# 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:** 2083
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41646 "2020-03-20T13:12:35Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > **Biotp** : The jackass-in-chief has alwasy been obviously and disastrously incompetent. It made no difference to his supporters before. That made no difference to them even when he screwed them. Now he’s screwing the entire country. Why do you think that would make them change their minds? Because you cannot ignore this. The economy is falling apart. Many people turn a blind eye when they are making money, and a lot of people had economic interests in spreading the fictions that everything was OK before. A couple of thousand dollars in the mail isn’t going to solve this. People are going to get sick and some will die. Savings are wiped out. It is no longer just background noise to mundane day-to-day life. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41647 "2020-03-20T13:30:40Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Because you cannot ignore this. The economy is falling apart. Many people turn a blind eye when they are making money, and a lot of people had economic interests in spreading the fictions that everything was OK before. A couple of thousand dollars in the mail isn’t going to solve this. People are going to get sick and some will die. Savings are wiped out. It is no longer just background noise to mundane day-to-day life. And it will always be Obama’s/Soros’s/Liberals’ fault. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41648 "2020-03-20T13:32:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > And it will always be Obama’s/Soros’s/Liberals’ fault. Don’t forget Hillary and the Deep State. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41649 "2020-03-20T13:38:47Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Because you cannot ignore this. The economy is falling apart. Many people turn a blind eye when they are making money, and a lot of people had economic interests in spreading the fictions that everything was OK before. A couple of thousand dollars in the mail isn’t going to solve this. People are going to get sick and some will die. Savings are wiped out. It is no longer just background noise to mundane day-to-day life. _ **“It was an act of GOD! Thankfully we had Trump to lead us through it!”** _ ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41650 "2020-03-20T15:14:42Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > Don’t forget Hillary and the Deep State. I blame buttery males. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41651 "2020-03-20T16:27:42Z")
Latest [poll](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-majority-of-americans-now-approve-of-trumps-coronavirus-management/ar-BB11sgPn?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=hplocalnews) shows 55% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the pandemic response. I give up. He’s going to be re-elected. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41652 "2020-03-20T16:55:32Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Latest [poll](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-majority-of-americans-now-approve-of-trumps-coronavirus-management/ar-BB11sgPn?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=hplocalnews) shows 55% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the pandemic response. I give up. He’s going to be re-elected. He just had an interaction with Peter Alexander, and an earlier one with Fauci on the malaria drug, that may affect the next poll. And he’s not done yet… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41653 "2020-03-20T17:22:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I thought that was pretty obvious. The Republicans are hoping that voters will ignore all of the terrible mess they’ve made of the country and will just focus on the payoff. Years ago I read _City Boy_ by Herman Woulk, the adventures of a 12-year old Jewish kid in Brooklyn. Partway through he goes to summer camp in the Adirondacks and on arrival the facilities are not nearly as luxurious as the brochures showed. In fact, what little there is is pretty well run-down and the kids have to sweep out the cabins, unused since last summer, themselves. Everyone is highly indignant but for dinner they get steak and ice cream, then made to write letters to home. Most of them are in the vein of, _Dear Mom and Dad, The camp is real nice. Tonight we got steak and ice cream for dinner. Your son, --------_ The author commented that it was a calculated risk. A handful of kids would remain mad even after dinner and be removed for a refund after complaining, and there was the extra expense of the dinner itself – no other meal would be as luxurious – but they still came out money ahead. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2020, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41654 "2020-03-20T21:26:51Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > He just had an interaction with Peter Alexander, and an earlier one with Fauci on the malaria drug, that may affect the next poll. And he’s not done yet… :eek: What concerned me most was the spokescritter for an actual scientific/medical outfit specifically stated that they were spending resources on “the president has directed us to examine the efficacy of [this drug] to fight this virus”. Yeah, right. You are doing that at the request of a man with a demonstrated complete lack of scientific and medical knowledge. To quote at least one of the late night show hosts: “We’re all going to die!” And you idiots who voted for Trump are responsible. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41655 "2020-03-20T22:03:18Z")
Another clip to add to “I take no responsibility” and “a miracle will happen” etc campaign ads > **[Trump viciously attacks NBC News reporter in extended rant after being asked...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/media/trump-rant-at-nbc-news-peter-alexander/index.html)** > > In an extraordinary exchange on Friday, President Donald Trump viciously attacked an NBC News reporter who asked what his message would be to Americans who are frightened by the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading across the country. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41656 "2020-03-20T22:04:31Z")
Another clip to add to “I take no responsibility” and “a miracle will happen” etc campaign ads > **[Trump viciously attacks NBC News reporter in extended rant after being asked...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/media/trump-rant-at-nbc-news-peter-alexander/index.html)** > > In an extraordinary exchange on Friday, President Donald Trump viciously attacked an NBC News reporter who asked what his message would be to Americans who are frightened by the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading across the country. And in a couple of weeks, as the situaltion gets worse, so will Trump. He can’t fix this and he can’t spin it away any longer ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41657 "2020-03-20T22:40:20Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Latest [poll](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-majority-of-americans-now-approve-of-trumps-coronavirus-management/ar-BB11sgPn?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=hplocalnews) shows 55% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the pandemic response. I give up. He’s going to be re-elected. It’s early. Until last week most people hadn’t thought about it much, it was just some virus in China. And in the last week Trump has done a few things right. Not enough and too late. But when people start dying and losing jobs, and look back on how he said it would be gone by spring and that it was under control and he took no responsibility, things will change. The crisis has just stated and any normal President would have 70% approval after the press conferences this week. Look at Bush just after 9/11 and then at the end of his term. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41658 "2020-03-20T23:10:13Z")
[Member of Pence’s staff tests positive for virus](https://apnews.com/e034771c4dd4a92a5ac11e15bc0bcecf) > [@](#): > > The White House says a member of Vice President Mike Pence’s staff has tested positive for coronavirus. > > Pence’s spokeswoman Katie Miller said Friday that the staff member, who is not being identified, did not have “close contact” to either the vice president or President Donald Trump. > > Miller said contact tracing, or contacting everyone the individual has been in contact with, is being conducted in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. > > Miller says Pence’s office was notified Friday evening of the positive test result. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41659 "2020-03-20T23:11:27Z")
[Member of Pence’s staff tests positive for virus](https://apnews.com/e034771c4dd4a92a5ac11e15bc0bcecf) > [@](#): > > The White House says a member of Vice President Mike Pence’s staff has tested positive for coronavirus. > > Pence’s spokeswoman Katie Miller said Friday that the staff member, who is not being identified, did not have “close contact” to either the vice president or President Donald Trump. > > Miller said contact tracing, or contacting everyone the individual has been in contact with, is being conducted in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. > > Miller says Pence’s office was notified Friday evening of the positive test result. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41660 "2020-03-20T23:44:40Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > Another clip to add to “I take no responsibility” and “a miracle will happen” etc campaign ads > > [https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/media/trump-rant-at-nbc-news-peter-alexander/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/media/trump-rant-at-nbc-news-peter-alexander/index.html) > > And in a couple of weeks, as the situaltion gets worse, so will Trump. He can’t fix this and he can’t spin it away any longer He’s already trying to change the spin to “it’s all China’s fault”. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41661 "2020-03-20T23:45:41Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > It’s early. Until last week most people hadn’t thought about it much, it was just some virus in China. And in the last week Trump has done a few things right. Not enough and too late. But when people start dying and losing jobs, and look back on how he said it would be gone by spring and that it was under control and he took no responsibility, things will change. The crisis has just stated and any normal President would have 70% approval after the press conferences this week. Look at Bush just after 9/11 and then at the end of his term. Agreed. I think people - even some of his critics - want to give him the benefit of the doubt, because that’s what we do as Americans. But every time he acts like a jackass in front of millions, it just makes him look small. We’re just getting started with this crisis. Wait until images of body bags leaving hospitals start coming on TV, not just in New York, not just in Chicago, but in Columbus or Charlotte, or Wheeling, West Virginia. It’s coming. It’s too late to avoid the math on this. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41662 "2020-03-21T00:06:07Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Latest [poll](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-majority-of-americans-now-approve-of-trumps-coronavirus-management/ar-BB11sgPn?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=hplocalnews) shows 55% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the pandemic response. I give up. He’s going to be re-elected. I agree that people are stupid, which is why I’ve felt that he would be re-elected, barring a disaster. Well, this would qualify as a disaster. His fans like his jackassery - they will continue to do so. But the middle 5-10% that always pushes elections one way or the other, will quickly get tired of being bullshitted. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41663 "2020-03-21T00:19:43Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Republicans giving money to poor folks? Any other signs and wonders? Well, turns out they _don’t_ plan to do that, after all. So not so much to wonder at: > [@](#): > > … People owing little or no income tax would get the minimum rebate of $600 if they had at least $2,500 in income from earnings, Social Security, or veterans’ benefits in 2018. People with less than $2,500 of qualifying income would get nothing. Payments would rise by $500 for each child and be phased out at higher income levels. > > Take two families of four, with incomes of $35,000 and $150,000. Both families have two children, who receive $500 each. The adults, however, are treated very differently. Each adult in the higher-income family gets $1,200, while each lower-income adult receives just $600. … > **[Senate GOP Response to Pandemic, Recession Is Seriously Inadequate | Center...](https://www.cbpp.org/blog/senate-gop-response-to-pandemic-recession-is-seriously-inadequate-the-senate-republican)** > > The Senate Republican proposal for a third bill to address the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis is woefully inadequate to meet the extraordinary challenges now facing the nation. Counting of chickens had better await the hatching; the GOP is here to make sure the have-nots continue to, well, have less. > [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I still credit Obama’s 2012 re-election to NY Times columnist Gail Collins’s constant repetition of the story of the Mittster strapping the family dog to the roof of the car. I wouldn’t be surprised if that did influence a fair number of voters. A lot of pet lovers in this country found that mental image to be indelible… ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41664 "2020-03-21T00:20:36Z")
You’ve changed your tune a little. I disagree. The people that voted for him are entrenched in the belief that they didn’t make a mistake. Anyone still on the fence is an idiot and therefore likely to vote for Trump. Which doesn’t even take into account all the voting screw ups that are absolutely going to happen. If we have an election at all. ETA this was in response to **asah** i. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/41665 "2020-03-21T00:20:51Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Agreed. > > I think people - even some of his critics - want to give him the benefit of the doubt, because that’s what we do as Americans. > > But every time he acts like a jackass in front of millions, it just makes him look small. We’re just getting started with this crisis. Wait until images of body bags leaving hospitals start coming on TV, not just in New York, not just in Chicago, but in Columbus or Charlotte, or Wheeling, West Virginia. It’s coming. It’s too late to avoid the math on this. “I prefer people who don’t travel in body bags” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=2082) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=2084)