# 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:** 56
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1101 "2017-02-08T13:25:33Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > Bannon claims to be a Leninist. By that, he means [he wants to burn everything down and build his ideal society on the ashes](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/22/steve-bannon-trump-s-top-guy-told-me-he-was-a-leninist.html). > [@](#): > > “I’m a Leninist,” Bannon proudly proclaimed. > > Shocked, I asked him what he meant. > > “Lenin,” he answered, “wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1102 "2017-02-08T13:59:55Z")
And the fact that this would cause massive consequences in the lives of millions of actual people apparently doesn’t faze him in the least. “Treating people as things, that’s where it starts.” - Granny Weatherwax ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1103 "2017-02-08T15:00:28Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > [Republican Senators Vote to Formally Silence Elizabeth Warren](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/us/politics/republican-senators-vote-to-formally-silence-elizabeth-warren.html) > > Fuck’in maggots. If you don’t like the truth, a simple solution is to force people to stop saying it. The confirmation of Betsy DeVos is enough to demonstrate that the fifty Republican Senators who voted for her are not patriots. No, not even John McCain, who talks a good game about doing the right thing but cheerily confirmed a woman he knows damn well bribed her way into the Cabinet of his country. Everything after this is gravy. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1104 "2017-02-08T15:14:27Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > **If you don’t like the truth, a simple solution is to force people to stop saying it.** > > The confirmation of Betsy DeVos is enough to demonstrate that the fifty Republican Senators who voted for her are not patriots. No, not even John McCain, who talks a good game about doing the right thing but cheerily confirmed a woman he knows damn well bribed her way into the Cabinet of his country. Everything after this is gravy. (bolding mine) I found this on page 383 of _The Daily Show (The Book)_: > [@Jon Stewart](#): > > On the right they are pretending that our “truthfulness” is what’s really important to them. Which, ironically, is not true. What matters to them is discrediting anything that they believe harms their side. That is their prime directive. And unlike Kirk, they fuckin’ stick with it. They don’t just drop the protocol anytime they feel like humping a green girl in a unitard. > > And this, this, is their genius. Conservatives are not looking to make education more rigorous and informative, or science more empirical or verifiable, or voting more representative, or the government more efficient or effective. They just want all those things to reinforce their partisan, ideological, conservative viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1105 "2017-02-08T15:27:04Z")
It’s hard to know which of these threads to post things in, but this seems like an appropriate one. Trump was confused about which was better for the economy; a strong dollar or a weak one. So he called a noted economist… wait… that’s wrong; he called Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn at 3:00 a.m. and asked him. Okay, it’s from anonymous leakers so who knows if it’s true or not. What’s sad is that it seems so plausible. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/02/08/an-open-letter-to-donald-trump-on-the-dollar-and-the-u-s-economy/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/02/08/an-open-letter-to-donald-trump-on-the-dollar-and-the-u-s-economy/) > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump was confused about the dollar: Was it a strong one that’s good for the economy? Or a weak one? > > So he made a call ― except not to any of the business leaders Trump brought into his administration or even to an old friend from his days in real estate. Instead, he called his national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, according to two sources familiar with Flynn’s accounts of the incident. > > Flynn has a long record in counterintelligence but not in macroeconomics. And he told Trump he didn’t know, that it wasn’t his area of expertise, that, perhaps, Trump should ask an economist instead. > > Trump was not thrilled with that response ― but that may have been a function of the time of day. Trump had placed the call at 3 a.m., according to one of Flynn’s retellings ― although neither the White House nor Flynn’s office responded to requests for confirmation about that detail. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1106 "2017-02-08T16:15:46Z")
[Again?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19984986&postcount=1095) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1107 "2017-02-09T01:17:38Z")
[Senate confirms Jeff Sessions as attorney general](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senate-confirms-jeff-sessions-as-attorney-general/2017/02/08/051d58f6-ed72-11e6-9973-c5efb7ccfb0d_story.html?utm_term=.b2fc5d9d0e8d). This should be interesting. Smart money sez he’ll end up behind bars ala [John Mitchell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Mitchell). Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1108 "2017-02-09T01:23:44Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > California already told him to get fucked. Both on Trump’s attempts to scuttle any climate research that doesn’t agree with his (and big oil’s) agenda, and on the immigration/illegals issue. So did the mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the LAPD Chief of Police. > > “We may be called upon to defend those laws and defend them we will. We will defend everybody – every man, woman and child – who has come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state.” - Governor Jerry Brown > > “I don’t intend on doing anything different. We are not going to engage in law enforcement activities solely based on somebody’s immigration status. We are not going to work in conjunction with Homeland Security on deportation efforts. That is not our job, nor will I make it our job.” - Police Chief Charlie Beck > > “Our city is still a sanctuary city and we are going to remain a sanctuary city.” - SF Mayor Ed Lee > > “We regularly cooperate with immigration authorities — particularly in cases that involve serious crimes — and always comply with constitutional detainer requests. What we don’t do is ask local police officers to enforce federal immigration laws — and that’s an official LAPD policy that has been enforced for nearly 40 years. That is for everyone’s good, because trust between police and the people they serve is absolutely essential to effective law enforcement.” - LA mayor Eric Garcetti So each city and state can dictate immigration policy now? That’s pretty stupid. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1109 "2017-02-09T01:34:06Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So each city and state can dictate immigration policy now? That’s pretty stupid. No, you are. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1110 "2017-02-09T01:35:45Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > [Senate confirms Jeff Sessions as attorney general](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senate-confirms-jeff-sessions-as-attorney-general/2017/02/08/051d58f6-ed72-11e6-9973-c5efb7ccfb0d_story.html?utm_term=.b2fc5d9d0e8d). This should be interesting. Smart money sez he’ll end up behind bars ala [John Mitchell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Mitchell). Any takers? I’ll take that bet. How much and what’s the deadline? ---
**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:** [February 9, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1111 "2017-02-09T01:38:29Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So each city and state can dictate immigration policy now? That’s pretty stupid. Are you sitting in front of a typewriter, just banging keys at random, hoping that a sensible comment will appear? What you quoted was clear as a bright blue sunny day. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1112 "2017-02-09T01:53:46Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I’ll take that bet. How much and what’s the deadline? Given the evolving composition of this administration, the top bet is One Red Cent. The time frame for an indictment is 42 months. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1113 "2017-02-09T02:07:02Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So each city and state can dictate immigration policy now? That’s pretty stupid. Do you really think that is what they said? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1114 "2017-02-09T02:52:55Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > the top bet is One Red Cent. 1½ pennies, then? 😉 The current exchange rate is 1.7 pennies to one ruble. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1115 "2017-02-09T03:01:02Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Given the evolving composition of this administration, the top bet is One Red Cent. The time frame for an indictment is 42 months. Guess you’re not very sure of your predictions. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1116 "2017-02-09T04:11:01Z")
[Betsy DeVos Orders Immediate Flattening Of All School Globes](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-schlarmann/betsy-devos-orders-immediate-flattening-of-all-school-globes_b_14639376.html). ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1117 "2017-02-09T07:08:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And the fact that this would cause massive consequences in the lives of millions of actual people apparently doesn’t faze him in the least. That’s a basic part of what it _means_ to be right wing; an utter lack of concern for other human beings. Other people are just tools, toys or resources to be used up, and concern for the welfare of other people is evil; that’s a central part of the right wing worldview, and always has been. > [@Little\_Pig](#): > > [Senate confirms Jeff Sessions as attorney general](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senate-confirms-jeff-sessions-as-attorney-general/2017/02/08/051d58f6-ed72-11e6-9973-c5efb7ccfb0d_story.html?utm_term=.b2fc5d9d0e8d). This should be interesting. Smart money sez he’ll end up behind bars ala [John Mitchell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Mitchell). Any takers? Unlikely; the Republicans control the government, and therefore the law no longer matters. He could rape someone on national television and not be punished. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1118 "2017-02-09T08:00:37Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > Do you really think that is what they said? “They?” I didn’t know a committee typed a post. But what in the hell are sanctuary cities or states if not an attempt to enact local immigration policy? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1119 "2017-02-09T08:33:36Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > But what in the hell are sanctuary cities or states if not an attempt to enact local immigration policy? That’s not in the least what they are. What they’re doing is not “making their own immigration policy”, but rather refusing to carry out federal immigration law enforcement that isn’t their job. Surely you can see, even leaving human-rights issues aside, what a dumb idea it is for local law enforcement to carry water for _La Migra_. Local law enforcement has to work with the people in its communities. You can’t do that effectively if a lot of those people are scared that you’ll get them deported. I’m surprised that so many conservatives pissing and moaning about the dangers of terrorist attacks by immigrants are so cavalier about demanding that immigrant-heavy cities and states should damage their ties with immigrant communities by taking on the feds’ deportation work for them. If people are worried that local cops are going to be a proxy for the feds concerning immigration law enforcement, then they’re not going to help local cops in dealing with local problems. Let CBP do its job, and let state and local LEOs do theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/1120 "2017-02-09T09:08:45Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I’m surprised that so many conservatives pissing and moaning about the dangers of terrorist attacks by immigrants are so cavalier about demanding that immigrant-heavy cities and states should damage their ties with immigrant communities by taking on the feds’ deportation work for them. They don’t actually care in the slightest about terrorism, beyond using it as an excuse for war, public surveillance and religious/racial persecution. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=55) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=57)