# 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:** 423
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8444 "2017-07-22T13:52:28Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I think it’s because **and he’s got a mean, destructive, hurtful mission to accomplish** with his _terrible, swift sword,_ Donald or no Donald. Kick those immigrants out! Especially those uppity _Dreamers_! Put that restitution money back in the Treasury (where it won’t make a bit of difference) instead of giving it to charity (where it could do some good). He’s right where he wants to be, and won’t be going anywhere any time soon. > And concrete overshoes? Bolding mine. Jeff ‘Little ball of hate’ Sessions would also like to get rid of recreational marijuana (medical too? not sure). Now THAT would be interesting. There are 10,000 people in Colorado that are employed by that industry. No way to stuff that genie back in the bottle. Not that we want to. [sub]Apologies if I stole the ‘Little ball of hate’ middle name for Sessions from someone. Not sure where I heard it. But it fits.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8445 "2017-07-22T14:20:14Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Bolding mine. > > Jeff ‘Little ball of hate’ Sessions would also like to get rid of recreational marijuana (medical too? not sure). Now THAT would be interesting. There are 10,000 people in Colorado that are employed by that industry. > > No way to stuff that genie back in the bottle. Not that we want to. > > [sub]Apologies if I stole the ‘Little ball of hate’ middle name for Sessions from someone. Not sure where I heard it. But it fits.[/sub] I first heard “Little Ball of Hate” as a nickname for Pat Verbeek. But I’ve also been using it for Sessions. While it was a badge of honor for Verbeek, it fits Sessions rather unironically too. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8446 "2017-07-22T14:37:27Z")
‘I feel like every time a Trump employee quits, Oompa Loomas should appear & sing a song to teach us about the perils of gluttony & greed.’ - Frankie on Twitter [What do you do when your boss is a liar?](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DFRz9I4V0AA5UI-.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8447 "2017-07-22T15:28:28Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Curious that Sessions is so commited to hanging on … What better chance will the Littlest Confederate ever have to roll back civil rights and equal protection so that the South may rise again? I expect him to keep gnawing away at their foundations as long as he can hang onto his job. ---
**Author:** ![Inferior\_Desecrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@Inferior\_Desecrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inferior_Desecrator)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8448 "2017-07-22T16:13:11Z")
Just a question from an outsider (although I’m reading this thread [and others] with considerable interest). I hope this is an appropriate place for it. If this house-of-cards falls, and it takes out most of the gang, how far does the presidential replacement process go? If Pence goes out also, who’re next in line? etc? Would it go to a forced election at some point? Interim appointed government \? Are the Dems ready for an election? What would the Pubs be capable of doing as a comeback? Could this cluster\*\*\*\* become worse before it gets better? Sorry, I still can’t type \*\*\*\*, even in the pit :o ID ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8449 "2017-07-22T16:16:57Z")
> [@Inferior\_Desecrator](#): > > Just a question from an outsider (although I’m reading this thread [and others] with considerable interest). I hope this is an appropriate place for it. > > If this house-of-cards falls, and it takes out most of the gang, how far does the presidential replacement process go? If Pence goes out also, who’re next in line? etc? > > Would it go to a forced election at some point? Interim appointed government \? > Are the Dems ready for an election? > What would the Pubs be capable of doing as a comeback? > > Could this cluster\*\*\*\* become worse before it gets better? > > Sorry, I still can’t type \*\*\*\*, even in the pit :o > > ID There are only presidential elections every 4 years, pretty much no matter what. If Trump is out, Pence is in. A hypothetical president Pence would at some point get to assign a new VP, I believe, although it requires some level of confirmation and approval (not certain on the details). If Pence is out before assigning a new VP, next in line is speaker of the house (Paul Ryan, of the “reasonable” wing of the Republican party), followed by the president pro tempore of the senate (no one knows or cares who that is), followed by a bunch of cabinet posts. So no Democrats in sight, sadly. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8450 "2017-07-22T16:17:48Z")
> **[United States presidential line of succession](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession)** > > The United States presidential line of succession is the order in which the vice president of the United States and other officers of the United States federal government assume the powers and duties of the U.S. presidency (or the office itself, in the instance of succession by the vice president) upon an elected president's death, resignation, removal from office, or incapacity. > The order of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president; if the vice presidency is simultan... Check this out. Sorry, copying and pasting text in the browser I’m using is problematic. Excellent question, and something to think about. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8451 "2017-07-22T16:38:59Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Fair enough. But looking at that corrected link I still have to say most of them look to go back to March or April. Yeah, Grassley has made some noise about this in the last week or so since Donnie Jr. slammed the door on his own dick but I still don’t see the story going much of anywhere. It’s been out there for months and didn’t get traction. Now, when the Trump Administration is dropping turds of gold every few hours for the media this is going to take off? Sorry, I don’t think so. > **[Donald Trump's Defense? Obama Is to Blame for It All](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-plays-blame-game-636282)** > > Nothing is ever Donald Trump's fault. > **[Targeting Obama, Republicans play the Russia blame game poorly](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/targeting-obama-republicans-play-the-russia-blame-game-poorly-msna999996)** > > One leading U.S. official "stood idly by" during the Russian attack on our election. Republicans want you to think it was Barack Obama, but they're wrong. Are you saying they are not doing this, or just that it won’t take off? The story will go as long as they want to keep saying it to their syrup sucking base and oppositional right wing media. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8452 "2017-07-22T16:48:12Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I first heard “Little Ball of Hate” as a nickname for Pat Verbeek. But I’ve also been using it for Sessions. While it was a badge of honor for Verbeek, it fits Sessions rather unironically too. Perhaps “little balls of hate” even more so. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8453 "2017-07-22T16:50:28Z")
> [@Inferior\_Desecrator](#): > > Just a question from an outsider (although I’m reading this thread [and others] with considerable interest). I hope this is an appropriate place for it. > > If this house-of-cards falls, and it takes out most of the gang, how far does the presidential replacement process go? If Pence goes out also, who’re next in line? etc? > > Would it go to a forced election at some point? Interim appointed government \? > Are the Dems ready for an election? > What would the Pubs be capable of doing as a comeback? > > Could this cluster\*\*\*\* become worse before it gets better? > > Sorry, I still can’t type \*\*\*\*, even in the pit :o > > ID Flick or frack or even fukc comes close. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8454 "2017-07-22T16:55:27Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > the Littlest Confederate Every time I read this, I think of [Shirley Temple](http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/5800000/Shirley-Temple-in-The-Littlest-Rebel-shirley-temple-5860541-286-349.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8455 "2017-07-22T17:03:58Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > If Trump is out, Pence is in. A hypothetical president Pence would at some point get to assign a new VP, I believe, although it requires some level of confirmation and approval (not certain on the details). An appointed VP must be confirmed by majority vote of both the House and Senate. Gerald Ford was appointed VP by Nixon after Agnew resigned, and in turn appointed Nelson Rockefeller after Nixon resigned and he became president. > [@](#): > > followed by the president pro tempore of the senate (no one knows or cares who that is), Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8456 "2017-07-22T17:17:26Z")
Man, there’s a deep bench of unacceptable Republicans… ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8457 "2017-07-22T17:25:05Z")
> [@Inferior\_Desecrator](#): > > Just a question from an outsider (although I’m reading this thread [and others] with considerable interest). I hope this is an appropriate place for it. > > If this house-of-cards falls, and it takes out most of the gang, how far does the presidential replacement process go? If Pence goes out also, who’re next in line? etc? > > Would it go to a forced election at some point? Interim appointed government \? > Are the Dems ready for an election? > What would the Pubs be capable of doing as a comeback? > > Could this cluster\*\*\*\* become worse before it gets better? > > Sorry, I still can’t type \*\*\*\*, even in the pit :o > > ID The “line of succession” goes president, vice president, speaker of the house, majority leader (I think). Beyond that, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8458 "2017-07-22T17:29:17Z")
At any rate, the Thing That Won’t Die (Trumpcare) is supposedly dead again, this time at the hands of the Parliamentarian and the Byrd Rule. That thing is even worse than Dracula. It keeps getting killed and then coming back. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8459 "2017-07-22T18:06:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. > [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Man, there’s a deep bench of unacceptable Republicans… Trump, Pence, Ryan, The Orrinator… who’s next in line, Ted Cruz? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8460 "2017-07-22T18:10:59Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > The “line of succession” goes president, vice president, speaker of the house, majority leader (I think). Beyond that, I don’t know. After Speaker is President pro tempore of the Senate, as already mentioned. After that it’s the heads of the Cabinet departments in order of their creation: Tillerson, Mnuchin, Mattis, Sessions, etc. Ben Carson is 13th in line. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8461 "2017-07-22T18:16:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > After Speaker is President pro tempore of the Senate, as already mentioned. After that it’s the heads of the Cabinet departments in order of their creation: Tillerson, Mnuchin, Mattis, Sessions, etc. Ben Carson is 13th in line. If I were a terrorist with a twisted sense of humor, I would coordinate a timed assassination of the first 12. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8462 "2017-07-22T18:19:24Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Much simpler than that: he can only pardon someone for a crime that that person has been convicted of. If he were to be impeached, he would then be tried in the Senate. This would put him at the level of “defendant”, not “convict”. Once he is actually convicted by the Senate, he is stripped of presidential authority, at which point it would no longer be possible for him to pardon himself, as he no longer has that power. He cannot pardon himself while he has the power to pardon because he has no convictions that can be pardoned. And no reasonable person would accept that he could issue the pardon between the time of the vote to convict and the delivery, to him, of the verdict. Which is not to suggest that any Republicans would fall into the “reasonable” category. True, but my understanding is that impeachment (and conviction) cannot be pardoned, period. So even if Pence wanted to pardon Trump, he could at most keep him out of court. He could not undo the impeachment (and conviction), even if he somehow wanted to. Trump would still be permanently out of office. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/8463 "2017-07-22T18:20:53Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > After Speaker is President pro tempore of the Senate, as already mentioned. After that it’s the heads of the Cabinet departments in order of their creation: Tillerson, Mnuchin, Mattis, Sessions, etc.\*\* Ben Carson is 13th in line.\*\* If he’s asleep when his turn comes, can we skip him? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=422) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=424)