# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making Part Deux (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083 "2020-06-22T03:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 117
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2332 "2020-08-14T20:01:17Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The official Simpsons twitter account, via Marge Simpson, responds to White House staffer Jenna Ellis saying Kamala Harris sounds like Marge. > [https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/entertainment/marge-simpson-jenna-ellis-kamala-harris/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/entertainment/marge-simpson-jenna-ellis-kamala-harris/index.html) Damn! That was a VIDEO tweet. Which means that Tweet actually cost them money to produce. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2333 "2020-08-14T20:47:11Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nwo8m-m0VQg/maxresdefault.jpg "Golden Showers") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwo8m-m0VQg) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2334 "2020-08-14T20:54:46Z")
> **[Postal Service warns 46 states their voters could be disenfranchised by...](https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEIehf10F9m-ObydydDe67B8qGAgEKg8IACoHCAowjtSUCjC30XQwidHlAQ?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen)** > > An election judge in Minneapolis receives an absentee ballot from a primary voter at a drive-through drop-off point Tuesday.Getty Images Anticipating an avalanche of absentee ballots, the U.S. Postal Service recently sent detailed letters to 46... My hunch is that Trump’s administration is creating a trap. He wants to fuck up the post office so that people won’t get their ballots on time, and he’ll then use voting in person to claim that people are voting twice. Somewhere along the way, Bill Barr threatens federal prosecution of people who vote or attempt to vote twice. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2335 "2020-08-14T21:12:17Z")
> This tweet shows a picture of a person removing mail boxes from the street (the ones you put out-going mail into). ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2336 "2020-08-14T21:13:46Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > This tweet shows a picture of a person removing mail boxes from the street (the ones you put out-going mail into You know, tweets are not proof of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2337 "2020-08-14T21:16:06Z")
No, but they aren’t evidence against, either. > **[USPS removes mailboxes in Portland and Eugene, cites ‘declining mail volume’](https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/08/usps-removes-mailboxes-in-portland-and-eugene-cites-declining-mail-volume.html)** > > The removals caused concern among many residents of both cities, following remarks from the president about impeding vote-by-mail ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2338 "2020-08-14T21:21:41Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > No, but they aren’t evidence against, either Thanks for the link. It avoids the “OMG TRUMP STEALING THE ELECTION” outrage of a tweet. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2339 "2020-08-14T23:16:31Z")
Saved you a diaper change, too. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2340 "2020-08-14T23:44:55Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > My hunch is that Trump’s administration is creating a trap. He wants to fuck up the post office so that people won’t get their ballots on time, and he’ll then use voting in person to claim that people are voting twice. Somewhere along the way, Bill Barr threatens federal prosecution of people who vote or attempt to vote twice. Too complicated. The simple goal is “fuck everything up”. That’s Trump’s simply modus operandi, and coincidentally it’s Putin’s dream scenario as well. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2341 "2020-08-15T00:18:15Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The simple goal is “fuck everything up”. That’s Trump’s simply modus operandi, and coincidentally it’s Putin’s dream scenario as well. That’s the Republican Party _modus operandi_. They hate government, and therefore anything to fuck it up is by definition a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2342 "2020-08-15T01:56:07Z")
Remember the infamous August 11 2001 PDB? It looks like Cheeto-Faced ShitGibbon has insulated himself from that hazard. > **[Trump has pretty much eliminated daily intelligence briefings. Biden has...](https://theweek.com/speedreads/930847/trump-pretty-much-eliminated-daily-intelligence-briefings-biden-already-started-receiving)** If there is a one-on-one debate between the two of the, how will it look if Joe is better informed than the actual Прецардэнт? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2343 "2020-08-15T03:41:23Z")
Par for the course ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2344 "2020-08-15T03:51:07Z")
Congressman Eric Swallwell calls for the creation of a presidential crimes commission to investigate Individual 1 after he leaves office. > **[Swalwell calls for creation of presidential crimes commission to investigate...](https://thehill.com/homenews/house/512140-swalwell-calls-for-creation-of-presidential-crimes-commission-to-investigate/)** > > Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) on Friday suggested that officials create a presidential crimes commission after President Trump leaves office to investigate his actions while serving as co… ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2345 "2020-08-15T04:05:25Z")
Well, that will just make him fight all that much harder to stay in office for as long as possible. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2346 "2020-08-15T04:10:00Z")
How many volumes? Arranged by alphabet? Volume one, _Aardvaark to AARP_? Chronological, from the Auguring ceremony, the moment he lifted his hand from the smoldering Bible? Start with blasphemy, then? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2347 "2020-08-15T04:20:20Z")
I don’t know that his level of motivation is nearly as important as the ones who enable him. If keeping Trump out of jail comes at too high a price to his collaborators, then they will turn on him. However, if Barr faces prosecution in a Biden administration, then he will use the entirety of the DOJ to ensure Trump wins. Same with all the others who have committed crimes under the permission and encouragement of this administration. They will all use the resources of the positions they have been gifted to keep Trump in power. This is how dictators gain power. Surround oneself with people who will become comprised, and can only protect themselves by protecting you. If you make sure that if you go down, everyone does, then they will only dig themselves deeper and deeper in fending off the law and legitimizing illegal behaviors. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2348 "2020-08-15T04:44:24Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t know that his level of motivation is nearly as important as the ones who enable him. > > If keeping Trump out of jail comes at too high a price to his collaborators, then they will turn on him. > > However, if Barr faces prosecution in a Biden administration, then he will use the entirety of the DOJ to ensure Trump wins. Same with all the others who have committed crimes under the permission and encouragement of this administration. They will all use the resources of the positions they have been gifted to keep Trump in power. > > This is how dictators gain power. Surround oneself with people who will become comprised, and can only protect themselves by protecting you. If you make sure that if you go down, everyone does, then they will only dig themselves deeper and deeper in fending off the law and legitimizing illegal behaviors. This is Trump’s problem. He insists on personal loyalty above competence. And he scapegoats his followers for his own failings. The results are he has one of the most ineffective administrations in history. The brains of the Republican party are over in Congress. They’re the dangerous ones. Donald Trump can’t steal this election but Mitch McConnell might steal it for him. The question is whether McConnell feels it’s in his best interests to do so. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2349 "2020-08-15T05:06:43Z")
I’d say it depends on what type of control Barr feels he has. Right now, Trump needs Barr, between him and McConnell, they can legalize anything that Trump does. Which also means that they can legalize anything that they tell Trump to do. If they think that they can keep him on a leash, then I see no reason why they won’t use him to continue to advance their own agenda. A dangerous game though. I would like to see the universe where they succeed at installing him as dictator, then he turns on them, [as everyone knew he would](https://tenor.com/view/firefly-betrayal-gif-5080330). I don’t really want to live in that universe though. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2350 "2020-08-15T05:31:34Z")
Yes. Shouldn’t he wait a few months?? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/2351 "2020-08-15T05:48:58Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If they think that they can keep him on a leash, then I see no reason why they won’t use him to continue to advance their own agenda. > > A dangerous game though. I would like to see the universe where they succeed at installing him as dictator, then he turns on them, [as everyone knew he would](https://tenor.com/view/firefly-betrayal-gif-5080330). I don’t really want to live in that universe though. Why would McConnell do all the work and take all of the risk of breaking the law and throwing out the Constitution in order to make Trump dictator? If he decides to go for it, we’ll see Emperor Mitchell ruling over us not Emperor Donald. Trump’s the only person dumb enough and entitled enough to expect other people to set up a dictatorship and then hand it to him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=116) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=118)