# 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:** 103
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2041 "2017-03-09T20:27:04Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > I’ll give you that: as much respect as I have for George W., he did nonetheless allow spending to soar out of control on federal entitlements and education while two wars were going on, which lead to the monstrous deficit. Principled Republicans, like then-Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, opposed his Wall Street bailout, his governed the-expanding unpaid for Medicare prescription drug entitlement, as well as other free-spending measures. No, sweetie, the deficit did not soar because of spending on federal entitlements and education. It soared because he ran two \*very \*expensive wars off the books by borrowing extensively from China. And when we “won” in Iraq, it soared even more because of the no-bid contracts awarded to his buddies, such as Haliburton and KMR. Furthermore, you putz, Medicare is NOT AN ENTITLEMENT. We pay for that in every single paycheck, just as we pay for unemployment insurance and social security. WE pay. The only reason Paul Ryan and the other Randian acolytes call those programs entitlements is because they want to use that money for their pet projects, and they don’t dare touch it until they can convince people that it’s government money being handed out to freeloaders. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2042 "2017-03-09T20:29:15Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > Don’t hold your breath; the Republicans and Mr. Trump will do no such thing. > > Mr. Trump has shown himself to be willing to make hard, budget cuts when necessary; he currently is looking at slashing the State Department’s budget by 37 percent and the USAID’s budget by the same figure. The last 35 years tells me different. I noticed you didn’t quote my whole post. What do you think will happen with tax cuts and the deficit with Trump and the Republicans making those hard choices on the budget? ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2043 "2017-03-09T20:30:20Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Yeah, but the minute you’re out of the womb it’s all - pull yourself up by your own bootstraps kid, be prepared to defend yourself and god help you (literally) if you get sick. Classic straw man, untrue though, as conservatives have never advocated taking healthcare away from children ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2044 "2017-03-09T20:32:42Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > No, sweetie, the deficit did not soar because of spending on federal entitlements and education. Not entirely true. Medicare Part D (for prescription drugs) passed in 2003 with no attempt made to pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2045 "2017-03-09T20:33:01Z")
Do we truly believe that ALL red-state residents are ignorant racist fascist knuckle-dragging NASCAR-obsessed cousin-marrying roadkill-eating tobacco-juice-dribbling gun-fondling religious fanatic rednecks; or that ALL blue-state residents are godless unpatriotic pierced-nose Volvo-driving France-loving left-wing communist latte-sucking tofu-chomping holistic-wacko neurotic vegan weenie perverts? ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2046 "2017-03-09T20:38:01Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Not entirely true. Medicare Part D (for prescription drugs) passed in 2003 with no attempt made to pay for it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2047 "2017-03-09T20:44:40Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > No, sweetie, the deficit did not soar because of spending on federal entitlements and education. It soared because he ran two \*very \*expensive wars off the books by borrowing extensively from China. And when we “won” in Iraq, it soared even more because of the no-bid contracts awarded to his buddies, such as Haliburton and KMR. > > Furthermore, you putz, Medicare is NOT AN ENTITLEMENT. We pay for that in every single paycheck, just as we pay for unemployment insurance and social security. WE pay. The only reason Paul Ryan and the other Randian acolytes call those programs entitlements is because they want to use that money for their pet projects, and they don’t dare touch it until they can convince people that it’s government money being handed out to freeloaders. As a serious question - when did ENTITLEMENTS become a bad thing? An entitlement is “the fact of having a right to something”. I’m paying in to those programs, with the understanding I’ll be able to withdraw from them when it is permissible and the need arises - I’m entitled to that coverage. The fact that this function has become conflated with the “sense of entitlement” seems absurd. > [@ckalli1998](#): > > Classic straw man, untrue though, as conservatives have never advocated taking healthcare away from children They’ve never advocated providing healthcare to children either, which is the accusation. Please, take a deep breath, you’re spewing all over the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2048 "2017-03-09T20:45:16Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > Do we truly believe that ALL red-state residents are ignorant racist fascist knuckle-dragging NASCAR-obsessed cousin-marrying roadkill-eating tobacco-juice-dribbling gun-fondling religious fanatic rednecks; or that ALL blue-state residents are godless unpatriotic pierced-nose Volvo-driving France-loving left-wing communist latte-sucking tofu-chomping holistic-wacko neurotic vegan weenie perverts? Speaking of strawmen… Who believes any of this, exactly? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2049 "2017-03-09T20:45:20Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > Thank you. For showing the Republicans have all the fiscal discipline of a pack of drunken sailors? My pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2050 "2017-03-09T20:47:11Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > Do we truly believe that ALL red-state residents are ignorant racist fascist knuckle-dragging NASCAR-obsessed cousin-marrying roadkill-eating tobacco-juice-dribbling gun-fondling religious fanatic rednecks; Not at all. Some, I assume, are good people. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2051 "2017-03-09T20:48:31Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > To date, Trump has done nothing to prevent the loss of any jobs. He has, on the other hand, created jobs for his buds. Didn’t GM just lay off a thousand people in Michigan? ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2052 "2017-03-09T20:48:45Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Speaking of strawmen… > > Who believes any of this, exactly? Cite? I was generalizing about how some ultra-hyper partisan liberals view Republican voters ( mostly in the extreme leftist fever swamps of daily joe and democratic underground), and how some on the far-right view liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2053 "2017-03-09T20:49:22Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > I was generalizing about how some ultra-hyper partisan liberals view Republican voters ( mostly in the extreme leftist fever swamps of daily joe and democratic underground), and how some on the far-right view liberals. To what end though? What’s the point? How does that further _this_ discussion? ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2054 "2017-03-09T20:52:18Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > Not at all. Some, I assume, are good people. LOL! Okay, that was very funny, I’ll give you that ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2055 "2017-03-09T20:52:59Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > I was generalizing about how some ultra-hyper partisan liberals view Republican voters ( mostly in the extreme leftist fever swamps of daily joe and democratic underground), and how some on the far-right view liberals. So…making shit up? I’m glad you’re so “conservative” in your usage of facts. The “leftist fever swamp” is Democratic Underground. The “rightist(?) fever swamp” is the White House, the topic of the thread. Do keep up, it’s obvious No Child Left Behind failed you. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2056 "2017-03-09T20:55:55Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > I was generalizing about how some ultra-hyper partisan liberals view Republican voters… How principled of you to take a stand against unfair caricatures and stereotypes based on political beliefs. > [@](#): > > …( mostly in the extreme leftist fever swamps of daily joe and democratic underground) Never mind. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2057 "2017-03-09T20:57:19Z")
I know quite a few decent residents of red states. But they voted for Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2058 "2017-03-09T21:04:17Z")
You liberals just don’t get it, it’s always the same with you. For eight years, the Clinton-Gore administration coasted through prosperity. The path of least resistance is always downhill. But America’s way is the rising road. We take challenges, instead of chickening out. Clinton couldn’t see that. Mr. Clinton embodied the potential of a generation. So many talents, so much charm, such great skill. But in the end to what end? So much promise, to no great purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2059 "2017-03-09T21:07:46Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > What then? Are you seriously telling me that the Pelosi-Schumer-Reid-Obama-Warren wing of the Democratic Party isn’t leftist/left-wing, but right-wing and conservative? Obama and Reid are moderates. Pelosi and Warren are liberal. Schumer is a chameleon. > [@](#): > > Or are you telling me that socialized healthcare and insurance is not a left-wing goal, but a conservative/right-wing one? Nixon proposed it. Romney implemented it. If you think those guys are ultraliberals you’ve got another think coming. Heck, in 1993 Republicans backed the individual mandate. Israel’s had it for decades. Healthcare for all makes fiscal sense. Health-related bankruptcies go down (but are not completely eradicated) communicable diseases go down, people can be productive for a longer portion of their lives, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2060 "2017-03-09T21:09:22Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > So many talents, so much charm, such great skill. But in the end to what end? Peace, prosperity, fiscal discipline, technological leadership, international respect,… Imagine what he could have achieved if he’d applied himself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=102) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=104)