom, than admit "I brought this upon myself with my vote".

Once things start to go south and people begin to make excuses for Trump, many of them may not actually make excuses for Trump because they are big fans, but because they don't want to admit he managed to pull the wool over their eyes.