# 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:** 790
**Author:** ![AI\_Proofreader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@AI\_Proofreader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AI_Proofreader)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15785 "2018-01-21T08:28:39Z")
[Mick Mulvaney, director of the Consumer Financial [del]Protection[/del] Bureau, requests a budget of $0.](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/business/cfpb-mick-mulvaney.html) All previous budget requests, for hundreds of millions of dollars, have been filled without hesitation as the CFPB is one of the few arms of the government that actually nets billions of dollars by fining financial institutions for defrauding their customers. Or should I say, it _did_ that - past tense. "“So far this week the acting director has announced plans to gut the payday lending rule, asked big banks and Wall Street special interests how they would like to destroy the agency from the inside, and now he’s screwing with its funding,” said Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress, a consumer group. “What he hasn’t done is offer one announcement about actions taken to protect consumers.” The deconstruction of the administrative state continues. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15786 "2018-01-21T12:28:12Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > And to not let the military get paid … The Dems had a provision or resolution (whatever you call it), so the military (that the Repubs love so much and beat everyone over the head with so much) would get paid. McConnell and the Repubs shot that down too. Meanwhile expect Trump to keep sabotaging. The Dems should just keep proposing it again and again. ---
**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 21, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15787 "2018-01-21T14:29:54Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > … > “Our country needs a good ‘shutdown’ in September to fix mess!” – President Donald J. Chump in a 5/2/17 tweet (which is an official White House document). I guess he thinks a shutdown is kind of like an enema. > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump’s official website: > “DEMOCRATS “COMPLICIT” IN ALL MURDERS BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS” > [https://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/democrats-complicit-in-all-murders-by-illegal-immigrants/](https://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/democrats-complicit-in-all-murders-by-illegal-immigrants/) This really does boggle the mind. A mind that is already seriously over-boggled. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15788 "2018-01-21T14:30:07Z")
> [@AI\_Proofreader](#): > > … the Consumer Financial [del]Protection[/del] Bureau … This seems somewhat unsatisfying. I propose that the word “Agency”, “Bureau”, “Commission”, “Department” or “Administration” be routinely replaced with something like “Racket”. As in “Consumer Financial Protection Racket”. Or some similar word that works as well or better. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15789 "2018-01-21T14:48:40Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Yeah, I have a friend who is blaming Schumer and the “rule of 60.” Not that he’d listen anyway, but I don’t know how to counter that, as I tend to think more about Twitler and his plan for destruction. Four republican senators voted against. Correction: Five republicans. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15790 "2018-01-21T16:34:24Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump’s official website: > “DEMOCRATS “COMPLICIT” IN ALL MURDERS BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS” > [https://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/democrats-complicit-in-all-murders-by-illegal-immigrants/](https://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/democrats-complicit-in-all-murders-by-illegal-immigrants/) I give this a PL (Propaganda Level) of 6, mostly because it’s so nakedly blunt and gloriously devoid of supporting facts. Some choice quotes: > [@](#): > > It contrasts Democrats, who stand by those who commit acts of “pure evil,” versus President Trump, who was elected to build a wall to stop illegal immigration and keep American families safe. > [@](#): > > The powerful new ad reflects the stakes in the illegal immigration debate, and the reasons why the President will not allow the Schumer Shutdown to force his hand and grant amnesty for illegal immigrants. “the Schumer Shutdown” is a nice try but I don’t think it’s going to have sticking power. When you’re the party in charge, as well as the head guy in charge of the party in charge, playground bully-style nicknames just come across as sad attempts to distract, redirect and avoid the fight. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15791 "2018-01-21T16:56:34Z")
Well, no, it ain’t “Dicky Durbin”, but they can’t all be gems! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15792 "2018-01-21T19:49:01Z")
[White House publicity stunt showing Trump pretending to work backfires](https://shareblue.com/white-house-photos-backfire/) ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15793 "2018-01-21T19:58:48Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > [White House publicity stunt showing Trump pretending to work backfires](https://shareblue.com/white-house-photos-backfire/) Shouldn’t the button for the active phone line be lit up? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15794 "2018-01-21T20:10:39Z")
For anyone who missed SNL’s Kate McKinnon as Robert Mueller last night, it’s worth a watch: [SNL Mueller Skit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1aQmjFikM) ---
**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 21, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15795 "2018-01-21T21:53:51Z")
Mike Pence went to the Middle East and used active duty, on duty, in uniform military members as props to criticize the Democrats. Not only immoral and false, but illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15796 "2018-01-21T22:09:16Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > For anyone who missed SNL’s Kate McKinnon as Robert Mueller last night, it’s worth a watch: > > [SNL Mueller Skit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1aQmjFikM) That sketch makes me wonder: if Trump does fire Mueller, what are the chances there would be a \*huuuuuuge \*data dump the next day of everything that’s been gathered so far? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15797 "2018-01-21T22:13:04Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And then there’s:It’s like an echo chamber. … and that’s why I have both those scumbags on _Ignore_. They turn my fucking stomach. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15798 "2018-01-21T22:16:22Z")
> [@AI\_Proofreader](#): > > [Mick Mulvaney, director of the Consumer Financial [del]Protection[/del] Bureau, requests a budget of $0.](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/business/cfpb-mick-mulvaney.html) All previous budget requests, for hundreds of millions of dollars, have been filled without hesitation as the CFPB is one of the few arms of the government that actually nets billions of dollars by fining financial institutions for defrauding their customers. Or should I say, it _did_ that - past tense. > > "“So far this week the acting director has announced plans to gut the payday lending rule, asked big banks and Wall Street special interests how they would like to destroy the agency from the inside, and now he’s screwing with its funding,” said Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress, a consumer group. “What he hasn’t done is offer one announcement about actions taken to protect consumers.” > > The deconstruction of the administrative state continues. Trump and his cronies are destroying the system from within, exactly as Putin wanted them to. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15799 "2018-01-21T22:16:29Z")
As much as Trump is a bigot, a racist, a thief and a liar, I think we’re beginning to see how he’ll truly be remembered; he’s weak. Trump is literally being pushed about by a 32-year-old kid with no friends and zero political capital; Stephen Miller, it’s now apparent, can force his will on the President of the United States. We’re not talking about the Kochs, or a powerful congressman, of Vladimir Putin; we’re talking about a silly little racist twerp who has no real allies but has force of will and is pushing Trump around. If you look at Trump’s behaviour from a perspective of his being weak, it all makes sense. Why can’t he stop eating shit food? He’s weak. Why can’t he stop fucking whores and porn stars? He’s weak. Why can’t he control his outbursts? He’s weak. Why can’t he do his job full time? He’s weak. Why is he so easily manipulated? He’s weak. For all his abilities in bluster and persuasion, he’s simply too weak. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15800 "2018-01-21T22:19:40Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > That sketch makes me wonder: if Trump does fire Mueller, what are the chances there would be a \*huuuuuuge \*data dump the next day of everything that’s been gathered so far? 😃 I have a feeling quite a few indictments would be unsealed and arrest warrants executed. At the state levels. Where pardons would do no good at all. 😃 ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15801 "2018-01-21T22:24:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > As much as Trump is a bigot, a racist, a thief and a liar, I think we’re beginning to see how he’ll truly be remembered; he’s weak. > > Trump is literally being pushed about by a 32-year-old kid with no friends and zero political capital; Stephen Miller, it’s now apparent, can force his will on the President of the United States. We’re not talking about the Kochs, or a powerful congressman, of Vladimir Putin; we’re talking about a silly little racist twerp who has no real allies but has force of will and is pushing Trump around. > > If you look at Trump’s behaviour from a perspective of his being weak, it all makes sense. > > Why can’t he stop eating shit food? He’s weak. > Why can’t he stop fucking whores and porn stars? He’s weak. > Why can’t he control his outbursts? He’s weak. > Why can’t he do his job full time? He’s weak. > Why is he so easily manipulated? He’s weak. > > For all his abilities in bluster and persuasion, he’s simply too weak. Note that I agree with you, but the counter part is: How can he eat shit food, yet be the healthiest president ever? He’s STRONG! How can he manage to fuck pornstars and prostitutes, while also keeping Melania satisfied? He’s STRONG! How can he be so vigorous in his statements? He’s STRONG! How can he manage to run the country, and still have time left over for golf and cheeseburgers? He’s STRONG! How is he able to please so many people with different wants and needs at all times? He’s STRONG! Hmmm, I really though compiling that list would be more amusing to myself, instead, I just feel dirty, like I just pulled my head out of a conservative’s ass. ---
**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 21, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15802 "2018-01-21T22:42:39Z")
Trump appointed a 24-year-old campaign volunteer to be the number two at the Office of National Drug Control Policy . His previous experience in the field was working in the family pharma business, from which his stepfather was jailed for processing illegal steroid importations. His resume appears to have been puffed, as well. > **[Trump Had a 24-Year-Old Former Campaign Staffer Serving As Deputy Drug Czar](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/01/24-year-old-trump-deputy-drug-czar.html)** > > He held one of the most important spots at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which is coordinating the response to the opioid epidemic. He was also fired from his previous job at a law firm for simply not bothering to show up to work. > **[Trump’s 24-year-old drug policy appointee was let go at law firm after he...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/trumps-24-year-old-drug-policy-appointee-was-let-go-at-law-firm-after-he-just-didnt-show/2018/01/20/a7de7c28-fd43-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.0241da1655ac)** > > The deputy chief of staff submitted a résumé with errors, including how long he worked at O’Dwyer & Bernstien in New York, a partner there said. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15803 "2018-01-21T23:22:46Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > He was also fired from his previous job at a law firm for simply not bothering to show up to work. > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/trumps-24-year-old-drug-policy-appointee-was-let-go-at-law-firm-after-he-just-didnt-show/2018/01/20/a7de7c28-fd43-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393\_story.html?utm\_term=.0241da1655ac](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/trumps-24-year-old-drug-policy-appointee-was-let-go-at-law-firm-after-he-just-didnt-show/2018/01/20/a7de7c28-fd43-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.0241da1655ac) Actually sounds like an ideal candidate to me. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15804 "2018-01-21T23:57:42Z")
Cite that Melania is satisfied? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=789) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=791)