# 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:** 799
**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 26, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15965 "2018-01-26T20:05:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > 'Splain this to me, People Smarter Than I Am: > > Schumer goes to thump and says, “Okay, you make a deal for the Dreamers and I’ll support money for the wall.” > Thump says, “No dice, loser! Get outta my face!” > Then thump says to the world at large, “Here’s my new idea that I thought of all on my own without any help from Cryin’ Chuck Schumer: I’ll agree to a bigly deal for the Dreamers, if I also get money for the wall.” > > Did thump reject Schumer’s idea so he could [del]steal it[/del] make it his own and get credit for it? If that is what it takes, then does it matter? If letting him think that it is his idea is the best way to manipulate him into pursuing good ideas for a change, I say it’s a valid strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15966 "2018-01-26T20:07:45Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If that is what it takes, then does it matter? > > If letting him think that it is his idea is the best way to manipulate him into pursuing good ideas for a change, I say it’s a valid strategy. I would get so much pleasure if he would simply be forced to admit that he was wrong about getting a deal with Mexico about paying for the wall. If he’d admit that he couldn’t get that deal done, and he’s a loser, I’d support funding the wall. ---
**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 26, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15967 "2018-01-26T20:22:23Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If that is what it takes, then does it matter? > > If letting him think that it is his idea is the best way to manipulate him into pursuing good ideas for a change, I say it’s a valid strategy. You bet your sweet ass it matters. He couldn’t just go along with Chuck’s idea? Because why-- the Dems can’t get credit for anything? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15968 "2018-01-26T20:30:21Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I would get so much pleasure if he would simply be forced to admit that he was wrong about getting a deal with Mexico about paying for the wall. If he’d admit that he couldn’t get that deal done, and he’s a loser, I’d support funding the wall. Fat chance. Here’s what a Trump apology sounds like: > [@FatBastard](#): > > If you are telling me they’re horrible people – horrible, racist people – I would certainly apologise if you’d like me to do that. What is that… the future pluperfect subjunctive conditional tense? ---
**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 26, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15969 "2018-01-26T20:33:59Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I would get so much pleasure if he would simply be forced to admit that he was wrong about getting a deal with Mexico about paying for the wall. If he’d admit that he couldn’t get that deal done, and he’s a loser, I’d support funding the wall. I don’t really care one way or the other on the wall. I think it’s a waste of money, and a monument to out isolationism, and so I am inclined to be against it, but we waste more money on even stupider things, and with or without a wall, we are still going to have racists and isolationists. But yeah, it’s our wall, we are going to pay to build maintain, and staff it. No one else will or even should. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15970 "2018-01-26T20:45:48Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > **Jags @15952:** It figgers those fancy Kennedys wanted a _French_ painting. I betcha Tricky Dick asked for a Grant Wood. And the Reagans hung up a Margaret Keane original. I heard Trump wanted to grab all the Georgia O’Keeffe paintings at the museum. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15971 "2018-01-26T20:50:21Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t really care one way or the other on the wall. I think it’s a waste of money, and a monument to out isolationism, and so I am inclined to be against it, but we waste more money on even stupider things, and with or without a wall, we are still going to have racists and isolationists. > > But yeah, it’s our wall, we are going to pay to build maintain, and staff it. No one else will or even should. It would be an environmental mess. ---
**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 26, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15972 "2018-01-26T21:25:16Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > It would be an environmental mess. Agreed, but that is only one of the messes it is. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15973 "2018-01-26T21:26:09Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I heard Trump wanted to grab all the Georgia O’Keeffe paintings at the museum. Needs a “like” button. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15974 "2018-01-26T23:15:02Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > [This](https://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/267/Landscape-with-Snow.html) is the painting he wanted. Wonder what about this image spoke to him? The cottage roof matches his hair? > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Thanking Zeus it was just something on thermophilic compost. I don’t think this sentence has ever been uttered before in the history of ever. > [@k9bfriender](#): > > If that is what it takes, then does it matter? > > If letting him think that it is his idea is the best way to manipulate him into pursuing good ideas for a change, I say it’s a valid strategy. I found these ideas about the appeasement strategy interesting and scary. > **[Opinion | Is Trump’s doctor okay?](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-trumps-doctor-okay/2018/01/17/0d887f50-fbce-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.98d218617b68)** > > Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson was so effusive in extolling the superbly stupendous health of the president that he sounded almost Trumpian. \<\\> ---
**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 27, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15975 "2018-01-27T01:28:16Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If that is what it takes, then does it matter? > > If letting him think that it is his idea is the best way to manipulate him into pursuing good ideas for a change, I say it’s a valid strategy. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I would get so much pleasure if he would simply be forced to admit that he was wrong about getting a deal with Mexico about paying for the wall. If he’d admit that he couldn’t get that deal done, and he’s a loser, I’d support funding the wall. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > You bet your sweet ass it matters. He couldn’t just go along with Chuck’s idea? Because why-- the Dems can’t get credit for anything? > [@gigi](#): > > I found these ideas about the appeasement strategy interesting and scary. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-trumps-doctor-okay/2018/01/17/0d887f50-fbce-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393\_story.html?utm\_term=.98d218617b68](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-trumps-doctor-okay/2018/01/17/0d887f50-fbce-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.98d218617b68) > > \<\ > That, Lee speculates, could explain powerful sycophancy that overcomes those who get close to Trump. “Those close to him are sensing this level of appeasement is necessary,” Lee speculated. They “feel they need to step in as a way to diminish his volatility and rage.” > > The danger, Lee said, is that Trump’s courtiers do this for too long and succumb to “shared psychosis,” in which they come to “share his view of the world and lose touch with reality.”\>\> Aye; put me in the “fuck that shit” crowd. WE ARE NOT THE SUPPORTING CAST OF THE DONALD TRUMP SHOW. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15976 "2018-01-27T02:12:54Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > [Politico: An affair with Trump? Haley rebuts ‘disgusting’ rumors](http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Thermophilic_compost) > “That’s just, wow…gross,” Haley said between dry heaves. > > “I mean, have you seen-- he’s just…” Her voice drifted off before adding, “Thanks, seriously, now I’m going to have trouble sleeping for weeks.” That rumor started because of something “Fire and Fury” author Wolff said on Bill Maher’s HBO program. He said that Trump was having an affair but he didn’t have enough corroborating evidence to include it in the book. But he claimed that if you know that you will go “BINGO” when you reach that part of the book. And that part is near the end. I read the book, I saw the interview, I reread the end of the book. And no light bulbs went off. There aren’t many women at all mentioned towards the end of the book. But Wolff threw in a couple of paragraphs about Nikki Haley being “as ambitious as Lucifer” and said that she had spent a lot of private time with Trump, angling for Tillerson’s job. But I don’t think that’s it. The commentators dismissed Hope Hicks because one of the most quoted parts of the book had Trump calling her “the best piece of tail he [Corey Lewondowski] had ever had”. But that is early in the book. But there are other references to Hicks throughout the book. And towards the end, Steve Bannon blows up at her, calling her naive, telling her she’s in big trouble and needs to lawyer up. And he threatened to call her parents. Wolff also mentioned that she was completely unqualified for the communications director job she was “ quietly” promoted to. In retrospect, maybe Bannon was talking about her involvement with Trump as well as her involvement with the Russia thing ( she helped Trump write the infamous statement from Don Jr ). Or maybe not. Maybe they’re just platonic soulmates. And I’ll acknowledge I’m more likely to believe that theory because I always thought there was something hinky about Trump and the Hopester. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15977 "2018-01-27T03:54:13Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > The cottage roof matches his hair? > > I don’t think this sentence has ever been uttered before in the history of ever. > > I found these ideas about the appeasement strategy interesting and scary. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-trumps-doctor-okay/2018/01/17/0d887f50-fbce-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393\_story.html?utm\_term=.98d218617b68](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-trumps-doctor-okay/2018/01/17/0d887f50-fbce-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.98d218617b68) > > \<\ > That, Lee speculates, could explain powerful sycophancy that overcomes those who get close to Trump. “Those close to him are sensing this level of appeasement is necessary,” Lee speculated. They “feel they need to step in as a way to diminish his volatility and rage.” > > The danger, Lee said, is that Trump’s courtiers do this for too long and succumb to “shared psychosis,” in which they come to “share his view of the world and lose touch with reality.”\>\> Yes. This happens. In third grade. This can only happen because trump hires “the best people”. People that will always bow to his wishes, and start to believe they are part of, or want to be part of his fucked up club. I’m not going to buy into this excuse that they are sucked into trumps view of the world. Good people don’t do that. Only children do that. ---
**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 27, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15978 "2018-01-27T03:55:26Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t really care one way or the other on the wall. I think it’s a waste of money, and a monument to out isolationism, and so I am inclined to be against it, but we waste more money on even stupider things, and with or without a wall, we are still going to have racists and isolationists. > > But yeah, it’s our wall, we are going to pay to build maintain, and staff it. No one else will or even should. The possibility of nuclear war at any moment…NATO forces massing in Eastern Europe…a red scare rippling through Washington…and a wall being built to divide nations. Do we ever learn anything from history? I guess on the bright side, the protestors against the new fascism will have a nice big brick symbol to throw things at without anyone getting hurt. And some lucky world leader will get to have a “Tear down this wall!” moment on TV in a decade or two, assuming the human race survives that long. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15979 "2018-01-27T03:58:28Z")
> [@AI\_Proofreader](#): > > Do we ever learn anything from history? Learn? Like in school? _LOSER!_ U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! ---
**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 27, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15980 "2018-01-27T16:43:22Z")
Right. Tax cut will encourage corporations to expand and create jobs. > [@](#): > > [ul] > [li]Kimberly-Clark — the maker of Huggies and Kleenex — is cutting up to 5,500 jobs. [/li][li]The company said it would use savings from the new Republican tax plan to fund the layoffs and restructuring.[/li][/ul] [WTG, Pubs!](http://www.businessinsider.com/kimberly-clark-pays-for-layoffs-with-trump-tax-cuts-2018-1) [“Walmart announces raises and bonuses but closes 63 stores without notice.”](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/taxes-lower-employment-higher-walmart-announces-raises-bonuses-n836801) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15981 "2018-01-27T16:49:43Z")
Well, the Don managed to get in and out of Davos without stepping on his dick, and even said something nice on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Next hurdle: the State of the Union. I won’t be able to stomach it … I’ll just read about it the next day. ---
**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 27, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15982 "2018-01-27T16:55:47Z")
You know who else managed to not step on Trump’s dick in Davos? His wife! Because she wasn’t there! ---
**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:** [January 27, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15983 "2018-01-27T17:41:11Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I actually feel sorry for Melania. She must wake up in the middle of the night and wonder how the fuck she got here. > [@Turek](#): > > She knowingly married a piece of shit human being. She shouldn’t be surprised when she wakes up and the sheets are all brown and smelly. Indeed. Agree with **Turek**. Just an Eastern European hooker who thought she’d struck gold. (Melania, not Turek.) ---
**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 27, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/15984 "2018-01-27T17:48:19Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I found these ideas about the appeasement strategy interesting and scary. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Aye; put me in the “fuck that shit” crowd. WE ARE NOT THE SUPPORTING CAST OF THE DONALD TRUMP SHOW. :mad: It’s not appeasement, it’s damage mitigation. While this man is in office, it is better to manipulate him into doing what does the least damage and may even benefit the country than to refuse to deal and get nothing. Continue on working to find ways of removing him from office, absolutely, but while he’s there, you have to deal with him as he is. Sure, try not to get caught up in the madness, but if letting him think that a good idea was his idea in order to get him to like it?.. I’ve seen far worse political compromises. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=798) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=800)