# 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:** 737
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14725 "2017-12-24T11:54:00Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Our cognitive elite lack the knowledge of the world that could be acquired in even a basic high school anthropology or global studies class in, say, Canada or the EU. What utter nonsense. Our elite postsecondary institutions are unrivaled. It’s not America’s cognitive elite who are responsible for Trump! Jesus, what a bizarre theory. If we excised the cancerous, benighted states where slavery was legal, you’d still be left with the majority of the population and land. That country would stack up well against any other Western nation. And even with that handicap, we still got two terms of Obama! A totally cool intellectual, whose White House became a salon for cutting edge artistry (for just one example, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” had its genesis at a[spoken-word event](https://youtu.be/WNFf7nMIGnE) held in the WH in 2009. People just massively overreact to 51% here and 46% there. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14726 "2017-12-24T11:56:56Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Trump was transparent throught the primaries and the federal election. There is no excuse for people who voted for him. Ignorance is not an excuse. The guy had a book describing exactly how he screws over people to get what he wants. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14727 "2017-12-24T15:21:35Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > What utter nonsense. Our elite postsecondary institutions are unrivaled. It’s not America’s cognitive elite who are responsible for Trump! Jesus, what a bizarre theory. 37% of Postgraduate Americans, making up 6.7% of the 2016 votes, voted for Trump. That shows _something_. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14728 "2017-12-24T15:37:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The guy had a book describing exactly how he screws over people to get what he wants. In fairness, I not only doubt that he had anything to do with writing this book, I doubt that he has actually read it either. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14729 "2017-12-24T15:43:06Z")
On a brighter note, my Father-in-law, a Trump voter and Fox News aficionado, said last night he wanted to ask Trump how such a great businessman[sup]1[/sup] could make such a crappy president. He’s losing his base. 1 - Yes, I know. Baby steps. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14730 "2017-12-24T16:41:04Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > (I hope it’s obvious, but: mockery of Pence for his fixation on broad shoulders is not intended as a put-down of homosexuality, but instead as a put-down of hypocritical closeted politicians who actively work to harm fellow-gays.) Does the same apply to calves like cantaloupes? > [@](#): > > Technically, blaming all the people who voted against Trump, _for_ Trump, is kind of anti-democratic. Voting against Trump is not the same as voting for or working for \*the \*adult candidate instead. Anyone who contributed to this fiasco, and arguably anybody who is part of the culture that made it possible and didn’t work hard enough to prevent it, is complicit as well. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14731 "2017-12-24T16:44:02Z")
> [@naita](#): > > 37% of Postgraduate Americans, making up 6.7% of the 2016 votes, voted for Trump. That shows _something_. > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > In fairness, I not only doubt that he had anything to do with writing this book, I doubt that he has actually read it either. [‘Art of the Deal’ Ghostwriter: Trump is ‘Deeply Disturbed’ and ‘Utterly Untrustworthy’](http://www.newsweek.com/art-deal-donald-trump-mental-ill-674151) > [@](#): > > The ghostwriter of President Donald Trump’s best-selling book The Art of the Deal has suggested that the president may suffer from a personality disorder and said he is “deeply disturbed and utterly untrustworthy.” > > Tony Schwartz, who spent 18 months shadowing the businessman in the 1980s, offered his opinion on Trump’s fitness for office ahead of the publication of a collection of essays by 27 psychiatrists and mental health experts assessing the president’s psychological condition. > > “The question that this book raises in a number of its essays by psychiatrists is: Is Trump crazy like a fox or is he just crazy?” said Schwartz, appearing on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360° on Thursday. > > “And I think the overwhelming weight of evidence suggests that he’s just crazy, and not crazy, casual crazy. I’m talking about crazy—I’m not a psychiatrist, so I actually can get away with saying this—but crazy as a personality disorder.” > … ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14732 "2017-12-24T16:51:34Z")
Around these parts we call that\* Bat shit crazy\*. We don’t need a psychiatrist to tell us either, we just know. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14733 "2017-12-24T17:24:27Z")
“Crazy” is what we have to deal with, “Why crazy?” is kinda academic. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14734 "2017-12-24T19:39:21Z")
Should the Dutch be happy they got an ambassador, when Trump hasn’t bothered to fill most of the ambassadorships, or outraged that they were singled out? ---
**Author:** ![SaneBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SaneBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaneBill)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14735 "2017-12-24T21:08:33Z")
When I read [the headline](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42473607) in my native language ( that didn’t mention names ) I thought it was that of [an elephant and to Ajit Pai](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=845113). But no, of a horse and to Mnuchin… Well, maybe tomorrow… ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14736 "2017-12-24T21:55:27Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Should the Dutch be happy they got an ambassador, when Trump hasn’t bothered to fill most of the ambassadorships, or outraged that they were singled out? Reversing a favorite saying of a Dutch coworker - “He ain’t Dutch and he ain’t much.” ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14737 "2017-12-24T22:58:38Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Does the same apply to calves like cantaloupes? > > Voting against Trump is not the same as voting for or working for \*the \*adult candidate instead. Anyone who contributed to this fiasco, and arguably anybody who is part of the culture that made it possible and didn’t work hard enough to prevent it, is complicit as well. In re Steve King: dunno. Plenty of gay men and straight women think broad shoulders are attractive; I’m not so sure that bulbous calves are in the same category. Anyway, whether SK is gay or straight, no human group would gladly claim him. In re voting: I’m going to reiterate my belief that voting against Trump IS something. If we start demanding X number of hours of activism as the minimum to avoid being held in contempt, then we’re going to be spending all our time despising each other. And if we do that, _Trump wins_. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14738 "2017-12-24T23:05:52Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > At some point, I think there will eventually be enough of white America that finally realizes that they’re being pandered to and that the Republican party isn’t their friend. The conservative backlash rhetoric has been remarkably effective for about 60 years, and liberals haven’t shown much progress in combating it, so I doubt this. Or perhaps there’s already been a backlash against the Republican establishment – first with the Tea Party revolt, then with Trump. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14739 "2017-12-24T23:54:18Z")
If you look at the generic ballot and Trump’s historically low approval ratings, I think it indicates a better picture of public opinion and the efficacy of liberal persuasion than you are allowing. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > In re voting: I’m going to reiterate my belief that voting against Trump IS something. If we start demanding X number of hours of activism as the minimum to avoid being held in contempt, then we’re going to be spending all our time despising each other. And if we do that, _Trump wins_. Hear, hear. 🥂 This kind of impulse seems unfortunately to be a general tendency on the left. It’s related to the kind of Maoist or Jacobin “self-correction” we see with everyone chiding others for “problematic” tweets, or going into histrionics over Halloween costumes. Let’s please break off the circular firing squad and train our fire in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14740 "2017-12-25T00:22:14Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Around these parts we call that\* Bat shit crazy\*. We don’t need a psychiatrist to tell us either, we just know. A psychiatrist/lawyer/professor gave at talk at our local continuing legal education conference up here in Kanukistan last fall on his frequent role as an expert witness. He called Trump _bat shit crazy_, and then delved down into more DSM-V stuff. He wasn’t too concerned about the propriety, or lack thereof, of professionally commenting on the nuttiness of this living person. It was refreshing to have a pro call it like it is. ---
**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:** [December 25, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14741 "2017-12-25T20:46:15Z")
Seth Abramson just tweeted: “I’m delaying a thread about Ivanka, the Russian mafia, Daphne Galizia, the Panama Papers, Alexandre Nogueira, and ICIJ until I have more time. Until then, a summary: Ivanka was working with Russian mafia; Galizia helped uncover it; Galizia was assasinated.” > ---
**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:** [December 25, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14742 "2017-12-25T22:04:23Z")
The many ways Mike Pence looks at Trump. A short video from the Washington Post. (At the end Trump gives Pence one of those patented Douchenozzle pull-you-off-balance handshakes. At least this time he did it to another asshole.) > **[Analysis | The many ways Mike Pence looks at Trump](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/12/25/the-many-ways-mike-pence-looks-at-trump/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_fix-pence-1153am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c3fcc4c64306)** > > If praising President Trump were a contest, the top contestant would surely be, well, Trump. But the vice president is a worthy opponent. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14743 "2017-12-25T22:29:02Z")
Didn’t Macron pull right back? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/14744 "2017-12-26T00:43:12Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Seth Abramson just tweeted: > “I’m delaying a thread about Ivanka, the Russian mafia, Daphne Galizia, the Panama Papers, Alexandre Nogueira, and ICIJ until I have more time. Until then, a summary: Ivanka was working with Russian mafia; Galizia helped uncover it; Galizia was assasinated.” > [x.com](https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/945352718050320386) [Counterpoint](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/12/sharing-seth-abramson-not-once-not-ever.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=736) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=738)