# 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:** 379
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7564 "2017-06-30T14:12:49Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > How many pages are we going to waste feeding this one? **THIS!** Get a clue people! Engaging with this poster is pointless, and accomplishes nothing. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7565 "2017-06-30T14:15:23Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > You know what they say, if a chimp bangs on the keyboards long enough, he’ll eventually produce the works of Shakespeare. May take awhile though. > [@TonySinclair](#): > > However, studies show that chimps are better at flinging shit than writing plays. That’s why it only takes the chimp a few minutes to produce a Trumpy Tweet. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7566 "2017-06-30T14:19:47Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > Do you Lefties know anything but lies and hate? Hucky Boo Boo, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7567 "2017-06-30T14:32:10Z")
Just added the fool to my ever-growing Ignore list. She’s just projecting her own anger and hate on everyone else. There’s no point in reading that twaddle. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7568 "2017-06-30T14:49:49Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > **THIS!** > > Get a clue people! Engaging with this poster is pointless, and accomplishes nothing. Engaging with it is pointless, agreed. But it’s presence here does accomplish one thing: it explains why Trump’s approval rating can only fall so far. His followers are literally sealed off from reality, brain-dead. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7569 "2017-06-30T14:52:19Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > His followers are literally sealed off from reality The Trumpoltroon mantra: “Sealed To Preserve Staleness”. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7570 "2017-06-30T15:09:08Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > This is what a real President sounds like. Obama weighs in with some important observations about Trumpcare. > > [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/e69746680402926923622f867094a185.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/e69746680402926923622f867094a185.jpg) > > [Breaking: Barack Hussein Obama Has Just Released This Statement](http://redstatewatcher.com/article.asp?id=83097) > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk And from the Trump side, the best we have is this [QUOTE=Donald] Thank you very much. This really is the group. What a great group of people. and they’re not even doing it for the party, they’re doing it for this country – because we suffered with Obamacare. I went through two years of campaigning, and I’m telling you, no matter where I went, people were suffering so badly with the ravages of Obamacare. And I will say this, that as far as I’m concerned, your premiums, they’re going to start to come down. We’re going to get this passed through the Senate. I feel so confident. Your deductibles, when it comes to deductibles, they were so ridiculous that nobody got to use their current plan – this nonexistent plan that I heard so many wonderful things about over the last three or four days. After that, I mean, it’s – I don’t think you’re going to hear so much. Right now, the insurance companies are fleeing. It’s been a catastrophe. And this is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better. And this is, make no mistake, this is a repeal and replace of Obamacare. Make no mistake about it. Make no mistake. (Applause.) And I think, most importantly, yes, premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down. But very importantly, it’s a great plan. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. We knew that wasn’t going to work. I predicted it a long time ago. I said, it’s failing. And now, it’s obvious that it’s failing. It’s dead. It’s essentially dead. If we don’t pay lots of ransom money over to the insurance companies it would die immediately. So what we have is something very, very incredibly well-crafted. Tell you what, there is a lot of talent standing behind me. An unbelievable amount of talent, that I can tell you. I mean it. (Applause.) And coming from a different world and only being a politician for a short period of time – how am I doing? Am I doing okay? I’m President. Hey, I’m President. Can you believe it? Right? (Applause.) I don’t know, it’s – I thought you needed a little bit more time. They always told me, more time. But we didn’t. But we have an amazing group of people standing behind me. They worked so hard and they worked so long. And when I said, let’s do this, let’s go out, just short little shots for each one of us and let’s say how good this plan is – we don’t have to talk about this unbelievable victory – wasn’t it unbelievable? So we don’t have to say it again. But it’s going to be an unbelievable victory, actually, when we get it through the Senate. And there’s so much spirit there. But I said, let’s go out – we have a little list of some of the people – and I think after that list goes, if they don’t talk too long, our first list, we’re going to let some of the other folks just come up and say whatever you want. But we want to brag about the plan, because this plan really – uh oh. (Laughter.) Well, we may. (Laughter.) But we’re just going to talk a little bit about the plan, how good it is, some of the great features. I want to thank Paul Ryan. (Applause.) He has worked so hard. I was joking, I said, you know, Paul, for the last week I’ve been hearing “Paul Ryan doesn’t have it. It’s not working with Paul Ryan. He’s going to get rid of Paul Ryan.” And then today I heard, “Paul Ryan is a genius, he’s come a long way.” (Laughter.) Right? [/QUOTE] The problem is that due to the Dunning Kruger effect, most Trump voters probably don’t see any difference in quality between the two sets of remarks. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7571 "2017-06-30T16:04:43Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > How many pages are we going to waste feeding this one? > [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > had to block the emma fish troll, now could y’all please reconsider if it needs quoting? > > thanks! Yes please! Just ignore the fuck-face so I don’t have to keep seeing its quoted excrement! I’m all for honest debate and dialogue but you’d get better results debating a sidewalk than this obvious troll. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7572 "2017-06-30T16:11:01Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > And from the Trump side, the best we have is this > > The problem is that due to the Dunning Kruger effect, most Trump voters probably don’t see any difference in quality between the two sets of remarks. Sentence complexity; a measure of intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7573 "2017-06-30T16:12:30Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Just added the fool to my ever-growing Ignore list. > > She’s just projecting her own anger and hate on everyone else. There’s no point in reading that twaddle. Yeah, I think she’s just mad at someone in her HOA that happens to be a Democrat. Although in the in my family’s community HOA, the hard-liners are Republicans. My family consists of the left leaning hippie people that don’t mow the lawn enough and like crazy decorations ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7574 "2017-06-30T16:14:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Hey, I’m President. Can you believe it? Actually, I can’t really believe it. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7575 "2017-06-30T16:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=Donald] Thank you very much. This really is the group. What a great group of people. and they’re not even doing it for the party, they’re doing it for this country – because we suffered with Obamacare. I went through two years of campaigning, and I’m telling you, no matter where I went, people were suffering so badly with the ravages of Obamacare. And I will say this, that as far as I’m concerned, your premiums, they’re going to start to come down. We’re going to get this passed through the Senate. I feel so confident. Your deductibles, when it comes to deductibles, they were so ridiculous that nobody got to use their current plan – this nonexistent plan that I heard so many wonderful things about over the last three or four days. After that, I mean, it’s – I don’t think you’re going to hear so much. Right now, the insurance companies are fleeing. It’s been a catastrophe. And this is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better. And this is, make no mistake, this is a repeal and replace of Obamacare. Make no mistake about it. Make no mistake. (Applause.) And I think, most importantly, yes, premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down. But very importantly, it’s a great plan. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. We knew that wasn’t going to work. I predicted it a long time ago. I said, it’s failing. And now, it’s obvious that it’s failing. It’s dead. It’s essentially dead. If we don’t pay lots of ransom money over to the insurance companies it would die immediately. So what we have is something very, very incredibly well-crafted. Tell you what, there is a lot of talent standing behind me. An unbelievable amount of talent, that I can tell you. I mean it. (Applause.) And coming from a different world and only being a politician for a short period of time – how am I doing? Am I doing okay? I’m President. Hey, I’m President. Can you believe it? Right? (Applause.) I don’t know, it’s – I thought you needed a little bit more time. They always told me, more time. But we didn’t. But we have an amazing group of people standing behind me. They worked so hard and they worked so long. And when I said, let’s do this, let’s go out, just short little shots for each one of us and let’s say how good this plan is – we don’t have to talk about this unbelievable victory – wasn’t it unbelievable? So we don’t have to say it again. But it’s going to be an unbelievable victory, actually, when we get it through the Senate. And there’s so much spirit there. But I said, let’s go out – we have a little list of some of the people – and I think after that list goes, if they don’t talk too long, our first list, we’re going to let some of the other folks just come up and say whatever you want. But we want to brag about the plan, because this plan really – uh oh. (Laughter.) Well, we may. (Laughter.) But we’re just going to talk a little bit about the plan, how good it is, some of the great features. I want to thank Paul Ryan. (Applause.) He has worked so hard. I was joking, I said, you know, Paul, for the last week I’ve been hearing “Paul Ryan doesn’t have it. It’s not working with Paul Ryan. He’s going to get rid of Paul Ryan.” And then today I heard, “Paul Ryan is a genius, he’s come a long way.” (Laughter.) Right? [/QUOTE] Apparently somebody actually built a working model: [QUOTE=Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels] The first Professor I saw was in a very large Room, with forty Pupils about him. After Salutation, observing me to look earnestly upon a Frame, which took up the greatest part of both the Length and Breadth of the Room, he said perhaps I might wonder to see him employed in a Project for improving speculative Knowledge by practical and mechanical Operations. But the World would soon be sensible of its Usefulness, and he flattered himself that a more noble exalted Thought never sprung in any other Man’s Head. Every one knew how laborious the usual Method is of attaining to Arts and Sciences; whereas by his Contrivance, the most ignorant Person at a reasonable Charge, and with a little bodily Labour, may write Books in Philosophy, Poetry, Politicks, Law, Mathematicks and Theology, without the least Assistance from Genius or Study. He then led me to the Frame, about the Sides whereof all his Pupils stood in Ranks. It was twenty Foot Square, placed in the middle of the Room. The Superficies was composed of several bits of Wood, about the bigness of a Dye, but some larger than others. They were all linked together by slender Wires. These bits of Wood were covered on every Square with Paper pasted on them, and on these Papers were written all the Words of their Language, in their several Moods, Tenses, and Declensions, but without any Order. The Professor then desired me to observe, for he was going to set his Engine at Work. The Pupils at his Command took each of them hold of an Iron Handle, whereof there were fourty fixed round the Edges of the Frame, and giving them a sudden turn, the whole Disposition of the Words was entirely changed. He then commanded six and thirty of the Lads to read the several Lines softly as they appeared upon the Frame; and where they found three or four Words together that might make part of a Sentence, they dictated to the four remaining Boys who were Scribes. This Work was repeated three or four Times, and at every turn the Engine was so contrived that the Words shifted into new Places, as the Square bits of Wood moved upside down. [/QUOTE] ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7576 "2017-06-30T16:48:33Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > The left is the party of hate, violence, and casual ignorance. The left is a party? Huh. Live and learn. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7577 "2017-06-30T17:06:02Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Sentence complexity; a measure of intelligence. Those were some pretty complex sentences. So complex, in fact, I do not know that they could really properly be called sentences at all. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7578 "2017-06-30T17:13:18Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The left is a party? Huh. Live and learn. Take heart that the NRA is fine with the casually ignorant left, it’s the academically elite left who are the enemy. We’re all safe here. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7579 "2017-06-30T17:29:58Z")
[Moderating] **Enuma Elish** , I’ve edit your post #7539 to make it clear which are your statements, and which are **Gyrate** ’s statements. If you’re going to interleave your responses like that, please make sure they don’t appear in the quote box like that - inserting commentary into a sourced quote box is a violation of the board rules. No warning issued for that. This, on the other hand: > [@](#): > > Deaths and bankruptcy? Nigga please. That’s going to get you a formal warning for using racial slurs. [/Moderating] ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7580 "2017-06-30T18:55:54Z")
Mike and Joe on their show today alleged that the White House was threatening them with hit pieces by the National Enquirer to get them to call Trump and apologize to him for their coverage of him. They claimed that White House staffers called them three times and threatened them unless they backed off on their coverage. When they didn’t, the Enquirer actually published its hit piece. The White House is denying this, and Trump himself tweeted FAKE NEWS!, but MSNBC executives said that Mika and Joe were keeping them appraised contemporaneously with the threats. They claim there are emails and phone logs I hope they release them. > **[Scarborough, Brzezinski say White House used National Enquirer as threat](https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/30/media/national-enquirer-donald-trump-joe-scarborough/index.html)** > > Is the White House using the National Enquirer to threaten and blackmail journalists? That's what MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are alleging. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7581 "2017-06-30T20:00:21Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Mike and Joe on their show today alleged that the White House was threatening them with hit pieces by the National Enquirer to get them to call Trump and apologize to him for their coverage of him. They claimed that White House staffers called them three times and threatened them unless they backed off on their coverage. When they didn’t, the Enquirer actually published its hit piece. The White House is denying this, and Trump himself tweeted FAKE NEWS!, but MSNBC executives said that Mika and Joe were keeping them appraised contemporaneously with the threats. They claim there are emails and phone logs I hope they release them. > [Scarborough, Brzezinski say White House used National Enquirer as threat](http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/30/media/national-enquirer-donald-trump-joe-scarborough/index.html) If this sequence of events genuinely is well-documented, then it clearly constitutes an abuse of power. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7582 "2017-06-30T20:07:44Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > If this sequence of events genuinely is well-documented, then it clearly constitutes an abuse of power. Like all the other abuses of power he has done? It’s not illegal if the president does it. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/7583 "2017-06-30T20:11:44Z")
Well, that was Nixon’s theory, anyway. Which is a good segue into an interesting take on the situation by Frank Rich: > [@](#): > > _ **Just Wait: Watergate didn’t become Watergate overnight, either.** _ > …Unlike Nixon, who had to contend with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, Trump has the shield of a Republican Congress led by craven enablers terrified of crossing their Dear Leader’s fiercely loyal base. That distinction alone is enough to make anti-Trumpers abandon all hope. > > I’m here to say don’t do so just yet. There’s a handy antidote to despair: a thorough wallow in Watergate, the actual story as it unfolded, not the expedited highlight reel that most Americans know from a textbook précis or cultural artifacts like the film version of All the President’s Men. If you look through a sharp Nixonian lens at Trump’s trajectory in office to date, short as it has been, you will discover more of an overlap than you might expect. … > **[Frank Rich: Nixon, Trump, and How a Presidency Ends](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/06/frank-rich-nixon-trump-and-how-a-presidency-ends.html)** > > Just wait. Watergate didn’t become Watergate overnight, either. Well worth a perusal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=378) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=380)