# 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:** 1213
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24245 "2018-08-20T03:27:33Z")
Help me: am I overly paranoid to think that the headline “**[… (Shitgibbon) may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/officials-worry-trump-may-back-erik-prince-plan-privatize-war-n901401)**” is scary? I mean, the possibilities that could sprout from a move like this are utterly terrifying. Once there is a government-funded mercenary force, checks and balances start to crumble. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24246 "2018-08-20T04:38:02Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Help me: am I overly paranoid to think that the headline “**[… (Shitgibbon) may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/officials-worry-trump-may-back-erik-prince-plan-privatize-war-n901401)**” is scary? > > I mean, the possibilities that could sprout from a move like this are utterly terrifying. Once there is a government-funded mercenary force, checks and balances start to crumble. It gives Trump his own private army to do with as he pleases. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24247 "2018-08-20T05:57:25Z")
And once the idea of private contractors acting as warfighters in a foreign land becomes normalized, how long before they’re called upon to fight ‘domestic terrorism’ in the form of, oh, anyone that criticizes Il Douche? After all, such contractors wouldn’t be prohibited from conducting operations within our borders, like the military is constrained from doing (National Guard units and the like notwithstanding). Or am I too paranoid, slipping down that slope? ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24248 "2018-08-20T07:19:11Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > It’s odd, I know he was the ‘star’ of the Apprentice. Never saw a minute of it. BECAUSE I already knew he was just an asshole and a bully. Not my cuppa. > > And now this fuck is the President, and he is just as I thought, an asshole and bully. But, I’m learning more and more about this shithead every day. We all must. Just when you think he can’t be anymore idiotic or insulting, he outdoes himself. He would probably consider that a compliment, because all he would here is “he outdoes himself”. > > I weep for our country. Many people look up to this piece of shit. I think they are in three groups - > > [ul] > Those that know they are getting richer and don’t care. Say the top 1%[/ul] > [ul]Those that are too stupid to think beyond FOX news and be educated.[/ul] > [ul]Those that admire how much of a mean stupid fuck he is, and want to be just like him. > [/ul] > > Perhaps it IS counter productive to call a spade a spade. And that may well be why we have a moron for a President. But to hell with it. The people that voted for this asshole OWN this. They ARE showing us their true deplorable racist colors. They are showing us how stupid they are. They are showing us how they only hope for government handouts. They are showing that they don’t give a shit about the future. Fuck 'em. > [@asahi](#): > > But we can’t call them ‘deplorable’ > > :rolleyes: That’s okay. ‘Contemptible’ works just as well. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24249 "2018-08-20T07:22:04Z")
> [@](#): > > The loud-speaker overhead began squawking. “Milo, this is Alvin Brown. I’ve finished dropping my bombs. What should I do?” > > “Strafe,” said Milo. > > “Strafe?” Alvin Brown was shocked. > > “We have no choice,” Milo informed him resignedly. “It’s in the contract.” > > “Oh, okay then,” Alvin Brown acquiesced. “In that case I’ll strafe.” > [@](#): > > …“In a democracy, the government is the people,” Milo explained. “We’re people, aren’t we?” So we might just as well keep the money and eliminate the middleman. Frankly, I’d like to see the government get out of war altogether and leave the whole field to private industry. If we pay the government everything we owe it, we’ll only be encouraging governmental control and discouraging other individuals from bombing their own men and planes. We’ll be taking away their incentive." … 1st Lt. Milo Minderbinder, _Catch-22_, Joseph Heller. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24250 "2018-08-20T09:47:17Z")
Hey, I just realized something. We’re all missing something very important here. Agent Orange loves dictators, what with him wanting to be one of course. The PRC has a dictator who is in charge of their military. Here’s the fun thing: it’s not because their dictator is the country’s president that he’s in charge of the military; it’s because he’s chairman of the party. The PLA belongs to the party, not the country. So, Agent Orange wants to do something similar in the US; however, even he apparently realizes he can’t just haul off and call it a dictator’s army. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24251 "2018-08-20T09:55:46Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Sounds like he’ll get to find out. > > Wonder if he’ll just have a heart attack when he finds that he owes foreign banks billions of dollars, and save us the trouble of impeaching him. I suspect that the GOP leadership was expecting that the obese lazy bad-tempered septuagenarian would be called home by Satan after a few months, enabling them to install Pence without flak from the derplorable peanut gallery. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24252 "2018-08-20T11:49:30Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Help me: am I overly paranoid to think that the headline “**[… (Shitgibbon) may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/officials-worry-trump-may-back-erik-prince-plan-privatize-war-n901401)**” is scary? > > I mean, the possibilities that could sprout from a move like this are utterly terrifying. Once there is a government-funded mercenary force, checks and balances start to crumble. I’ve been concerned about this for a long time. Erik Prince himself is a pretty lowly character, with his company getting the legal smack-down in Iraq. Mercenaries acting abroad is nothing new; the danger that I can envision is if Trump were to whither federal law enforcement and somehow, with congressional approval, legalize the creation of another national security force that could be privatized. He’ll probably need to stick around for another term to make that a reality, particularly if mid-terms don’t go so well. But that thought has crossed my mind more than once. He might not need to even get approval to create a new security force; he’d probably just need authorization to outsource homeland security to private security. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24253 "2018-08-20T11:57:10Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > And once the idea of private contractors acting as warfighters in a foreign land becomes normalized, how long before they’re called upon to fight ‘domestic terrorism’ in the form of, oh, anyone that criticizes Il Douche? After all, such contractors wouldn’t be prohibited from conducting operations within our borders, like the military is constrained from doing (National Guard units and the like notwithstanding). Or am I too paranoid, slipping down that slope? Unless I’m overlooking something (lawyers feel free to help me out here), but I don’t think he can do something like that currently; he’d need to change the federal law to allow the involvement of contractors in actual arrests and hostile situations. There are already contractors involved in homeland security - in fact they probably outnumber actual federal employees. But I think they’re involved in consulting and support services, not police work. Even so, we know the authoritarian leanings of this administration and the current congress. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24254 "2018-08-20T14:02:47Z")
The one thing that I’m learning from the Manafort trial is that I should be laundering considerably more money. Because, apparently, unless you are unbelievably obvious about it AND decide to run a presidential campaign, nobody cares if you do it. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24255 "2018-08-20T14:05:29Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > The one thing that I’m learning from the Manafort trial is that I should be laundering considerably more money. Because, apparently, unless you are unbelievably obvious about it AND decide to run a presidential campaign, nobody cares if you do it. I was thinking this a few months back wrt to Trump. If he weren’t such an ass, then I would almost feel bad for him (but he is an ass so frak him). There’s virtually no doubt his financial past is dirty dirty dirty. And if he had never run for president he probably would have gotten away with it too, if not for those darn kids and Mueller. Basically, nobody cared he was a dirty businessman, until he ran for president. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24256 "2018-08-20T14:27:41Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > I was thinking this a few months back wrt to Trump. If he weren’t such an ass, then I would almost feel bad for him (but he is an ass so frak him). There’s virtually no doubt his financial past is dirty dirty dirty. And if he had never run for president he probably would have gotten away with it too, if not for those darn kids and Mueller. Basically, nobody cared he was a dirty businessman, until he ran for president. And a whole bunch of people still don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24257 "2018-08-20T15:03:32Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And a whole bunch of people still don’t care. And that’s why we cannot have nice things. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24258 "2018-08-20T17:17:55Z")
Environmental groups caught the Department of the Interior trying to sell off part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, despite a pledge by Secretary Ryan Zinke never to put public lands up for sale. > **[Zinke caught red-handed trying to sell off public lands](https://thinkprogress.org/environmental-groups-catch-ryan-zinke-red-handed-trying-to-sell-off-public-lands-5b1c89fb0b06/)** > > His plan included selling part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24259 "2018-08-20T19:33:04Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > The one thing that I’m learning from the Manafort trial is that I should be laundering considerably more money. Because, apparently, unless you are unbelievably obvious about it AND decide to run a presidential campaign, nobody cares if you do it. Truly, it is fascinating how the law is different for rich people. I am quite sure if I tried to launder $100,000 I’d be arrested and sent to jail and my life ruined. These people launder millions and commit crimes the way I eat snacks, and they get away with it. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24260 "2018-08-20T19:43:52Z")
The Pentagon says Trump canceled The Parade before the estimates of costs came out. > **[Pentagon: Trump canceled military parade before being briefed on cost](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/402666-pentagon-trump-canceled-military-parade-before-being-briefed-on-cost/? __twitter_impression=true&__ twitter_impression=true)** > > President Trump canceled his desired military parade before Pentagon officials briefed him on cost estimates for the event, a Defense Department spokesman said Monday.“The president was n… ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24261 "2018-08-20T21:09:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The Pentagon says Trump canceled The Parade before the estimates of costs came out. > [Pentagon: Trump canceled military parade before being briefed on cost | The Hill](http://thehill.com/policy/defense/402666-pentagon-trump-canceled-military-parade-before-being-briefed-on-cost? __twitter_impression=true&__ twitter_impression=true) Good. The cost was just a convenient cover. They really can’t just refuse because the piece of shit is still “Commander in Chief”. So they had to have a “reason”. That draft dodger/traitor/coward doesn’t deserve a parade anyway. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24262 "2018-08-20T21:11:00Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Cueing reflexive alt right moron response along the ones of “Yeah, keep disrespecting the Trump base - see how far _that_ gets any of your libtard candidates in getting any election victories.” in 3…2…1… At this point, I can’t possibly insult them ENOUGH. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24263 "2018-08-20T21:14:39Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I suspect that the GOP leadership was expecting that the obese lazy bad-tempered septuagenarian would be called home by Satan after a few months, enabling them to install Pence without flak from the derplorable peanut gallery. Pence is just as bad, just in a different way. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/24264 "2018-08-20T22:22:58Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Pence is just as bad, just in a different way. To decent people with a shred of humanity, yes. To the GOP leadership, not so much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1212) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1214)