# 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:** 408
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8163 "2020-12-30T15:32:16Z")
Well, weren’t the stimulus checks supposed to be spent if you didn’t need to pay bills with it? To stimulate the economy? I seem to recall there being an effect like that from the first ones. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8164 "2020-12-30T15:38:12Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > At the end of Trump’s video, the legend “Trump: He’s what’s for America” > > It’s so blatant and heavy-handed, you would swear this is some Saturday Night Live parody. > > But it’s not. > > This is Trump. > > This is how Trump thinks. > > It’s his idea of “slick”. I saw it only the one time early on but there was a [Trump campaign ad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXwGTGxp_8o) that referreed to him as a bull in a china shop before bragging about all his accomplishments – imagined or harmful. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8165 "2020-12-30T15:39:52Z")
Donnie still has time to start a war before Joe is sworn in. > **[Bracing for a possible Iranian-linked attack in Iraq, U.S. officials warn...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/12/30/us-iran-military-tensions/)** > The U.S. military is bracing for a possible attack on American personnel and interests in Iraq, U.S. defense officials said, days before the first anniversary of an American drone strike that killed an Iranian general in Baghdad. > > The officials spoke as two B-52 bombers carried out a round-trip, 30-hour mission from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Middle East ending on Wednesday, in an effort to show American presence and military might in the region to deter Iran. The Air Force [carried out similar missions](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/us-military-dispatches-b-52-bombers-to-middle-east-as-show-of-force-against-iran/2020/12/10/b3eb2944-3afd-11eb-8328-a36a109900c2_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_4) twice before in the last 45 days. > > “The United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary, and make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests,” said Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, the chief of U.S. Central Command. “We do not seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack.” > … I’m sure he doesn’t want a REAL war, just enough to distract from all the dumpster fires he’s got going on now. Although if we have to have a real war where some American losers have to get killed in order for him to get to stay on as president, then so be it. Soldiers know what they’re signing up for, amirite? Greatest good, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8166 "2020-12-30T15:46:10Z")
> [@solost](#): > > That must be why “2 weeks” was his go-to for any empty promise he made-- as in “we have a new health care plan coming in 2 weeks”. Has anyone made a video of clips of every time Trump promised something in two weeks? ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8167 "2020-12-30T15:48:28Z")
Not comprehensive but still: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bnfRhkLmaqI/maxresdefault.jpg "Donald Trump's Two Week Notice") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnfRhkLmaqI) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8168 "2020-12-30T15:50:49Z")
Thanks, Snowboarder\_Bo! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8169 "2020-12-30T15:52:29Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Well, weren’t the stimulus checks supposed to be spent if you didn’t need to pay bills with it? To stimulate the economy? I seem to recall there being an effect like that from the first ones. They are stimulus checks or Economic Impact Payments, not “relief” checks. The purpose is to put money in the economy, to promote spending and employment. While they serve to help people who have lost their jobs or income to pay the rent and buy groceries, that’s not the main point. If you’ve received a check and don’t “need” it because you haven’t lost your job or income, then donate it to a food bank or other agency that will help people who have. I’m a partially-retired expat who received a check for $1200 earlier this year. I’m comfortable and not in any real need. (However, I lost tens of thousands of dollars in income this past year because most of it is based on tourism, which has collapsed.) I buy things on line in the US, and also many of the things I buy here in Panama are imports from the US. I also have made donations to US charities. So my increased spending power does benefit the US economy. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8170 "2020-12-30T15:53:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > In Canada, they are not sending cheques willy-nilly to everyone with an income of less than $75K. There is broad based help, to individuals and businesses who need it. Sure, some folks may be taking advantage and bullshitting about their need, but most are not. > > I am going to be receiving a grand total of $0. My son, recently moved out and working a retail job will be receiving a grand total of $0. > > I have suffered no loss of income, because I am luck enough to work from home and have more work than I know what to do with. > My son has suffered no loss of income, because he is being asked to work more hours than normal (he’s not, thankfully, employed by a restaurant or other hard-hit area) > > Why the hell should either of us receive one nickel of government support? Answer; we should not. The difference is that all too many Americans are jealous pieces of shit who’d rather starve themselves than see their desperate neighbors receive even a penny of help they don’t get, too. I’ve felt bad enough about getting extra when I’m employed, getting hazard pay, and so forth that I’ve contributed my stimulus to not only local food pantries and aid agencies put actually contacted my current landlord about putting some towards helping people in my building who are struggling with their rent. But not everyone is as civic minded as I am. Indeed, I have called stupid, a fool, and worse for doing such things. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8171 "2020-12-30T16:00:57Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Indeed, I have called stupid, a fool, and worse for doing such things. Oh, I see you and my mother have met… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8172 "2020-12-30T16:33:59Z")
UPDATE: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MuHzneMII6KNP10xFzd4q2FGFr3BepCobmldbzg7X2LAP79gh4N1dLI7GMcdhWtVfD2z8FKgsg7b_flZHH6p9S1lwKJSpnyO4RfTkwaiWBeEToYFZtl4utaSLED3G13ujJhF9W0FkQ=w600-h315-p-k "New item by John Thornton") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/kjuzEHPtDDXqSSXP8) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8173 "2020-12-30T16:34:41Z")
Time enough at last! [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GcOsApTrqF-MO2BQVCyXutUiJN58qvM-43PDDv4MZwgq9Fzyu9KZT406LfSRu3s8nlth8pqpDW2_C2OSp9phiLVxi_HKPtWAt9NUY7v_Scmwk9ZCpfPXpaLg08t7vsM5j4AkbKY-8Q=w600-h315-p-k "New item by John Thornton") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZCFUBXv8ErnHXP2f9) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8174 "2020-12-30T17:53:43Z")
For the record, not everyone got the $1200 and not everyone gets the $600. The amount you get is income based, with those who make the most getting nothing. I don’t remember the top numbers, but only those with an anual adjusted income of $75,000 or less get the full amount (or around double that if you’re the head of a household). You also get an extra $600 per kid, up from the $500 last time. All of that is easily within the IRS’s ability to check, unlike seeing if you actually need the money. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8175 "2020-12-30T17:56:08Z")
$600/365 = $1.64 For $1.64 a day, you too can sponsor an American. Won’t you please help? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8176 "2020-12-30T19:10:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > All of that is easily within the IRS’s ability to check, unlike seeing if you actually need the money. Of course, as was pointed out the last time the checks were sent out, that is looking at your 2019 income. If you’ve been unemployed through the pandemic you probably need the money. Which is why I think it should go to everyone, and the IRS recaptures it from us fortunate ones via form 1040. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8177 "2020-12-30T19:33:52Z")
Individual 1 is back to criticizing the Governor and Secretary of State of Georgia. He called for the Governor to resign, and said that the Secretary of State’s brother works for China. He doesn’t have a brother. > **[Donald Trump Attacks Brad Raffensperger's "Brother"](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-attacks-brad-raffensperger-brother-1557917)** > > Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger has been a harsh critic of unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election was stolen. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8178 "2020-12-30T19:36:48Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > He doesn’t have a brother. Raffensperger had his own Chinese brother murdered! The conspiracy is deeper than we thought!!!11!! ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8179 "2020-12-30T20:02:18Z")
Yeah, pretty much this, it’s human nature. Back when I had a 9-5 job that paid by the hour, we would, on rare occasions, be asked to work on a day that was considered a paid holiday, like Presidents Day. Our rate for those days was 2.5 x the normal rate. Now, when we came in on a Saturday we got time and a half, because that was our overtime rate. But on a Monday holiday, we would normally be getting paid while watching TV and drinking beer in our PJ’s, and it just wasn’t fair that we give that up. So if we worked, we got time and a half for actually working but we also got the money we would’ve received for staying home and doing nothing. Too many people in essential businesses think it just not fair if their neighbor who works in a bar or restaurant gets paid while doing nothing, whereas they still have to work for their money, as always. Hence the demand for stimulus, money that everyone gets regardless of how they were impacted by COVID, even though stimulus doesn’t really make sense as a solution for the current crisis. If we had targeted these payments we might have been able to mount a COVID response that worked, but human nature sucks, ---
**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:** [December 30, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8180 "2020-12-30T20:46:37Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Donnie still has time to start a war before Joe is sworn in. > **[Trump Could Still Start a Last-Ditch War With Iran](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/trump-could-still-start-last-ditch-war-iran/617530/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%2BTheAtlantic%2B%28The%2BAtlantic%2B-%2BMaster%2BFeed%29)** > > A final grand distraction before the president is forced to relinquish his office is a real danger that deserves serious attention. Sigh. It’s not over til the Fat Frog croaks (metaphorically speaking, of 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:** [December 30, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8181 "2020-12-30T21:34:11Z")
Turns out Raffensperger DOES have a brother, but he doesn’t have anything to do with China, and his name isn’t Ron. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/8182 "2020-12-30T22:13:04Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > He called for the Governor to resign Not a fan of Kemp, but I’d love if it he told Trump “I don’t need to quit, I won _my_ election”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=407) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=409)