All Hail God-Emperor Trump

[Cassandra LeMay]

Watch now as the prices of things skyrocket. Not just the tequila and the beer. All the things now made in Mexico and shipped in as imports by "American" companies suddenly become too expensive to produce there.

It's even more complicated than that. A lot of the products assembled in Mexico use components made in the US. Cars made in Mexico don't sell any more because they are too expensive? Guess what happens to the people who make the seats, steering wheels, gas tanks, gear shifts, whathaveyou? Out of work - and that is how you make America great again. Somehow... in some reality... that I don't like to live in....

Actually I am starting to see the appeal of "alternative facts". Mayb, just maybe, I can wish myself into a reality where none of this actually happens.

Then again, he hasn't ordered the invasion of another country yet, so maybe I should reserve my judgement. Is Trump worse than Dubya was? Or are we just paying more attention to the attention-grabbing orange combover?

[Oniya]

Watch now as the prices of things skyrocket. Not just the tequila and the beer. All the things now made in Mexico and shipped in as imports by "American" companies suddenly become too expensive to produce there.

Apparently, quite a bit of our fresh and frozen produce is imported from Mexico.  Unless that tomato is marked 'locally grown', chances are it came from a Mexican field.  Mr. Oniya points out that one exception to this is California, because any trucks coming into the state have to be washed down to prevent transfer of plant pests and diseases - importing from Mexico to California is basically a losing deal for the produce people.

[Lucetta]

Just wait a little bit and he'll offer you a GREAT sale on fire extinguishers. Best Ever! MADE in the USA!! 20% off for those who can prove they actually voted for him.

I've heard of worse ideas working out... http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/08/world/fresh-air-britain-china-bottles/

[Cassandra LeMay]

Stephen Bannon says "the media" is "the opposition", and that hey should just keep their mouth shut.

And you know what? I never thought I would agree with Mister Breitbart, but in some way I actually do. Let the media shut up on Trump for just one week. No re-posting his tweets, no Trump headline, no photo of him, or a family member, or a cabinet member on any front page for a week. Just one single week.

Maybe that would actually do everyone some good.

Print a weekend special or something that sums up all his BS after the fact, but just shut up for a few days and see how his ego will deal with a lack of attention.

[Lucetta]

You know, Cassandra...

The news should spend a little more time reporting on good things happening in the world. Random acts of kindness... Lives saved... A total stranger smiling and greeting others politely on the street... But drama sells and Trump is very dramatic. The cameras will follow the high ratings until the source of them dies. And then the ratings will really go up!

If people around the world agreed to turn off the news when Trump is on camera or mentioned, I think the massive news corporations would take a hint that we're actually quite burned out at this point.

[Verasaille]

I actually think that is a very bad idea. Not that I want to watch Trumpelthinskin and his tantrums, but because we all need to witness this to believe it. I once saw a sign that said it admirably:

Hide your head in the sand and your ass makes a good target.

[Cassandra LeMay]

I actually think that is a very bad idea. Not that I want to watch Trumpelthinskin and his tantrums, but because we all need to witness this to believe it. I once saw a sign that said it admirably:

Hide your head in the sand and your ass makes a good target.

You haven't yet seen how deep in the sand I can hide my whole body. 

But just, for a moment, imagine Trump sitting in the oval office and declaiming that he will hold his breath until the news start reporting on him again before he clamps his mouth shut and pinches his nose closed. His skin turns pink, slightly blue, purple, his eyes begin to bulge out, steam coming out of his ears...

I know normalizing him would be about the worst anyone can do, but I'll get my laughs when I can.

You know, Cassandra...

The news should spend a little more time reporting on good things happening in the world. Random acts of kindness... Lives saved... A total stranger smiling and greeting others politely on the street... But drama sells and Trump is very dramatic. The cameras will follow the high ratings until the source of them dies. And then the ratings will really go up!

If people around the world agreed to turn off the news when Trump is on camera or mentioned, I think the massive news corporations would take a hint that we're actually quite burned out at this point.

Personally I think the news does a decent job reporting on bad things. I don't need them to report on random acts of kindness - because that's the kind of story I can make myself. Everyone of us can be the person who offers a smile, helps someone across the street, offers food to a stray animal, or whatever else we consider small but good things. I don't want these things to be newsworthy. The news should be about exceptional events. Being good and kind should not be considered newsworthy for that very reason; these things should be normal.

No. I say let the media continue to report on things that are too big for one individual (or a small group) to deal with, because those are the things people will need to come together for to fight against and help solve. But someone needs to alert the people that there is a problem (or three, or ten). That's the job the media should do - tell people bad things so people can decide - for themselves - if they want to do something about it or not.

[gaggedLouise]

Disturbing article about the real relevance of Trump's "the illegal aliens stole my popular election win" comments - by undermining faith in the fairness of democracy, Trump can get an excuse for seriously meddling with the routines of upcoming elections: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/26/donald-trump-voter-fraud-lie-political-gain-explanations

At worst, he could set up new Jim Crow-style rules to shut low-income coloured people off from  elections. or even claim that a 2020 election win for the Democrats was "rigged", and then refusing to step down. 

[Lilias]

Trump won't make it to 2020, but people need to look now beyond the clown.

https://www.autostraddle.com/i-was-trained-for-the-culture-wars-in-home-school-awaiting-someone-like-mike-pence-as-a-messiah-367057/

[Cassandra LeMay]

This is kinda old news, but I wasn't aware of it until a friend just mentioned to me that Sam Bee mentioned that Glenn Beck actually apologized for helping bring about the Trump presidency.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/27/magazine/glenn-beck-is-sorry-about-all-that.html?_r=0

[Eikichi]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-muslim-countries-refugee-ban-executive-order-today-white-house-official-latest-a7550091.html

So the wall was real, and the Muslim ban was real too. I'm dreading what's going to happen to planned parenthood.

[Cassandra LeMay]

... I'm dreading what's going to happen to planned parenthood.

Probably exactly the same as might have happened under some other Republican presidents who would have had the House and Senate behind them.

[MiraMirror]

http://usuncut.com/politics/trump-christian-refugees/

[elone]

The really scary thing about Trump is that I think he actually believes the things he does are the best thing for the United States and its people. I truly believe that he thinks that anyone who needs the government's help is a loser, and everyone else supports him. As he says, ... so sad.

[Lustful Bride]

At this point id rather have Lex Luthor or Albert Wesker or, hell even Frank Underwood. At the very least they are functionally evil rather than just the Chaos of trump.

[Iniquitous]

Debated on where to put this...

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/28/middleeast/iran-will-ban-us-citizens/

So, tit for tat now.

[Lustful Bride]

Debated on where to put this...

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/28/middleeast/iran-will-ban-us-citizens/

So, tit for tat now.

I don't know, I feel like Iran has been waiting eagerly for an excuse to do this, just to spite the US, whether or not trump was in charge. They seem to enjoy antagonizing us, especially with so many close calls as of late with their navy ships getting dangerously close to ours.

[Verasaille]

I am just so scared right now. There is so much tension in the world, that the US has their fingers in. T-rump is so heavy handed, he is not even thinking of all the Americans already in those countries doing contract work, the humanitarian projects, the missionaries. I fear for their safety. What is he going to do if some of them are grabbed and held for hostage?

He spoke of them cutting off heads, does he really think that this will stop them? Is he that naive he thinks they will just stop hating the US just because he is getting tough on Immigration? He is alienating so many people now it is mind boggling.

Just thought I would add this to the discussion. The article is good. I just wonder if the right people will pay attention to it?

https://hbr.org/2016/11/what-so-many-people-dont-get-about-the-u-s-working-class

[Cassandra LeMay]

I don't know, I feel like Iran has been waiting eagerly for an excuse to do this, just to spite the US, whether or not trump was in charge. They seem to enjoy antagonizing us, especially with so many close calls as of late with their navy ships getting dangerously close to ours.

Umm... their ships getting close to yours is kinda natural in the Persian Gulf, because it's kinda narrow? And yeah, they could stay away from US ships, but those Iranians? They kinda sorta were there first?

And I think Iran actually wants a good relationship with the West. Thje reasons I say this are:
1 - They want their economy to function because a functioning economy makes for happy people. Happey people are good if you want to be re-elected. And yes, there are actually elections in Iran. They are not perfect, but they are better than what they have in Saudi Arabia.
2) Speaking of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis and Iranians (or at least their governments) are like cats and dogs, oil and water, some other things that don't mix well. Iran can't aford to piss of the West, now that it has opened a door. If they do, everyone will just fawn over the Saudis more.

The Iranians have nothing to gain, but a lot to loose by pissing off the West and they know it. But they are a regional power. They want to preserve their face. They don't want to spite the US, they want to put up a strong face.

[TheGlyphstone]

Umm... their ships getting close to yours is kinda natural in the Persian Gulf, because it's kinda narrow? And yeah, they could stay away from US ships, but those Iranians? They kinda sorta were there first?

Even at its narrowest, the Gulf is still 35 miles wide - that's "narrow" in a sense of how big oceans/seas are, but being in line of sight to another ship is way different than the deliberate mock collision course/attack profile runs that the Iranians tend to do. They do make a game out of harassing US ships in the Gulf, almost certainly because they were indeed there first and regard us as intruders in their sphere of influence. They don't actually want a war because no one sane wants to provoke something as big as the US into genuine war...but that assumes both sides are sane.

[Verasaille]

Even at its narrowest, the Gulf is still 35 miles wide - that's "narrow" in a sense of how big oceans/seas are, but being in line of sight to another ship is way different than the deliberate mock collision course/attack profile runs that the Iranians tend to do. They do make a game out of harassing US ships in the Gulf, almost certainly because they were indeed there first and regard us as intruders in their sphere of influence. They don't actually want a war because no one sane wants to provoke something as big as the US into genuine war...but that assumes both sides are sane.

That last bit...scares me.

[Lustful Bride]

Even at its narrowest, the Gulf is still 35 miles wide - that's "narrow" in a sense of how big oceans/seas are, but being in line of sight to another ship is way different than the deliberate mock collision course/attack profile runs that the Iranians tend to do. They do make a game out of harassing US ships in the Gulf, almost certainly because they were indeed there first and regard us as intruders in their sphere of influence. They don't actually want a war because no one sane wants to provoke something as big as the US into genuine war...but that assumes both sides are sane.

Highlighted the area of importance. More than 5 times now the Iranians have gotten so close that US ships had to fire warning shots to tell them to back off because they ignored all communication attempts and kept getting closer. All naval doctrine has acceptable limits for how close ships may be before becoming a threat and the Iranians purposefully try to get close in a dick measuring contest.

[TheGlyphstone]

That last bit...scares me.

The scary bit is how it could very reasonably escalate. If Trump just loses his stack and orders a nuclear strike on Tehran, the military's not immediately obligated to obey. Rather, I'm pretty sure that's the sort of order they're legally required to refuse. But if they do something to mess with us and he demands a response like moving a battlegroup into the Gulf, then he's giving a reasonable order and they'll do it. Trigger fingers get itchy, people get nervous and tense, someone overreacts to something, shots are fired, and now we've got that genuine war. It's the Cuban Missile Crisis all over again, except instead of Kennedy we have Trump, who is far less likely to try and defuse the tension.

[Norwegian One]

https://thinkprogress.org/islamic-center-of-victoria-fire-8a683f632a7a#.6u02xenmx

:(

[Cassandra LeMay]

Even at its narrowest, the Gulf is still 35 miles wide - that's "narrow" in a sense of how big oceans/seas are, but being in line of sight to another ship is way different than the deliberate mock collision course/attack profile runs that the Iranians tend to do. They do make a game out of harassing US ships in the Gulf, almost certainly because they were indeed there first and regard us as intruders in their sphere of influence. They don't actually want a war because no one sane wants to provoke something as big as the US into genuine war...but that assumes both sides are sane.

Yes, 35 miles is pretty darn narrow, in the sense that a country doesn't stop at a coastline. There are borders running though those waters, miles away from dry land.