# 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:** 1528
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30545 "2019-02-14T20:37:29Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Not a win win if he raids things like California fire recovery funds and Puerto Rico recovery funds. My bet is that the moment he signs the declaration there’s a federal lawsuit, and an injunction. It’ll be years before $1 gets applied to wall construction. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30546 "2019-02-14T20:39:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Not a win win if he raids things like California fire recovery funds and Puerto Rico recovery funds. He’s perfectly happy to have it tied up on court. He gives no fucks about a wall, but this way he can say he tried and thus save face. He has no reason to raid any funds to actually do something. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30547 "2019-02-14T20:41:52Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > He’s perfectly happy to have it tied up on court. He gives no fucks about a wall, but this way he can say he tried and thus save face. He has no reason to raid any funds to actually do something. But he’ll always have to live with the utter failure to have Mexico pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30548 "2019-02-14T20:44:41Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > But he’ll always have to live with the utter failure to have Mexico pay for it. True, but that was always going to be the case. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30549 "2019-02-14T20:49:17Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Let’s not get started about Obama not returning a Marine’s salute (which the President should **not** do, being neither in the military nor in uniform). how about that time Individual-1 saluted the North Korean general? Good times. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30550 "2019-02-14T20:50:06Z")
So now he’s declaring a national emergency. My gut feeling is this will not work out the way he’s expecting. Anyone think differently? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30551 "2019-02-14T20:54:15Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > But he’ll always have to live with the utter failure to have Mexico pay for it. If he can use El Chapo’s seized assets, that might be enough to count, in his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30552 "2019-02-14T21:05:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > If he can use El Chapo’s seized assets, that might be enough to count, in his eyes. Yeah, I heard he was asking for that. Fair point, even though Trump probably owes El Chapo for amphetamines. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30553 "2019-02-14T21:21:23Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > He’s perfectly happy to have it tied up on court. He gives no fucks about a wall, but this way he can say he tried and thus save face. He has no reason to raid any funds to actually do something. He can be the hero to his fans. The hero who tried his best but was thwarted by Outside Evil Forces. > [@bobot](#): > > But he’ll always have to live with the utter failure to have Mexico pay for it. He will never see it, define it, or speak of it as failure. Somehow it will be a resounding success. ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30554 "2019-02-14T21:32:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > He will never see it, define it, or speak of it as failure. Somehow it will be a resounding success. As far as he’s concerned, he never said anything about Mexico paying for it. Recordings? Hah! That totally wasn’t his likeness or voice or image or DNA. Nope can’t prove it. Who you gonna believe? Trump? Or your lying eyes? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30555 "2019-02-14T21:35:59Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > But he’ll always have to live with the utter failure to have Mexico pay for it. They haven’t paid for it _ **yet** _. They still might pay for it tomorrow! ---
**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:** [February 14, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30556 "2019-02-14T22:01:00Z")
If El Chapo pays for it, that’ll sorta be Mexico paying for it, right? El Chapo is a Mexican, right? Right? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30557 "2019-02-14T22:06:42Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > So now he’s declaring a national emergency. My gut feeling is this will not work out the way he’s expecting. Anyone think differently? I do think differently. I think he is expecting it to be stopped by Liberal Activist Judges, providing further fuel to motivate his base. And it probably will. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30558 "2019-02-14T22:16:55Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > My bet is that the moment he signs the declaration there’s a federal lawsuit, and an injunction. It’ll be years before $1 gets applied to wall construction. Do we know who sues in a situation like this? I know little about “standing” or how declaring an emergency works. Might be worth a separate thread is we haven’t already been over this somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30559 "2019-02-14T22:31:32Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Do we know who sues in a situation like this? I know little about “standing” or how declaring an emergency works. > > Might be worth a separate thread is we haven’t already been over this somewhere. CNN’s legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, freely admitted that he was guessing because we’re in unprecedented territory here. But he said: it’s not likely that Congress can sue; the courts do not like one branch suing another. But a landowner who loses property to eminent domain certainly could. Or (my own speculation) if Trump tries to take disaster funding away from California (or any other state) that state would be in court the same day. (Further speculation: I wonder if Trump would prefer to screw TX or FL instead of CA, since their governors may be less likely to sue.) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30560 "2019-02-14T22:40:07Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Do we know who sues in a situation like this? I know little about “standing” or how declaring an emergency works. > > Might be worth a separate thread is we haven’t already been over this somewhere. I was curious about a tangential point. What were the last couple, three, national emergency declarations? Sept. 11? Something else? Also, as far as a lawsuit goes, here’s where I put my faith in the ACLU. But I don’t really know anything about the details here, kind of like Trump. Shiver. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30561 "2019-02-14T22:53:12Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > So now he’s declaring a national emergency. My gut feeling is this will not work out the way he’s expecting. Anyone think differently? > [@scr4](#): > > I do think differently. I think he is expecting it to be stopped by Liberal Activist Judges, providing further fuel to motivate his base. And it probably will. Yes. As others such as ThelmaLou have intimated, Trump needs to position himself as the Noble Outsider, Valiantly Fighting the Corrupt Government/System, Treated Unfairly But Still Struggling to Help The Little Guy™. The last thing Trump wants is for ‘The Wall’ to actually be built. That would leave him with no role to play. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30562 "2019-02-14T23:42:54Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Not a win win if he raids things like California fire recovery funds and Puerto Rico recovery funds. If he diverts hurricane relief money, there will be a new bit of vernacular, calling it the “Puerto RICO” raiding. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30563 "2019-02-15T00:04:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > True, but that was always going to be the case. IMO, Loser Donald seriously believed Mexico was going to pay for his wall, because in his own little world, everyone loves Donald Trump and will do anything to please him, and the haters and losers secretly love him too but are pretending to disagree with him because they’re jealous of how great he is. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30564 "2019-02-15T00:16:43Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > So now he’s declaring a national emergency. That’s odd, just a few days ago [he was telling us to “loosen up and have some fun” because “the Country is doing well!”](https://twitter.com/ida_skibenes/status/1094974984173301761) It’s almost as though he has no coherent view of what the hell is going on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1527) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1529)