# 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:** 764
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15265 "2018-01-12T00:20:39Z")
Does Trump not realize that people want to move to the US to improve their standard of living? That is why people from Norway aren’t moving to the US in droves, they would be lowering their quality of life. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15266 "2018-01-12T00:24:18Z")
Meanwhile, Trump has given [a meandering, nonsensical interview to the Wall Street Journal,](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/11/16880592/trump-wall-street-journal-interview-incoherent-bizarre-nafta-kim-jong-un) wherein, among other things, he claims that “I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un”, “I don’t know what the word permanent means,” and “I know more about wedges than any human being that’s lived.” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15267 "2018-01-12T00:26:27Z")
God, I miss the wit and wisdom of George W Bush. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15268 "2018-01-12T00:30:45Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > God, I miss the wit and wisdom of George W Bush. Golly, how far we’ve fallen for that to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15269 "2018-01-12T00:36:06Z")
I suspect the Confederate flag set has never been happier. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15270 "2018-01-12T00:36:28Z")
Yeah, and Republicans all over the country are incontinent with laughter: Ha ha! He tells it like it is! ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15271 "2018-01-12T00:46:59Z")
If he’s this carefree when talking in bipartisan meetings, imagine his language when he’s only with his own aides and fellow Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15272 "2018-01-12T00:58:42Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Meanwhile, Trump has given [a meandering, nonsensical interview to the Wall Street Journal,](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/11/16880592/trump-wall-street-journal-interview-incoherent-bizarre-nafta-kim-jong-un) wherein, among other things, he claims that “I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un”, “I don’t know what the word permanent means,” and “I know more about wedges than any human being that’s lived.” In any other day, the comment that he thinks sending a text that’s derogatory about the president is treasonous would be the most shocking thing he said. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15273 "2018-01-12T01:11:55Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Stay classy, Donnie: > > > [@](#): > > > > _ **Trump attacks protections for immigrants from ‘shithole’ countries in Oval Office meeting** _ > > … I can’t wait for the clips of Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell being asked about it, and saying they haven’t had a chance, yet, to read the story. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15274 "2018-01-12T01:15:36Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > … Buzzfeed is taking the line that the document was the center of public discussion at the time they published it, and that therefore they had a legitimate interest in providing it to the public, regardless of its veracity. > > Fusion and Steele haven’t responded, but I don’t think they will have any trouble. Cohen is claiming that the Dossier contains false statements about him. That means he’s going to have to prove in court that the dossier is untruthful, not merely incorrect, getting a court to rule on the nature of the whole document. > > In short - the Republicans are full of shit. Trying to take their shit to court is unlikely to work out for them in the long run. But as with the earlier court case we were discussing a few days ago, Manafort askign a judge to shut Mueller down, I think they’re hoping to get this up to the Supreme Court and **hoping that “their” justice will stay “loyal”.** Is there any doubt? Gorsuch would never fail to support the Emperor, would he? (My take is that it would be foolish to bet against that support, anyway.) ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15275 "2018-01-12T01:30:24Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I can’t wait for the clips of Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell being asked about it, and saying they haven’t had a chance, yet, to read the story. I’m sure they’re hiding and hoping this blows over. (Paul, Mitch, I’ve got bad news for you – the most likely scenario for this “blowing over” is Angry Birdbrain uncorking an even more offensive comment.) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15276 "2018-01-12T02:00:02Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Sweden would probably say that Norway _is_ a shithole country, but theirs is a minority opinion. 🙂 Well, perhaps ten thousand Swedes at least… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15277 "2018-01-12T02:31:28Z")
Swedes and Norwegians have fought duels to fatal result over the question of who is whiter. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15278 "2018-01-12T02:50:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Meanwhile, Trump has given [a meandering, nonsensical interview to the Wall Street Journal,](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/11/16880592/trump-wall-street-journal-interview-incoherent-bizarre-nafta-kim-jong-un) wherein, among other things, he claims that “I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un”, “I don’t know what the word permanent means,” and “I know more about wedges than any human being that’s lived.” Did he mean [wedgies](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FZ4hk28eUB8/T8dqmtk7i3I/AAAAAAAAAC0/GDmJ7BRnhcQ/s1600/wedgie.jpg)? \*That \*I’d believe. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15279 "2018-01-12T03:00:01Z")
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment says: > [@](#): > > Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President That bit about “such other body as Congress may by law provide” is kind of intriguing. So intriguing, in fact, that a freshman Congressman from Maryland introduced a bill to establish a panel of four physicians, four psychiatrists, and two former statesmen, with the responsibility of assessing the President’s (any President’s) fitness for office and reporting to Congress. The author of the bill argues that the likelihood of the VP or Cabinet staging a “palace coup” is very low, so this independent body would provide a needed mechanism if the 25th needs to be invoked. The bill was introduced in the Spring of 2017 with 19 co-sponsors. As of today, it has over 60. > **[25th Amendment: How do we decide whether the president is competent? | Brookings](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/25th-amendment-how-do-we-decide-whether-the-president-is-competent/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=gs)** > > What do we do if the American president is senile, unhinged, dangerously impulsive, divorced from reality, suffering from short-term memory loss, likely to start a nuclear war and therefore dangerous to the Republic? In one way or another those... ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15280 "2018-01-12T03:08:25Z")
An [editorial](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/opinion/is-mr-trump-nuts.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fopinion-editorials)in the NYTimes today said who cares if thump is mentally ill? Emphasis added. > [@](#): > > …we don’t need a medical degree or a psychiatric diagnosis to tell us what is wrong with Mr. Trump. It’s obvious to anyone who listens to him speak, reads his tweets and sees the effects of his behavior — on the presidency, on the nation and its most important institutions, and on the integrity of the global order. > > Presidents should not, for instance, taunt the leaders of hostile nations with demeaning nicknames and boasts about the size of their “nuclear button.” They should not tweet out videos depicting them violently assaulting their political opponents. They should not fire the F.B.I. director to derail an investigation into their own campaign’s possible collusion with a foreign government to swing the election. And, of course, they shouldn’t have to find themselves talking to reporters to insist that they’re mentally stable. > > This behavior may be evidence of some underlying disorder, or it may not. Who knows? Mr. Trump hasn’t undergone a mental-health evaluation, at least not one made public. But even if his behavior were diagnosed as an illness, what would that tell us that we don’t already know? Plenty of people with mental disorders or disabilities function at high levels of society. Conversely, if Mr. Trump were found to have no diagnosable illness, he would be no more fit for the office he holds than he is today. > … IOW it’s not rocket surgery. We don’t need no stinkin’ diagnosis to tell us that he’s clearly unfit for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15281 "2018-01-12T03:39:02Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Can somebody find out what those Dutch reporters were drinking and send ours a few cases? Maybe he was just prescient? Because a politician DID just get burned in the Netherlands today. He said it was by MUSLIMS, but maybe he oopsed and meant REPORTERS. It’s an easy mistake to make. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15282 "2018-01-12T03:55:40Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Trump has proudly announced the sale of [F-52 planes to Norway](https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/11/16878976/trump-f-52-planes-norway-call-duty). They exist only in “Call of Duty”. How much did the Prime Minister of Normay pay for them? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15283 "2018-01-12T04:02:01Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > An [editorial](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/opinion/is-mr-trump-nuts.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fopinion-editorials)in the NYTimes today said who cares if thump is mentally ill? Emphasis added. > IOW it’s not rocket surgery. We don’t need no stinkin’ diagnosis to tell us that he’s clearly unfit for the job. The guy who wrote the 25th Amendment (on the staff of Birch Bayh, one of its primary sponsors) was on MSNBC yesterday. He said: it’s designed to remove someone who’s _unable_ to do the job, not _unfit_. Impeachment is the solution for the unfit. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2018, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15284 "2018-01-12T04:51:48Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > The guy who wrote the 25th Amendment (on the staff of Birch Bayh, one of its primary sponsors) was on MSNBC yesterday. He said: it’s designed to remove someone who’s _unable_ to do the job, not _unfit_. Impeachment is the solution for the unfit. Then he should have written it that way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=763) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=765)