# 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:** 816
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16305 "2018-02-03T01:59:13Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > The consequences of anything like this are long term. The gains, short term. At the rate we’re going, we won’t make it to long term with any real shot at changing anything. If the choice is “drink this it’ll give you cancer of the liver and you’ll probably be in bad shape 10 years from now but who knows what’ll change between now and then OR don’t drink it and I’ll shoot you in the head next March”, which one would YOU take? Sometimes you do actually make the ‘long-term bad’ decision because the ‘short-term bad’ decision forecloses any possibility of the long-term at all - good or bad. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16306 "2018-02-03T02:01:59Z")
Except this situation isn’t anything like that. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16307 "2018-02-03T02:19:57Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Ockam’s razor … > > Dark money and Russian money are everywhere, and they’re ALL fucking dirty. I’m sure there’s a shit load of dark money from the Kremlin floating around capital hill, just as I’m sure there’s Chinese money. That’s definitely a story, perhaps the lead story. But right behind that is the concurrent undoing of American democracy by forces from within. The billionaire class is trying to so badly weaken the federal government and its oversight of things like labor rights, public safety, food safety, and everything we take for granted. It’s like we’re going back to the year 1898. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16308 "2018-02-03T02:23:10Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I think they’re defending him because it’s becoming clear that Vladimir Putin attacked America and Turmp and other Republicans helped him do it. They can not let that become officially true. They’ll end up replacing Benedict Arnold as the go-to reference to a traitor. Off tangent here but think about the impact on intelligence sharing. If you’re MI6 and you’re working with the FBI to break up a terror network with cells in New York and London, do you talk to the FBI anymore? Maybe Republitards should let that sink into the thick as fuck skulls before they jack off to Sean Hannity tonight. Then again, it’s liberal New York, so if it gets nuked, that would probably make red state America throw a midnight parade. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16309 "2018-02-03T02:26:08Z")
The British had already threatened to stop sharing intel with the USA if the memo was released. Right there on my list: Destroying America’s traditional alliances. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16310 "2018-02-03T02:38:52Z")
Been saying it for a while: this country’s fucked. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16311 "2018-02-03T04:14:37Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Ah, so bringing up Alex Jones in this thread turns you into a whiny turdmuffin who can’t stand off-topic posts in this thread, but you continuing an off-topic argument from 24 hours ago with this pissy little post somehow passes muster? > > Asshole _and_ a hypocritical moron. Got it. “whiny turdmuffin”? Really? I accept being called an asshole. Hypocritical or a moron I reject. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16312 "2018-02-03T04:27:39Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Hypocritical or a moron I reject. To the extent I’ve noticed you, no positive alternatives come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16313 "2018-02-03T04:50:22Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > “whiny turdmuffin”? Really? > > I accept being called an asshole. Hypocritical or a moron I reject. Ah, the whiny turdmuffin returns. Apparently, you’re a member of the Trump admin. That would explain what makes your seemingly off-topic posts relevant to this thread. I mean, you’ve already expressed to us how much you demand every post in this thread only be about the Trump admin. It is nice you take 24 hours to come up with such fantastic responses between posts. Hypocritical moron troll fits you just fine. Adios. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16314 "2018-02-03T06:01:44Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > “People who are not stupid” are not in control of the country. It appears that truckloads of stupid are all you need to overwhelm buckets of intelligent. The Trump Administration has weaponized stupidity into a **stupid bomb** to repeatedly attack the foundations of democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16315 "2018-02-03T06:10:27Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I hope you’re not talking about a weaponized blimp. > [@begbert2](#): > > I hope he _is_ talking about a weaponized blimp. _ **“Attention, ladies and gentlemen: At the end of the half, gather your things and slowly walk to the nearest exit. We’ll be under attack in a while! I repeat, we will be under attack in a while!”** _ ---
**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:** [February 3, 2018, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16316 "2018-02-03T06:34:25Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > How incredibly short sighted and stupid of you. > > The consequences of anything like this are long term. The gains, short term. > > Obviously you’re not someone to listen to on the subject of economics. I wasn’t speaking on the subject of economics. I was talking about politics. When Democrats regain power, they can cancel all the giveaways to the rich and keep the portion of the tax cut that goes to everyone else, just like Obama did. And the tax code ultimately becomes more progressive than it was before, just like Obama made it. But in the meantime, Democrats have to be politically smart, so as to have the best chance to get these fuckers out of office. > [@jayjay](#): > > “Governor Stephenson, all thinking voters are behind you!” > > “Unfortunately, madam, I need a majority.” There’s someone who gets it. ---
**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 4, 2018, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16317 "2018-02-04T06:27:47Z")
[Truly, this administration isn’t just a clusterfuck, it’s the self-perpetuating clusterfuck, making and un-making itself; an ouroboros clusterfuck, if you will](https://apnews.com/d3ad833f851d44509492e69a2f304d34/Trump-to-pull-nomination-of-top-environmental-adviser): > [@](#): > > The White House late Saturday confirmed plans to withdraw the nomination of a climate change skeptic with ties to the fossil fuel industry to serve as President Donald Trump’s top environmental adviser. > > Kathleen Hartnett White was announced last October as Trump’s choice to chair the Council on Environmental Quality. She had served under former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, now Trump’s energy secretary, for six years on a commission overseeing the state environmental agency. > > But White’s nomination languished in the Senate, and was among a batch of nominations the Senate sent back to the White House at the end of 2017 when Congress closed up for the year. Trump resubmitted White’s nomination in January. Whoa; I know what you’re thinking: “she served under Rick Perry? She MUST be qualified!” Yeah… not so much. > [@](#): > > White, who is not a scientist, has compared the work of mainstream climate scientists to “the dogmatic claims of ideologues and clerics.” In a contentious Senate hearing last November, she defended past statements that particulate pollution released by burning fuels is not harmful unless one were to suck on a car’s tailpipe. > > Critics of White’s nomination to head the council pointed to her praise of fossil fuels as having improved living conditions around the world and helping to end slavery. She has called carbon dioxide not a pollutant but “a necessary nutrient for plant life.” > [@](#): > > White was a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank that received funding from Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, Chevron and other fossil-fuels companies. White could not immediately be reached late Saturday for comment. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16318 "2018-02-04T11:33:11Z")
First bit of good news in months — thanks, Bo. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16319 "2018-02-04T13:13:32Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > “Governor Stephenson, all thinking voters are behind you!” > > “Unfortunately, madam, I need a majority.” I like the quote from Mark Twain’s _Huckleberry Finn_ : > [@self-alleged Dauphin of France](#): > > Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16320 "2018-02-04T20:08:15Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That last sentence says it all. Not “am I smart to do this?” but “does it make me LOOK smart?” Appearance is everything to our Donald. Substance is, well, _immaterial_. Content? Long term consequences? Consistency? Principle? Nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing. It’s how a thing will make him LOOK in the moment, and the devil can take tomorrow. (And he will.) “Does it make me look smart to people who are themselves either evil or not very smart?” And anyway it just boils down to the already-diagnosed narcissism. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16321 "2018-02-04T20:26:53Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > “Does it make me look smart to people who are themselves either evil or not very smart?” And anyway it just boils down to the already-diagnosed narcissism. I’m smarter, I’m better, I’m winning. It’s all the same old shit from the same scumbag. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2018, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16322 "2018-02-05T04:00:50Z")
The improbably cool Jeff Greenfield pointed out on PBS Newshour tonight how преЦАРдент Trump is this “large celestial object with all this gravitational pull toward him”, and that, sure, the Mueller investigations are _and should_ be front and centre news, but it’s also totally eclipsing other important news, like the [CDC has basically run out of money](https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/02/cdc-funding-pandemics/552224/) and the[Treasury wants $440 billion more in borrowing power to cover next year’s deficit (which could be at least 3/4 of a trillion dollars)](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/us/politics/federal-deficit-1-trillion.html) Greenfield described the 'pubs reaction to this as an Emily Latella ‘nevermind’. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16323 "2018-02-05T13:11:54Z")
Last week: “In the aftermath of that terrible shooting [of Steve Scalise], we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people. But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy. Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve.” This week: “Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!” I guess in Trumpland, “set aside our differences” means “you obey me now.” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16324 "2018-02-05T13:54:57Z")
“Little”? Seriously - we got a president who genuinely and persistently uses playground taunts against people he doesn’t like. This is the world we live in now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=815) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=817)