***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[EddieDoyers]

The Trump Presidency: The First Week

By: Johan Galtung

A very strong white state centered on a president with absolute power and control over life (birth) and death (care) of the citizens. Not regulating police racism. So far, no order on the military.

Fascism? Too early to say; but in that direction. It opens for questions about the inner workings of Donald J. Trump. Who is he?

A Johns Hopkins psychologist sees Trump suffering from “malignant narcissism“. A Norwegian historian, Öystein Morten, in a detailed analysis of Norwegian king crusader Sigurd Jorsalafare (1103-1130)–clearly crazy–has a Norwegian psychiatrist diagnose him as suffering from “bipolar depression”, manic-depressive. Is Trump only manic?

This column early on saw Trump as suffering from “autism”, living in his own bubble, speaking his babble with no sense of reciprocity, the reaction of the other side. The column stands by that.

However, this column drew a line between his words and deeds; denouncing his rhetoric as grossly insulting and prejudicial, but pinning some hope on his deeds. Wrong, and sorry about that. After one week, Trump clearly means every word he says, and enacts them from Day 1; even what he once retracted in a New York Times interview.

Combine the two points just made: autism and immediate enactment. He acts, and from his bubble does not sense how others will react, and increasingly proact. He assumes that others will accept his orders, obey, and that is it. It is not. His orders my even backfire.

As many point out, terrorism in the USA after 9/11 is almost nil. But his actions may change that. Some Mexicans may hit back, not only against the wall but the border itself, drawn by USA grabbing 53% of Mexican territory in 1846-48, then soaking Mexico in debt and violence importing drugs and exporting arms, even unaware of the harm they do.

Take the seven countries targeted by Trump for collective punishment: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen; the old seven with state central banks targeted by Bush, with Yemen substituted for Lebanon. All mainly Muslim.

Imagine them reacting by cooperating, learning from China to raise the bottom up, starting building a West Asian community with links across the Red Sea, and “Saudi” Arabia soon joining?

If their governments do not do that, imagine the Islamic State doing exactly that? What a gift to the Islamic State/Caliphate!

As a minimum, the 7 might reciprocate and block US citizens’ entry for the same period. How would that affect US military operations? Would it force Trump to use force? In fact, are his demands on other countries so extreme, not only in words but in deeds, that there are no more words and deeds left short of force? Does his extremism limit his range of options, making war as probable as under Hillary Clinton?

And yet what he has done so far, firing and backfiring, is little relative to what other US presidents have done of harm.

Take FDR spending much of his presidencies on beating Japan, scheming to provoke Japan into war, defeat and permanent occupation to eliminate Japan as a threat to US economy and polity. That policy is still being enacted, now as “collective self-defense.”

Take JFK getting USA into the Vietnam War in 1961.

Take Eisenhower eliminating Lumumba, maybe Hammarskjöld.

They caused devastation of Japan, of Vietnam and set back Africa on its way to freedom, autonomy, independence. Trump is retracting, contracting, away from others, but not expanding into them. So far.

The reaction inside the USA has been from judges challenging the legality of the orders and launching court suits. The market has been ambiguous but generally down with heavy protests from Silicon Valley. Trump claims the orders are working. What else will happen?

It is difficult to imagine that there will not be a CIA response, being challenged and provoked by Trump, not only for accusing Russia of intervening to his advantage. There are probably at this moment countless meetings in Washington on how to get rid of Trump. Yet, he has command over not only his Executive, Congress and the Supreme Court, but also over the overwhelming number of states in the union.

US presidents have been assassinated before Trump when the forces against are sufficiently strong. Could somebody from the Travel ban 7 be hired to do the job, making it look as a foreign conspiracy?

Another and more hopeful scenario would be nonviolent resistance. Difficult for border officials. But inside the USA people to be deported may be hidden, protected by their own kind and by others–with care though, Trump also has some good points.

More constructive would be alternative foreign policies by cities, at present not by the federation, nor by most of the states. Reaching out to the seven and above all to Mexico for dialogue; searching for better relations than at present and under Trump. Preparing the ground for something new, under the Democratic Party or not.

Not a third party, impossible in the USA it seems, but as general approach. The relation between New York and Baghdad, Tehran, Damascus, Tripoli, Khartoum, Mogadisciu and Sana’a as an example. Still some space!

There is no greatness in what Trump does, he makes USA smaller. Trying rebirth instead of rust, canceling stupid deals like TPP: OK. But retracting into a self-glorifying strong state is not greatness, it is isolation. Greatness is not in what you are but in how you relate. And Trump relates very badly.

 

[elpablo21]

Ted Cruz v. Bernie Sanders next week, DVR'ing that one

 

[rolaholic]

Toomey and his fellow clowns got a lot of balls talking about obstruction with a straight face. I forgot which senator called it the most shameful thing he's ever seen or some **** like that......

Those clowns are trying to play the Dems hard by holding them to certain standards that they'd never hold themselves to

Before the election

"if Clinton becomes president, I am going to do everything to make sure 4 years from now, we still got an opening on SCOTUS.” - @SenatorBurr

“I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Clinton, if she were president, would put up.” - @SenJohnMcCain

"There is certainly long historical precedent for a Supreme Court with fewer justices." - @tedcruz

Yet now they actually give a damn about filling a court vacancy

 

[everysingletime]

Can the Democrats manage what the Republicans did and just try to keep that one Supreme Court spot vacant?

 

[ninjahood]

Can the Democrats manage what the Republicans did and just try to keep that one Supreme Court spot vacant?

they don't hold da cards....and what kinda dirt u gonna drop on Neil? it'll blow up right in their faces.

 

[gry60]

http://www.wtae.com/article/boil-water-advisory-for-pittsburgh-neighborhoods/8660245?src=app

In light of the EO pertaining to decreasing regulations, the people of Pittsburg should immediately demand the elimination of those cumbersome contamination standards and rerun the tests. The new results will be tremendous.

 

[jjs07]

just read kushner was furious when trump cancelled that Mexico meeting

Why

'Not a coincidence' that Trump controversies come while Kushner observing Shabbat, report says

This has Bannon's fingerprints all over it....

 

[frink85]

Toomey and his fellow clowns got a lot of balls talking about obstruction with a straight face. I forgot which senator called it the most shameful thing he's ever seen or some **** like that......

Those clowns are trying to play the Dems hard by holding them to certain standards that they'd never hold themselves to

Before the election

"if Clinton becomes president, I am going to do everything to make sure 4 years from now, we still got an opening on SCOTUS.” - @SenatorBurr

“I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Clinton, if she were president, would put up.” - @SenJohnMcCain

"There is certainly long historical precedent for a Supreme Court with fewer justices." - @tedcruz

Yet now they actually give a damn about filling a court vacancy

What a clown

 

[gry60]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a45451/lead-water-crisis-33-cities/


http://www.vox.com/2016/2/3/10904120/lead-exposure-flint-pennsylvania

18 cities in PA have reported more lead exposure than Flint

 

[handullz]

It's hard to feel bad for this story.

What the **** did you think would happen?

He got to his position by telling the miseducated and misninformed that he would build a wall and the country that he's cutting off would pay for it.

shows how people are willing to overlook prejudice until it's being directed towards themtheir own interests in order to align themselves with white supremacy

Fixed for ya, famb-o

Cats need to stop sugar coating it and call it what it is:

Trump ran on a white supremacy ticket.

There is a LARGE group of NON WHITE people in this country that are PERFECTLY fine and actually prefer being under the thumb of white supremacy.

It's been shown thought the last 500+ years of people throwing their own comfort out the window to make the next white person feel better

The cold part is that I truly feel that most white folk are chilling and ain't down for that white supremacy stuff.

Shhh cray

 

[00david00]

Can the Democrats manage what the Republicans did and just try to keep that one Supreme Court spot vacant?

Republicans had, and still have, senate majority making it easier.

 

[jape]

Fixed for ya, famb-o

Cats need to stop sugar coating it and call it what it is:

Trump ran on a white supremacy ticket.

There is a LARGE group of NON WHITE people in this country that are PERFECTLY fine and actually prefer being under the thumb of white supremacy.

It's been shown thought the last 500+ years of people throwing their own comfort out the window to make the next white person feel better

The cold part is that I truly feel that most white folk are chilling and ain't down for that white supremacy stuff.

Shhh cray

all facts  

although it's the minority, i meet mexicans down here who actually support this idiot and have no plausible reasons why.

 

[dathbgboy]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a45451/lead-water-crisis-33-cities/


http://www.vox.com/2016/2/3/10904120/lead-exposure-flint-pennsylvania

18 cities in PA have reported more lead exposure than Flint

Been telling people for a while that Flint isn't an anomaly. Every city/town/borough/etc. in this country has lead pipes running underneath of them and at any moment, it can get bad. I'm just glad my area is good, for now.

 

[Deleted member 42060]

One of the most important things to understand about conservatives is that they cannot imagine equality. For conservatives group A subjugates group B or the opposite is true.

That is why they believe that unless Christianity is supreme in the United States, Sharia Law will be imposed on Christians. If Whites cannot plunder blacks then blacks will plunder whites. If our armed forces do not invade and occupy Middle Eastern Countries then it will Taliban and ISIS occupying American cities. If men do not treat women like servants than women will surely do the same.

So keep that in mind when you wonder why conservatives are so opposed to acceptance, equality or even mere tolerance. For conservatives, there can only be those who subjugate and those who themselves are subjugated.

Quote of the thread

 

[cards93]

Been telling people for a while that Flint isn't an anomaly. Every city/town/borough/etc. in this country has lead pipes running underneath of them and at any moment, it can get bad. I'm just glad my area is good, for now.

One of the reasons I like having a well at my house.

 

[dathbgboy]

Been telling people for a while that Flint isn't an anomaly. Every city/town/borough/etc. in this country has lead pipes running underneath of them and at any moment, it can get bad. I'm just glad my area is good, for now.

One of the reasons I like having a well at my house.

Yea, I heard well water is decent in a sense. I low key want to collect rain water and use that but from what I heard it's illegal Remember a story about an older dude who collected the water and the city made him dump it because it was illegal and the city couldn't bill him for it.

 

[cards93]

Yea, I heard well water is decent in a sense. I low key want to collect rain water and use that but from what I heard it's illegal

Remember a story about an older dude who collected the water and the city made him dump it because it was illegal and the city couldn't bill him for it.

I grew up and have always had public water until I bought my house, and I love the well water.  I think it tastes better, and it is a little cheaper (even though the past year I spent probably $4-5 grand on a new pump, neutralizer, etc. but now I should not have to spend a dime for at least 10 years.  The only thing that sucks is if you lose power you need a generator, or you don't have water. 

I will say the government does not like people on self sufficient well water.  I know that if you are trying to buy a house that has access to a public line (but not tied in), but have well water, they will not approve an FHA mortgage - which is ridiculous IMO.

 

[gry60]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...a-germany-currency-exploitation-a7556521.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/01/trumps-first-housing-move-tanks-mortgage-applications.html

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/232856168-story

Hager, his niece, and two nephews were traveling with his 75-year-old mother, Naimma, home to Michigan. They traveled to Iraq to visit family and when she fell ill. Hager said he didn't expect it to be a problem for the family to travel since they all had green cards and had lived in the United States for 20 years.
"I was just shocked. I had to put my mom back on the wheelchair and take her back and call the ambulance and she was very very upset. She knew right there if we send her back to the hospital she's going to pass away - she's not going to make it," Hager said.
Sadly, he was right. Naimma, lived in the United States since 1995, wasn't allowed to come home. She died in her native country. Hager said if it weren't for the order, his mom would still be alive today.
He blames her death on President Trump.
I really believe this in my heart: if they would have let us in, my mom - she would have made it and she would have been sitting right here next to me," Hager said. "She's gone because of him."

Hager was born in Iraq and fled during the Gulf War. He lived in a refugee camp with his family for four years before settling in the United States. In the 2000s, he returned to Iraq where he worked as a contractor for the United States Special forces between 2003 and 2008 as an interpreter and cultural advisor. He even survived being shot in the back while serving.

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...is-already-stopping-scientific-collaboration/

Talk about unintended consequences...

Also,

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-01-05/le-pen-shouldn-t-count-on-putin-s-money (Marine couldn't get money to run the FN from any French bank, so had to borrow some from a Russian one. Where did we hear that before?)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38821074 (Marine was asked by the EU parliament to return funds granted to her because she used it to fund her party - the National Front)

 

[Mark Antony]

So what do you do when you are blanket deported to somewhere that hasn't been your home in decades for no legal reason?

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[frink85]

So damn petty

 

[IATT]

 

[gry60]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/th...-is-finally-taking-trump-literally-2017-02-01

By itself, the 230-point drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.04% this week wasn’t earth shattering: 1% gains and losses happen all the time. But the clattering sound accompanying it wasn’t hard to diagnose: It was the sound of scales falling off of Wall Street’s eyes.

The market this week is dealing with the realization that President Donald Trump means all the things he says. He really is a protectionist, really does think America needs to be protected from the world both economically and physically. He really does make policy without much care or thought to get details right, he really has recruited an honest-to-God terrible team, and it actually is kind of dangerous.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The rally was based on assumptions, embedded in reports from banks like Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, that Trump’s tax cuts and infrastructure plans would boost growth — and that he wouldn’t go ahead with trade policies that would erase the gains, or would water them way down. Now, congressional Republicans are balking at infrastructure plans, and a determination to create a deglobalized America is taking precedence.

Spectacle is bad for business. Sometimes the spectacle is Trump obsessing over his inaugural crowd, or his habitual lying. Last night, it was sweeping out Yates for defending the rule of law. This morning, it’s the amusing sight of a spokesman for Queen Elizabeth trying to wriggle out of the state visit British Prime Minister Theresa Gray invited Trump to make.

Today’s real problem is Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro crudely trying to manipulate currency markets, calling the euro “grossly undervalued” in what looks like a bid to undo damage Trump does with policies that pump up the dollar and threaten U.S. exports. Navarro also decided to lecture the Financial Times about how global supply chains are a bad thing, despite decades of practice by executives who know their businesses far better than Navarro does.

 

[sfc415]

If I were Obama, I'd never come back I'd have that "You're on your own" mentality after putting up with so much BS for 8 years and then getting President Trump as a reward