# 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:** 47
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/928 "2020-07-14T17:54:55Z")
> [@HuffPo](#): > > WASHINGTON (AP) — A new White House-backed ad campaign aims to encourage people who are unemployed or unhappy in their jobs or careers to go out and “find something new.” And if you happen to be an orange-colored stable genius who is unhappy in his job because he is always treated very unfairly, and things are always going horribly wrong even though it’s never your fault, you should go out and “find something new" _ **right now** _. Don’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/929 "2020-07-14T17:57:17Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@bobsmom101](#): > > > > It’s akin to the knee-jerk response to dying industries (e.g., textiles, coal mining etc) where you just vaguely exhort the displaced to go get “training.” Never mind that a lot of them are so far along in their previous careers (i.e., “old”) that they won’t be able to start over in any practical sense, or that useful training may not be available, or that they have to earn a living to pay for rent and groceries. It’s a convenient, cynical way of warehousing superfluous bodies to keep the unemployment numbers down.- > > Not to mention the problem that young people confront when they finish training, namely, _no experience_. That problem bites harder when you’re 40 or 50. > > And how do you support yourself while you’re training? Right. I’ll just pivot from being a coal miner, to my new career as an Instagram Trend Forecaster. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/930 "2020-07-14T18:06:43Z")
In short, a 17 year-old who promises not to vote for Biden is a 17 year-old who doesn’t intend to vote. Every election has these voters. It would be nice if they would vote for Biden, but they won’t and that’s that. Not particularly concerned. I’m more worried about the middle-aged or older voter who occasionally votes but is so frustrated with the system and decided to check out and not vote because the entire system is hopelessly fucked. That’s my concern. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/931 "2020-07-14T18:14:20Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > > [@bobsmom101](#): > > > > > > It’s akin to the knee-jerk response to dying industries (e.g., textiles, coal mining etc) where you just vaguely exhort the displaced to go get “training.” Never mind that a lot of them are so far along in their previous careers (i.e., “old”) that they won’t be able to start over in any practical sense, or that useful training may not be available, or that they have to earn a living to pay for rent and groceries. It’s a convenient, cynical way of warehousing superfluous bodies to keep the unemployment numbers down.- > > > > Not to mention the problem that young people confront when they finish training, namely, _no experience_. That problem bites harder when you’re 40 or 50. > > > > And how do you support yourself while you’re training? > > Right. I’ll just pivot from being a coal miner, to my new career as an Instagram Trend Forecaster. So what’s the alternative? “Go fuck off and die”? Hey, I freely acknowledge that: - Trump is a hypocrite, a liar and everything else negative you can say about him. I hate him to the core of my being. - His administration has arguably made things worse for the people who want their coal mining jobs back, and has inarguably made things worse for everyone losing their jobs due to the pandemic. - It’s incredibly difficult to change careers, at any age, especially without higher education. - “Find Something Else” is tone-deaf and smacks of “why don’t you just pull yourselves up by your bootstraps.” - Anything purportedly helpful or constructive coming from this administration (and sponsored by the likes of Lockheed Martin) can and probably should be construed as cynical and pandering. But still – short of simply giving every unemployed American a UBI, what would you recommend? IMO, this campaign does not rank in the top 100 outrages perpetrated by the Trumpkins this year. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/932 "2020-07-14T18:33:15Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > But still – short of simply giving every unemployed American a UBI, what would you recommend?- I would recommend that he stay the fuck on topic and stop trying to blow sunshine up people’s shorts by giving the impression there’s an easy/simple way out of this shitshow. And I don’t have to fucking recommend anything. I’m not the fucking president of the fucking United States of America. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/933 "2020-07-14T18:34:32Z")
The White House wants the governors to send the National Guard to hospitals to verify that the coronavirus numbers are right. Because data management is a core skill of the National Guard. > **[White House instructs governors to send National Guard to hospitals to...](https://www.alternet.org/amp/white-house-instructs-governors-to-send-national-guard-to-hospitals-to-oversee-data-on-covid-19-2647817027)** > > There are a number of jobs that the National Guard has been trained to perform. Though many Americans most recently saw the guard pressed into service to confront protesters, for decades they’ve engaged in far more welcome roles, from rescuing those... ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/934 "2020-07-14T18:34:51Z")
> **[Analysis | Trump’s two main foreign foes plan a major pact](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/07/14/trump-china-iran-pact/)** > > New details have emerged of a possible 25-year-long strategic pact between Iran and China. China and Iran have plans. From the piece: > The pact between the two countries [would be far-reaching](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/11/world/asia/china-iran-trade-military-deal.html): It would increase intelligence sharing and security cooperation, including in possible missions in Syria and Iraq. It would also see Chinese companies expand their footprints in Iranian railroads, ports and telecommunications, while securing for Beijing a steady and discounted Iranian oil supply for the next quarter-century. China would develop free-trade zones in strategic locations in Iran, further binding the country into [Beijing’s sprawling Belt and Road global trade and development initiative](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/25/china-lays-down-marker-europe/?itid=lk_inline_manual_8). Sounds like a big ‘win’ to me. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/935 "2020-07-14T18:40:57Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > China and Iran have plans. > … > Sounds like a big ‘win’ to me. It’s ugly when your two exes date each other. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/936 "2020-07-14T18:43:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > BTW, a digital subscription to WaPo right now is $29/year. Oh, look, you are attempting to convince someone to pay to read a web site. It must be a day that ends with a “y”. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/937 "2020-07-14T18:44:47Z")
So job training is bad? I’m with Akaj, there’s a lot of things to be absolutely fucking outraged about with Trump’s WH, this doesn’t seem to be one of them. Seems to me getting mad over petty shit like this (which likely has absolutely nothing to do with Trump himself) cheapens the outrage for the serious stuff. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/938 "2020-07-14T18:46:31Z")
> It’s ugly when your two exes date each other. Maybe they’ll have a threesome with North Korea. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/939 "2020-07-14T18:51:48Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Oh, look, you are attempting to convince someone to pay to read a web site. It must be a day that ends with a “y”. Hey, I don’t care what sites you or anyone read. I’m pointing out that when you DO use a service, you should be a responsible grownup and pay for it. You know I’m right or you wouldn’t resort to sarcasm, which BTW doesn’t negate the truth of what I’m saying, but it does reveal something about you. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/940 "2020-07-14T18:58:52Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The White House wants the governors to send the National Guard to hospitals to verify that the coronavirus numbers are right. Because data management is a core skill of the National Guard. I was just looking at the daily bulletin from the WA Dept of Health. > [@](#): > > The Washington National Guard has supported missions to support food bank operations, COVID-19 mapping, assembling test kits, and operating community based test sites. They’ve delivered more than 2.3 million meals, tested over 14,000 people, and built more than 150,000 test kits. Governor Jay Inslee has just requested an extension of authority and funding from the trump administration through Dec. 31. Let’s see if it comes with strings attached. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/941 "2020-07-14T19:01:57Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So job training is bad? Job training is critical. Trump just should have started to support it from the start of his administration. In actuality, he has worked to cut funding for adult education, and done little to nothing to support expansion of vocational skills training. A lot of the decrease in unemployment which happened before the pandemic was predicated on many skilled workers who’d lost jobs going into unskilled service industry work. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/942 "2020-07-14T19:17:15Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > But still – short of simply giving every unemployed American a UBI, what would you recommend? IMO, this campaign does not rank in the top 100 outrages perpetrated by the Trumpkins this year. Most people don’t need to find a new profession. Waitstaff do not need to become phlebotomists. The job isn’t gone because we don’t need the job done anymore like broommakers. The job is gone because the conditions don’t allow anyone to do the job at the moment. Fix the conditions and the job will be there waiting to be done. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/943 "2020-07-14T19:19:33Z")
But that’s the problem, innit? The program doesn’t offer actual training. As far as I can tell, it mostly points to existing training programs, most of which the presumably out of work/financially struggling people would have to pay for or, at the very least, do without income while going through training. And when it doesn’t point to training programs, it encourages, but doesn’t provide much, if any, support, for people to try non-traditional careers. That’s all well and good, but it seems like a better route may be to at least offer credit, tax breaks, or grants for getting that training or setting up job training themselves (the government should have some clue on what sort of jobs might be in demand, right?). Of course, this initiative doesn’t have that kind of funding, but it seems like the kind of thing the White House could do more with than just set up a webpage. Sure, this is better than nothing, but it’s also not something to laud. It seems to be an opportunity to set up Ivanka in some sort of positive, publicly visible policy role rather than a substantive policy measure. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/944 "2020-07-14T19:27:30Z")
“White House instructs governors to send National Guard to hospitals”. “Governors instruct White House to ES&D”. Trump seems to have an underpants gnome view of pandemic data collection: 1 Artificially inflate infection numbers 2 ??? 3 Profit! But when you’re a lying grifter you assume everyone else is, too. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/945 "2020-07-14T19:43:04Z")
Just came across this from a completely unreliable source, which I’m too embarrassed to name. What do y’all think? Re trump’s recent visit to Walter Reed: was all his time during that excursion accounted for? Remember that trip he took there a few months back with no reason given? What if this time the visit with the soldiers was a cover for undergoing some medical procedure or tests? Yeah, yeah, I know… But has anyone else come across this line of thinking? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/946 "2020-07-14T19:56:21Z")
Also worth noting that USA is nothing like carrying out more tests in the world neither in absolute number nor in tests per million population ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/947 "2020-07-14T20:17:28Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The White House wants the governors to send the National Guard to hospitals to verify that the coronavirus numbers are right. Because data management is a core skill of the National Guard. Sounds like a good way to spread covid among the National Guard. The administration just does not want to accept reality. They’ll keep questioning results and sending more people into the maelstrom to try to get a different reality. It’s not going to happen. This bullshit about “alternative facts” has to stop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=46) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=48)