# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070 "2016-12-07T00:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1024
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20465 "2018-05-19T02:40:06Z")
Yes. No contract with Trump is worth the spittle that flew out of his mouth while bragging about it. He’s well known for considering a written contract as only the starting point from which you have to negotiate for him to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20466 "2018-05-19T05:38:04Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Do you know any developers with a sense of humor? > > In the neighborhood where I grew up, all the streets were named for gemstones. And all the streets and houses were intertwined with a golf course. There were no duplicates, exactly, but if you didn’t live there it was a nightmare to try and find your way around. That reminds me of when I lived in Dale City, Virginia. So many of the roads there had names ending in ~dale. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20467 "2018-05-19T05:42:48Z")
As the sprightly Ms Maddow pointed out this evening, Nixon tried to something similar, his notorious “enemies list” started out as a list of his political enemies that he wanted the IRS to screw. They didn’t, but he\* tried\*, and that was _another_ article of impeachment, along with “obstruction of justice”. An entirely valid article of impeachment, abuse of power. And the tapes proved he _did_ try, so that was that, and they sent Goldwater along to give him the wonderful news. We don’t have any Goldwaters any more. The screenplay would be McCain delivering the news to the White House, wheeled in under intensive care, living on sheer will power, just long enough to look Il Douche in the eye and say: “You’re fired!”. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20468 "2018-05-19T06:05:10Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Trump [tried to order](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-personally-pushed-postmaster-general-to-double-rates-on-amazon-other-firms/2018/05/18/2b6438d2-5931-11e8-858f-12becb4d6067_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ca582f88308f) the USPS to double Amazon’s rates. Wouldn’t it be great if the review commission issued the following statement: > [@](#): > > After an exhaustive review, and considering every aspect of good business practices to include marketing, contractual obligations, and remaining in touch with reality, this commission has only two recommendations: > > 1. The USPS should continue doing business as it has. > 2. For the good of the United States Postal Service, not to mention the people of the United States and the rest of the world, Trump should resign immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20469 "2018-05-19T06:21:26Z")
Going back to the press coverage of trump thing, I think there’s something about the culture of the press in the US, and the way that the public perceives them, that enables a lot of the obfuscation we’ve seen. The press are falling over themselves to try to look civil, and fair, because they know much of the public disapproves of more “hostile” behaviour. The press know (or maybe just believe) that many people will see sarah sanders as some kind of hero for fighting off all the “vicious” attacks that come her way. And when Conway goes on CNN say, there’s this politeness thing that annoys the hell out of me. Where she’ll spend the whole time lying, contradicting herself, insulting the interviewer, and trying to stoke divisions in the country, but just get pass after pass. And then at the end "So good talking to you, you’re welcome any time“. Fuck that shit. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20470 "2018-05-19T07:57:59Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Of all the idiotic things Trump does because he can’t seem to understand that the law isn’t whatever he happens to want to do at a given moment, this has to be one of the, er, idiotest. Is there not a slight issue of First Amendment rights here? Is the fucking moron not aware that the Post Office has (well, presumably) written contracts with its large shippers? Can he even legally direct the Post Office to arbitrarily double its rates for a single shipper? Somehow I doubt it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - Loser Donald’s understanding of the office essentially boils down to “The president is in charge of the whole country and everyone has to do what he says”. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20471 "2018-05-19T13:43:44Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Trump [tried to order](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-personally-pushed-postmaster-general-to-double-rates-on-amazon-other-firms/2018/05/18/2b6438d2-5931-11e8-858f-12becb4d6067_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ca582f88308f) the USPS to double Amazon’s rates. On one hand it’s good news that he’s not Spanish, because that means we can point and laugh at your president before looking at our own politicians and crying. On the other it’s a pity he would never understand _contrafuero, se obedece pero no se cumple_. Against the law: it is obeyed but it is not done. But then, he doesn’t understand that third word in English, either. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20472 "2018-05-19T14:28:52Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “But the building today only generates about half its annual mortgage payment, and 30 percent of the 41-story tower is vacant.” > > Brilliant. Even at 100% occupancy, it wouldn’t make the mortgage payment. What geniuses put their money into that thing? Sometimes people with a lot of money can be pretty stupid about it, that or get caught up in the moment. Back in 2005 a two-year old [colt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Monkey) was sold at auction for $16-million, a record that still stands. It is hard to tell from the [auction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPQdWwK6buI) but I suspect it was two bidders who just couldn’t stop. In any event, the record lifetime earnings for _any_ thoroughbred at the time was $10-million for Cigar. Now, anybody with more than a modicum of knowledge knows that the real money in thoroughbreds is in the [stud fees](https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/ten-most-expensive-stallions-world-2017/). Tapit, the top-earning stud in North America goes for $300,000 a pop and at that rate, it wouldn’t be many ‘pops’ at all to get your $16-million nut back. Thing is, before a stud fee can rise that high, the stud has to prove himself on the race track _then_ prove those good genes do get passed down. The Green Monkey did neither. He was raced three times for a 0-0-1 record, earning a total of $10,440 and his progeny were equally lackluster. His last posted stud fee in 2016 was $5,000. At that rate it would take some 3,200 covers to get that $16,000,000 back, not counting on-going expenses. Sort of like a building that at full occupancy cannot cover its mortgage payment. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20473 "2018-05-19T15:18:03Z")
Trump being put out to stud to lower the national debt? Jack Kennedy would be rolling in his grave. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20474 "2018-05-19T15:57:28Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Trump being put out to stud to lower the national debt? Jack Kennedy would be rolling in his grave. Except that nobody wants Trump’s DNA to pass down in their family. The existing results are generally pretty lackluster. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20475 "2018-05-19T16:23:09Z")
Well, it could be a net positive, though. Since stud fees are based on bloodlines, the CSFG would have to pay clients in order to provide stud service, which would rapidly deplete his assets and put the whole family into crippling debt. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20476 "2018-05-19T16:44:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Well, it could be a net positive, though. Since stud fees are based on bloodlines, the CSFG would have to pay clients in order to provide stud service, which would rapidly deplete his assets and put the whole family into crippling debt. And the clients should demand cash up front. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20477 "2018-05-19T18:12:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > > [@eschereal](#): > > > > Well, it could be a net positive, though. Since stud fees are based on bloodlines, the CSFG would have to pay clients in order to provide stud service, which would rapidly deplete his assets and put the whole family into crippling debt. > > And the clients should demand cash up front. And no clothing comes off\* until all bills have been proven to be genuine. \*The closet with the brain bleach is down the hall, third door on the right. Remember, on the right: Mariah’s been a tad fratchety of late, and it’s best not to bother her. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20478 "2018-05-19T18:32:39Z")
Has [this](http://amp.nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/new-trump-russia-investigation-theory-fbi-spy-set-him-up.html?__twitter_impression=true) been mentioned here? Apparently, the Fuckwit-in-Chief claims the dastardly FBI planted a spy in his campaign, in order to pass information to the Democrats for an October surprise that would undermine his bid for the presidency. Which, as we now know, _totally_ worked. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20479 "2018-05-19T22:10:35Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Trump [tried to order](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-personally-pushed-postmaster-general-to-double-rates-on-amazon-other-firms/2018/05/18/2b6438d2-5931-11e8-858f-12becb4d6067_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ca582f88308f) the USPS to double Amazon’s rates. > [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Of all the idiotic things Trump does because he can’t seem to understand that the law isn’t whatever he happens to want to do at a given moment, this has to be one of the, er, idiotest. Is there not a slight issue of First Amendment rights here? Is the fucking moron not aware that the Post Office has (well, presumably) written contracts with its large shippers? Can he even legally direct the Post Office to arbitrarily double its rates for a single shipper? … It’s clearly an abuse of power. Clear to anyone but Congressional Republicans, anyway. > [@elucidator](#): > > … The screenplay would be McCain delivering the news to the White House, wheeled in under intensive care, living on sheer will power, just long enough to look Il Douche in the eye and say: > > “You’re fired!”. That would be _epic_. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20480 "2018-05-19T23:01:38Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > And no clothing comes off\* until all bills have been proven to be genuine. > > \*The closet with the brain bleach is down the hall, third door on the right. Remember, on the right: Mariah’s been a tad fratchety of late, and it’s best not to bother her. It happens in a petri dish or not at all. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2018, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20481 "2018-05-21T11:53:40Z")
Nothing new here, but a good summary: > [@](#): > > [Trump] is proving to be the most predictable of presidents. > > He is predictable because he makes decisions based on instincts and biases, many acquired decades ago. Advisers can delay but not dislodge him from his ruts. He is proving impervious to fact, argument or new learning of any kind. Since his prejudices are well-known, his decisions should not surprise. > > What are these predispositions? Allied nations, and especially Japan, play the United States for a chump. Dictators are strong and decisive and therefore to be admired. Immigrants and people of color are suspect. Wealthy people usually know best, while intellectuals are not to be trusted. Trade deficits are the ultimate sign of national weakness, and manufacturing is the linchpin of any economy. Anything Barack Obama did should be undone. That canon of gut feelings can explain most of what Trump has done — and predict what he will do. > > He is most predictable when his biases push in the same direction, as with the Paris climate accord. It was a multilateral agreement, so probably other nations were taking advantage of the United States. Scientists believed it was important. Obama considered it a signal achievement. In Trump’s world, the treaty did not have a chance. > … > [Cite](https://a.msn.com/r/2/AAxz0o5?m=en-us&referrerID=InAppShare) IOW he’s as deep as a plate and as predictable as a wind-up toy. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20482 "2018-05-21T11:57:37Z")
For all the Trump supporters, you’ll be pleased to know that Trump is in fact a uniter. Bringing the world together. I’m just got back yesterday from Paris (conference). While there, I was in a shop to buy a Diet Coke. It was run by an elderly man and his son (mainly the son). The man was singing “La jour est long” (the day is long). At the register I said (I’ll type it in English but everything was in French), “The day is long?” and he said “I’m tired”. I said “Me too, I had a very long trip here.” He said, probably noting my mediocre French, “Are you American?” to which I replied “No, Canadian”. He said “Ok, then I don’t hate you.” I looked at him and said “Let me guess, Trump? He sure is an idiot.” And we all laughed together. Good ol’ Donald Trump, uniting the world in laughter… at him. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20483 "2018-05-21T12:44:35Z")
Note to self: practice Canadian accent before I get to Paris. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/20484 "2018-05-21T13:00:11Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Note to self: practice Canadian accent before I get to Paris. I understand the Canadian alphabet starts with “eh”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1023) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1025)