# 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:** 1407
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28125 "2018-12-14T22:12:47Z")
I actually think we would have been better off if Christie had stayed in at the start. For the small parts of the executive branch I do have some visibility, the transition was a mess. At least he had a plan, even if it was probably one I didn’t like ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28126 "2018-12-14T22:29:02Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > I actually think we would have been better off if Christie had stayed in at the start. For the small parts of the executive branch I do have some visibility, the transition was a mess. At least he had a plan, even if it was probably one I didn’t like The problem was it wasn’t a plan Trump liked either. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28127 "2018-12-14T22:31:43Z")
[Trump Says Mulvaney to Be Acting Chief of Staff](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-14/trump-says-mulvaney-to-be-acting-chief-of-staff) > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump named Mick Mulvaney, director of Office of Management and Budget, as acting White House chief of staff to replace John Kelly, Bloomberg News reports. > > Until recently Mulvaney, a former Republican lawmaker from South Carolina, had also served as the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The man is obviously talented. He can do it all. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28128 "2018-12-14T22:38:19Z")
Does the iDJiT expect Mulvaney to protect _his_ finances? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28129 "2018-12-14T22:44:01Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Well, you’re obviously out of the running for the Chief of Staff job. :dubious: It is easier to shoot them as they climb over the wall. When they get wise to that, mines can be placed to blow up the tunnels they dig. ---
**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 14, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28130 "2018-12-14T23:07:20Z")
Well, in some ways, the issue of “find someone who wants to join the Trumps” is still unresolved as Mulvaney will have to now be replaced. However, OMB isn’t likely something in the crosshairs, so it will likely be easier to fill those shoes. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28131 "2018-12-14T23:12:44Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > [Trump Says Mulvaney to Be Acting Chief of Staff](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-14/trump-says-mulvaney-to-be-acting-chief-of-staff) > > The man is obviously talented. He can do it all. I haven’t seen any comment from Mulvaney, so I’m wondering if he—like the rest of us— first heard about it via Trump’s tweet. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28132 "2018-12-14T23:24:10Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > [Trump Says Mulvaney to Be Acting Chief of Staff](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-14/trump-says-mulvaney-to-be-acting-chief-of-staff) > > The man is obviously talented. He can do it all. Having read some of Trump’s depositions, in his legal suits, it’s pretty clear that his businesses are poorly run. And at least part of that stems from him having no particular concept of “ownership”. All of the people, jobs, etc. are fungible. Anyone can do anything, if they want to or he wants something done. I expect that he came to that result, in his business, for much the same reason as he has in the White House, due to a labor shortage of people willing to work with him and because Trump doesn’t really care about managing things, just _seeming_ like he’s managing things. So long as everyone gets his okay on anything, he doesn’t care too much what the solution was. And so long as everyone does what he tells them to, then they’re just a “go-getter” who doesn’t let anything get in their way. But ultimately, some things do need to get done, so eventually it falls to whoever actually has the ability and the work ethic to try and keep things afloat. (This is, in essence, how most things ran under Communism, as I understand it.) I assume that Mulvaney was too far in over his head to feel like it was worth refusing the extra work. So long as you’re already drowning, why not. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28133 "2018-12-14T23:24:27Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I am really pleased [this](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-house/big-washington-clean-up-bill-leads-house-democrats-list-idUSKBN1OD2K0) will be the very first bill sponsored by the new Democratic House in January 2019: > > (Reuters) > > > [@](#): > > > > _When the Democrats take over the U.S. House of Representatives in three weeks, their first order of business is expected to be a wide-ranging bill about political corruption, voter disenfranchisement and cleaning up campaign finance._ > > It won’t pass, of course, not with a Republican-majority senate. But Bill H.R. 1 will act as a constant touchstone for Democrats as they whittle away at the cancer of corruption, and force Republicans to repudiate these laudable goals again and again, in public. But to the Deplo … er, Base … the goals will be anything but laudable. At least as far as the underlined element is concerned, it will be a LiberalSocialistCommunistAtheistMuslim assault on the free speech rights of large corporations. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28134 "2018-12-14T23:30:52Z")
> [@thelmalou](#): > > well, you’re obviously out of the running for the chief of staff job. :dubious: _ **OH NOES!** _ _sob_ ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28135 "2018-12-15T00:22:42Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Wow. Me neither. > > This is sort of like, “Even [Mikey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc)won’t eat it.” I took it that it was probably too much for work for him. Saw the job description and said “Whoa, you kidding me?” More lazy than smart. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28136 "2018-12-15T00:25:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Somebody ought to ‘shop in the kid who got fifteen minutes of fame mowing the WH lawn. [Not quite, but perhaps close enough.](https://images.dailykos.com/images/622247/large/Trump_LawnmowerKid_JobOffer.jpg) ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28137 "2018-12-15T00:33:47Z")
I was [ahead of the curve](https://twitter.com/beaudoin_lyle/status/1071947765633052673), it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28138 "2018-12-15T01:11:38Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I assume that Mulvaney was too far in over his head to feel like it was worth refusing the extra work. So long as you’re already drowning, why not. “I am in blood stepped so far That should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as going o’er.” ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28139 "2018-12-15T01:28:45Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Wow. Me neither. > > This is sort of like, “Even [Mikey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc)won’t eat it.” > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Wasn’t the schtick that Mikey wouldn’t eat anything? 😕 > [@Wolf333](#): > > Yes. > > “He won’t eat it, he hates everything.” > > Cite: my name is Mike and I grew up in the 70s. I never understood the implied doctrine that if the pickiest eater wouldn’t eat something, then his siblings are free to tell their mother where to stick it. ---
**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 15, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28140 "2018-12-15T01:31:59Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Wasn’t the schtick that Mikey wouldn’t eat anything? 😕 I didn’t do a very good job with that meme. I was riffing off of “Mikey likes it,” but out of context. Can’t get away with a danged thing around here. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28141 "2018-12-15T01:33:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I never understood the implied doctrine that if the pickiest eater wouldn’t eat something, then his siblings are free to tell their mother where to stick it. Sure wasn’t like that when I was a kid. Everybody had to eat everything before anybody was excused to leave the table. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28142 "2018-12-15T02:20:09Z")
The idea of taking a job working for Individual-1 [puts me in mind of this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xg2v_T2XH8) (NSF-Lunch). ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28143 "2018-12-15T02:31:35Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Sure wasn’t like that when I was a kid. Everybody had to eat everything before anybody was excused to leave the table. These got-damn Millenials, I’m telling ya. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28144 "2018-12-15T17:23:31Z")
It Has to be on this board somewhere already, but I’m not finding it. I read the summaries, but I found it informative to watch the full video of the [WH meeting with Schumer, Pelosi and Trump](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZtCfBR8ZZQ). On the one hand, Trump looks a little better than I expected in that he at least has a clear focus, if not a single-minded obsession, with the wall. He gratuitously repeated the word “wall” dozens of times, and whatever else you want to say about it, he did at least clearly communicate to the Dem leaders what he wants and how he intends to get it. OTOH, :smack: It is really absurd to watch the POTUS wave around these ridiculous, oblivious um, ‘wall effectiveness statistics’ at Schumer and Pelosi. It is completely transparent, fooling nobody bullshit to the nth degree and I don’t think I can overstate my uneasy surprise that the POTUS acts on such a hackneyed, oblivious level. It was just the nakedest dishonest politics you’ll ever see. The whole thing was more remarkable to contrast the behavior of the Dem leaders. I didn’t get a feeling for the flow of the tone of this meeting from the headlines. It starts out perfectly orderly and full of will to cooperate. Pelosi really is a competent and articulate pro, and she exuded a dignity and sense of gravity that we just don’t get enough of these days. I don’t think Trump sensed or appreciated that, because in no time he is talking over her, literally putting his palm towards her face and disregarding everything she’s saying to squabble about House votes, Senate votes for the wall as Pelosi politely tries to explain that he doesn’t have the House votes for the wall funding with the current GOP led House, let alone the House we’ll have next month. “We need to have an evidence-based conversation about what really works wrt border security and make a compromise, because you don’t have the votes”, she says, basically talking to, well, a wall. Schumer seemed to fully grasp the stubborn sexist vibe of the exchange and apparently decided to just play that game. He’s a pushy bully counterpart to Trump’s pushy bully act, only _glaringly competent_. He straight up tells Trump that threats of a shutdown will not get him his wall funding and manuevers Trump into taking ownership of any shutdown. Wait, what? In these kinds of debates, most of the conversation is about blaming the other guys for the shutdown, but I guess Trump is too dumb to avoid stepping into that pile of poo poo. The whole thing was so different from the endless circle-jerk of mutually reinforcing GOP lies we’ve had to endure for the last two years that I just had to come in here and tell you all about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1406) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1408)