# 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:** 1635
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32685 "2019-05-21T18:10:20Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > There’s also the fact that the contents of the Mueller report provides the grounds for impeachment of Trump, and many think that not impeaching would set a bad precedent for the future of the United States and its presidents. We may be past that, Pelosi having previously refused to impeach Dubya for lying us into a war. Trump’s financial fraud just doesn’t compare. If only there were a blowjob involved, though … ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32686 "2019-05-21T18:33:51Z")
Nah. Trump has never received a blowjob in his life. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32687 "2019-05-21T18:41:51Z")
In news of the stupid, Ben Carson is appearing before Congress today. 1. Agreed with AOC on a number of issues, which I’m sure will just go over _splendidly_. 2. Doesn’t know the difference between an REO and an Oreo: > ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32688 "2019-05-21T18:58:00Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > In news of the stupid, Ben Carson is appearing before Congress today. > > 1. Agreed with AOC on a number of issues, which I’m sure will just go over _splendidly_. > 2. Doesn’t know the difference between an REO and an Oreo: > > [https://twitter.com/RepKatiePorter/status/1130889201455685633](https://twitter.com/RepKatiePorter/status/1130889201455685633) I had to laugh at this person’s comment: “Stormy Daniels is the only person trump ever hired who was qualified for the job.” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32689 "2019-05-21T19:21:49Z")
[The Cooch is back!](https://apnews.com/f978e75d60664a2fa684eea7b12eddbd) > [@](#): > > The former attorney general of Virginia, whose name had been tossed around for months for an immigration role, will be joining the Trump administration, according to a White House official. > > Ken Cuccinelli will be taking a position within the Department of Homeland Security, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday ahead of an official announcement. > > The Associated Press first reported last month Trump was considering bringing on Cuccinelli as an “immigration czar” to coordinate policy across federal agencies. But the official said Cuccinelli will not be assuming that role. > > A second official said his job was still being defined and it wasn’t clear yet what his role would be within the department. The official was not authorized to speak about internal policy and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. So… no “job” but he’s hired anyway? Yeah; that sounds about right for this administration. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32690 "2019-05-21T20:34:00Z")
[Hope Hicks is back (in the news)!](https://apnews.com/d8b311bb4b0c42fc81fd4d74ec52144e?utm_source=PushNotification) > [@](#): > > The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former White House communications director Hope Hicks and a former aide in the White House counsel’s office as Democrats continue their investigations of President Donald Trump. > > The committee subpoenaed Hicks for documents and for testimony at a public hearing. It subpoenaed Annie Donaldson for documents and for questioning in a private deposition. > > Donaldson was a top aide to former White House Counsel Donald McGahn, who on Tuesday defied a subpoena from the committee to testify. Trump had directed McGahn not to appear. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32691 "2019-05-21T21:09:00Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Hope Hicks is back (in the news)!](https://apnews.com/d8b311bb4b0c42fc81fd4d74ec52144e?utm_source=PushNotification) And she will simply ignore the subpoena. The Democrats could subpoena God as a witness to Trump’s misdeeds and the Republicans would claim executive privilege and Bob Barr would threaten to put him in jail for violating classified information statutes. It does - not - matter. The Republicans are a Constitutional crisis. They are trying to destroy democracy and the rule of law, and subpoenas will not mean shit. Court orders will not mean shit. When they say fuck the goddamn law, that’s exactly what they mean. We don’t know it yet, but **American democracy is in a street fight with authoritarianism – emphasis on street fight** ---
**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 21, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32692 "2019-05-21T21:12:54Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Combined with his plans to pardon accused war criminals, this is particularly disturbing. He’s already pardoned one convicted war criminal. ---
**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, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32693 "2019-05-21T21:15:59Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [The Cooch is back!](https://apnews.com/f978e75d60664a2fa684eea7b12eddbd)So… no “job” but he’s hired anyway? Yeah; that sounds about right for this administration. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Hope Hicks is back (in the news)!](https://apnews.com/d8b311bb4b0c42fc81fd4d74ec52144e?utm_source=PushNotification) It’s like deja vu all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32694 "2019-05-21T21:16:43Z")
House Majority Leader [Steny Hoyer](https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1130941390303760384): “We are confronting what might be the largest, broadest cover-up in American history.” ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32695 "2019-05-21T21:25:32Z")
Today McGahan (sp?) ignored his house subpoena. They say that the wheels of justice turn slow, or something like that. If these lawless assholes aren’t ground into a fine powder by these wheels, even if it takes a long time, then the whole fucking thing has been changed fundamentally. All to protect a man that has been known for decades to be nothing more than a con-man. Co-equal branches of government? That’s a fucking riot. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32696 "2019-05-21T21:47:08Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Today McGahan (sp?) ignored his house subpoena. They say that the wheels of justice turn slow, or something like that. If these lawless assholes aren’t ground into a fine powder by these wheels, even if it takes a long time, then the whole fucking thing has been changed fundamentally. All to protect a man that has been known for decades to be nothing more than a con-man. Co-equal branches of government? That’s a fucking riot. This is the underlying flaw of the Constitution’s design, which includes a presidential system in which the president is an equal. That’s why, increasingly, countries that seek a new constitution don’t use our system, but instead the parliamentary model, which has actually survived longer. It’s important to remember that our beloved political Bible is an Enlightenment Era document - more than 2 centuries old. We’ve evolved philosophically since that time but our Constitution only evolves with brute force (Civil War). Americans love to point out how Russians and Chinese are brainwashed, but we’re brainwashed pretty badly ourselves, from cradle to grave. I will tell you this: if the Republicans succeed in what they’re trying to do now, it won’t be a constitution that saves. It will be people in the streets by the millions peacefully but forcefully demanding an end to it all, just as they did in East Germany, Ukraine, and the former Soviet Republicans. I know Americans think that is hyperbolic and chicken littlelish, but then again, frankly, Americans are a naive lot. People are naive for that matter. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32697 "2019-05-21T22:02:47Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > House Majority Leader [Steny Hoyer](https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1130941390303760384): “We are confronting what might be the largest, broadest cover-up in American history.” This is the fight that Trump wanted. It may be inevitable, but Trump’s double-down bet is that impeachment will be his friend, and it probably will be as long as the economy’s going well. I know I’ve been among those who have been cautious about impeachment but I understand Hoyer’s position, and I think it’s going to be hard to resist calls for impeachment for much longer. Trump is just determined to create a circus of outrage, and he’s determined to end American democracy as we know it, as are the Republicans. We are sliding into authoritarianism, and we may have no choice but to start impeachment if for no other reason than to just let it be put on the record that this is democracy’s last stand. Understand something and understand it good: things are about to get really, really fucking nasty. And what will happen will surprise you and cause you outrage. It’s going to happen. You will see. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32698 "2019-05-21T23:53:21Z")
[Draft IRS memo says Congress should get tax returns unless privilege is invoked](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/confidential-draft-irs-memo-says-tax-returns-must-be-given-to-congress-unless-president-invokes-executive-privilege/2019/05/21/8ed41834-7b1c-11e9-8bb7-0fc796cf2ec0_story.html) > [@](#): > > The confidential memo, written last fall by an Internal Revenue Service attorney, contradicts the Trump administration’s justification for denying the president’s tax returns to lawmakers. Behind a paywall, I’ve just seen the CNN report on it. Hard to say what it’s going to amount to, but at face value, Mnuchin’s “legislative purpose” argument for withholding Trump’s tax returns wasn’t agreed on. Also on CNN, clips of Carson being clueless (Oreos) and being a real dick–refusing to answer questions and when asked at one point what he was going to do about some HUD issue, he said (to slightly paraphrase): “I’m going to wait for you in Congress to do your job.” Which is pretty rich coming from someone in the Trump admin. Does anyone there know their job and actually do it? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32699 "2019-05-22T00:08:50Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Hope Hicks is back (in the news)!](https://apnews.com/d8b311bb4b0c42fc81fd4d74ec52144e?utm_source=PushNotification) But not into my arms. ☹ Republican women have always been my fatal addiction. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32700 "2019-05-22T00:31:40Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Why? The Republicans won’t vote to convict if he is impeached. > He will declare victory from the highest. > [@slumtrimpet](#): > > Fine. Make them own it. > > - He’s been impeached by the house and here’s why. Now you guys explain why he shouldn’t be - I agree. Conduct public hearings and show the American public that Donald Trump has committed crimes and should be removed from office. Then let the Republicans in the Senate decide to ignore his guilt. Let them win the battle and keep Trump in office. They’ll lose the war when the public responds on Election Day. But my guess is it won’t come to that. Once Trump is seen to be guilty, his fellow Republicans will turn on him in an attempt to save themselves. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32701 "2019-05-22T00:38:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree. Conduct public hearings and show the American public that Donald Trump has committed crimes and should be removed from office. > > Then let the Republicans in the Senate decide to ignore his guilt. Let them win the battle and keep Trump in office. They’ll lose the war when the public responds on Election Day. > > But my guess is it won’t come to that. Once Trump is seen to be guilty, his fellow Republicans will turn on him in an attempt to save themselves. BWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!!! Yeah. Right. I think a lot of you are still under assumption that we are still living in a normal democracy. We are not. The Republicans are anti-democratic. They are not going to abandon Trump until the public is so enraged that they have no choice but to. And we’ve had 2 years of nothing but lies and outrageous behavior and not much has moved the needle. The only thing that can is massive unemployment and loss of financial stability (or some other major crisis). ---
**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:** [May 22, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32702 "2019-05-22T00:39:51Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > [Draft IRS memo says Congress should get tax returns unless privilege is invoked](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/confidential-draft-irs-memo-says-tax-returns-must-be-given-to-congress-unless-president-invokes-executive-privilege/2019/05/21/8ed41834-7b1c-11e9-8bb7-0fc796cf2ec0_story.html) > > Behind a paywall, I’ve just seen the CNN report on it. Hard to say what it’s going to amount to, but at face value, Mnuchin’s “legislative purpose” argument for withholding Trump’s tax returns wasn’t agreed on. > > Also on CNN, clips of Carson being clueless (Oreos) and being a real dick–refusing to answer questions and when asked at one point what he was going to do about some HUD issue, he said (to slightly paraphrase): “I’m going to wait for you in Congress to do your job.” > > Which is pretty rich coming from someone in the Trump admin. Does anyone there know their job and actually do it? Dude, they don’t need a reason. Their reason is they want to stay in power for a long time. That’s good enough for Trump and his oligarchs. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32703 "2019-05-22T00:42:36Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > As _Vox_ puts it, we now have a new rally cry v2.0: “Lock them up!” > > [Trump’s troubling response to “lock them up!” chants during his Pennsylvania rally](https://www.vox.com/2019/5/21/18633879/trump-montoursville-pennsylvania-rally-lock-them-up-bill-barr) > > _The chants were disturbing. Trump’s response to them was even worse._ > > Donald Trump, always the victim for some reason(s). Can’t imagine what those reasons could be… > > Obviously, this is a man with nothing to hide. And if you go looking for that nothing, you’re committing treason. What’s important to understand - even more important than Trump’s victim complex - is that he has 60 million supporters who feel similarly “victimized”. Bark at Trump all you want - I’m with you. But nothing changes until the people who voted for him understand that he’s not the solution to their problems. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32704 "2019-05-22T00:57:40Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree. Conduct public hearings and show the American public that Donald Trump has committed crimes and should be removed from office. > > Then let the Republicans in the Senate decide to ignore his guilt. Let them win the battle and keep Trump in office. They’ll lose the war when the public responds on Election Day. > > But my guess is it won’t come to that. Once Trump is seen to be guilty, his fellow Republicans will turn on him in an attempt to save themselves. I get the impression that this is probably the current majority point of view among congressional Democrats. In essence, to have the Mueller Report brought to life and relayed to the wider public through televised oral testimony. It would also allow some time for other potentially impeachable offenses to come to light, such as might perhaps be revealed through Trump’s tax returns. This will take some time, though, and so an impeachment process would not begin until later this year, or even early next year. The current impetus for impeachment is coming from the Democrats on House committees, because the White House is not co-operating with any of their requests for documents related to their oversight role. So it’s kind of a separate, but related thread on the path towards impeachment. While I suspect that Pelosi would prefer to drop the impeachment piano when the time is right, and when it might have the best chance of succeeding in removing Trump from office, if House committee members are being stonewalled and cannot carry out their constitutional duty, will they happily sit idly by, not being able to do their business, for a few months? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1634) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1636)