# 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:** 311
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6220 "2020-11-10T23:32:48Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But there’s no skin off his nose if he fixes the lawn. It’s not him that’s paying for it, it’s all the rubes who donated (and are still donating) to his campaign. You’re right, but that overlooks the pettiness of his character. It’s one of his defining characteristics. Also malevolent. And cheap. Why spend a dime of his rubes’ money to fix the lawn when he can save it to fund his new post-“administration” adventures in propaganda, and trash the White House in advance of President Elect Biden’s term? I don’t think he’d ever pass up a chance for a two-fer like that. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6221 "2020-11-10T23:34:13Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > > [@Aspenglow](#): > > > > I will say that I don’t think Trump is classy enough to actually finish the job. > > That’s my thought. My money is on the lawn being torn up until late 01/21,because its a small spitefuI action like that of a toddler ripping up something nice just because he can. You’re probably right, especially considering that at least some of the damage apparently dates from WH lawn events during the RNC in August. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6222 "2020-11-10T23:46:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > You’re probably right, especially considering that at least some of the damage apparently dates from WH lawn events during the RNC in August . He’ll never get his security deposit back at this rate. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6223 "2020-11-10T23:48:16Z")
Not to mention that his donors are pulling out. I don’t know if this is [pay-walled](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/09/trump-legal-fight-over-election-pricey-some-donors-arent-sold/6228092002/), but here’s the main part: WASHINGTON – President [Donald Trump’s campaign](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/07/trump-email-fundraising-would-pay-campaign-debt-fine-print-says/6202250002/) is aggressively seeking donations to pay for lawsuits and recounts in a handful of states where Democrat Joe Biden won, but some GOP donors are already moving on to other fights, such as a pair of runoff elections in Georgia that [may decide control of the U.S. Senate](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/08/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-races-carry-national-implications/6215850002/). An abandonment of institutional Republican donors for Trump’s legal cause would leave the campaign in a tough spot as it vows to launch a [series of legal battles](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/2020/11/06/trumps-new-campaign-flurry-election-lawsuits-lacking-strategy/6181544002/)in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and elsewhere – a multifront effort that would almost certainly require the party to shell out tens of millions of dollars in legal fees. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6224 "2020-11-10T23:52:35Z")
Womp womp… > **[Postal worker recanted allegations of ballot tampering, officials say](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/postal-worker-fabricated-ballot-pennsylvania/2020/11/10/99269a7c-2364-11eb-8599-406466ad1b8e_story.html)** > > A Pennsylvania postal worker whose claims have been cited by top Republicans as potential evidence of widespread voting irregularities recanted to U.S. Postal Service investigators. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6225 "2020-11-11T00:10:32Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But there’s no skin off his nose if he fixes the lawn. It’s not him that’s paying for it, it’s all the rubes who donated (and are still donating) to his campaign. But that wouldn’t leave enough money for him to steal. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6226 "2020-11-11T00:58:55Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > With Esper and his top deputy gone, the Defense Department is currently being run by a guy who called Obama a terrorist, and was denied Senate approval for the job he currently holds because of those comments. > The DOD Chief of Staff is now a former Devin Nunes staffer. > [Defence official quits leaving Pentagon policy in hands of man who called Obama a ‘terrorist’ | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/anthony-tata-pentagon-policy-trump-obama-terrorist-b1720677.html)? Tata is a real piece of work: > Trump is getting a Defense Department headed by dead-enders and deplorables. Such people can be very useful to a would-be dictator, because they will _never_ say ‘you can’t do that, Sir.’ One strain of thought is that it’s ridiculous and alarmist to suggest that this might be about Trump acquiring a set of yes-men who will rubber-stamp sending troops into US cities to fire on peaceful protesters. But Trump did it in Portland. So why is it ridiculous to think he might try it again? Another strain of thought is that these deplorables will raise no objection to the selling of US national security secrets to any adversary willing to pay. That, too, seems on-brand for Trump. A third idea is that these mooks will facilitate the creation of no-bid contracts that will funnel taxpayer dollars into Trump’s pocket. Again, quite plausible. For the sake of the peace, I guess we have to hope it’s the second and/or third option at work here and not the first. But recall that in addition to tearing up the White House lawn, Trump is increasing fortifications around the property: > **[Frank Figliuzzi calls Trump ‘a barricaded subject’ in the White House](https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/watch/frank-figliuzzi-calls-trump-a-barricaded-subject-in-the-white-house-95668805880)** > > Former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence, Frank Figliuzzi, reacts to Trump and his allies refusing to acknowledge Joe Biden’s win Trump may be planning for a long period of armed conflict in the USA. Certainly he’d be encouraged in such plans by Putin and other adversaries. It would take the USA right off the global stage as a factor in territory grabs by Russia, China, or anyone else ready to get while the getting is good. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6227 "2020-11-11T01:04:58Z")
I agree, Trump and his collaborators are gearing up for an extra-legal claim to power. Are we going to do anything about it? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6228 "2020-11-11T01:10:11Z")
I hate to admit it, but Barr’s directive yesterday may have been a good thing. The US Postal Service, the guys that took down Bannon. And until Bannon went down, Trump probably didn’t even _know_ that the Postal Service had their own cops and investigators, so he never corrupted them. And Dejoy or not, the Postal Investigators don’t like fuckery around mail fraud. I’m glad they’re on the case, because O’Keefe and Project Veritas have already started tweeting about how the guy was forced to “sign a bunch of papers he didn’t understand”. I hope they shut that down, and I hope it’s amusing. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6229 "2020-11-11T01:27:58Z")
The purge continues: "The White House has removed the scientist responsible for the National Climate Assessment, the federal government’s premier contribution to climate knowledge and the foundation for regulations to combat global warming, in what critics interpreted as the latest sign that the Trump administration intends to use its remaining months in office to continue impeding climate science and policy. Michael Kuperberg, executive director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which produces the climate assessment, was told Friday that he would no longer lead that organization,…" …“he is expected to be replaced by David Legates, a deputy assistant secretary at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who previously worked closely with climate change denial groups.” “Also on Friday, Neil Chatterjee, head of the agency that regulates the nation’s utility markets, was demoted by the White House, after he publicly supported the use of renewable power.” All from NY Times ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6230 "2020-11-11T01:29:57Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > President [Donald Trump’s campaign](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/07/trump-email-fundraising-would-pay-campaign-debt-fine-print-says/6202250002/) is aggressively seeking donations to pay for lawsuits and recounts in a handful of states… [snip] Is also worth noting that the small print on Trump’s public facing appeals for money says that half of donations for the legal fund will be used to pay down debt incurred by the Trump election campaign. ---
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6231 "2020-11-11T01:31:55Z")
Robot\_Arm Clusterfuck 2: The Wrath of Don I vote this ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6232 "2020-11-11T01:38:48Z")
Is The Lincoln Project still operating? Releasing material? ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6233 "2020-11-11T03:22:20Z")
The best thing about Trump’s presidency is that it exposed how weak our political system is. A brutally cold bucket of ice water dumped on our heads in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6234 "2020-11-11T03:28:26Z")
Right, I heard Trump being described this morning as a stress test for American democracy, assuming it survives him. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6235 "2020-11-11T03:34:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Is The Lincoln Project still operating? Releasing material? According to the _Washington Post_, they are indeed still operating and are currently targeting Trump’s poor excuse for a legal team. You know: Rudy Colludi, etc. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6236 "2020-11-11T03:55:06Z")
A part of thinks it wouldn’t be terrible if he partially succeeds, just enough to scare the ever-living fuck out of his enabling party members and voters, and also those who never considered voting for him but casually split their tickets because ‘both sides’ are equally bad. Problem is, there’s a fine line between a partially successful coup that gets yanked back by collective outrage, and all hell breaking loose. It doesn’t take much past that line to end up with either a civil war or an authoritarian state. Who here still thinks I’m being chicken little or alarmist? Remember that right now, your president has not only refused to concede but is purging top military leadership and replacing them with loyalists, just as you would find in any dictatorship. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6237 "2020-11-11T04:13:24Z")
Individual 1’s legal team put out a Tweet claiming that they don’t work for him, nor his campaign, but for the Republican Party. But they made it so that nobody could reply to their tweet. > ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6238 "2020-11-11T04:28:41Z")
from that Twitter feed: > [@George Conway](#): > > The way I look at Trump and his minions’ nonsense is that they’re like a bunch of drunks trying to take down a skyscraper with a blowtorch. I don’t think they have the remotest chance of succeeding, but I also don’t think we should allow them to start a fire while they try. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6239 "2020-11-11T05:43:23Z")
This sounds suspiciously like Individual 1. > [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=310) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=312)