# 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:** 849
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16965 "2018-02-22T01:43:33Z")
And, in his typical approach of “say anything and everything and see what sticks”, Trump floated several ideas at the listening session, including background checks, age restrictions on some gun purchases, and arming teachers, which he said “could very well solve your problem.” > **[Trump Proposes Arming School Staff: ‘It Could Very Well Solve Your Problem’](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-proposes-arming-school-faculty-it-could-very-well-solve-your-problem)** > > President Donald Trump said Wednesday that having more people armed at schools could prevent future mass shootings. “I think it could very well solve your problem,” he said. Putting aside for the moment that arming teachers is a harebrained idea, note that he told students **who had just survived a mass shooting** that this was **their problem.** Is there nothing the man cannot fuck up? ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16966 "2018-02-22T01:49:10Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Is there nothing the man cannot fuck up? No. In fact, I bet he could fuck up fucking up. Actually I believe that’s how he won the election that he didn’t really want to win. Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16967 "2018-02-22T01:57:31Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > And, in his typical approach of “say anything and everything and see what sticks”, Trump floated several ideas at the listening session, including background checks, age restrictions on some gun purchases, and arming teachers, which he said “could very well solve your problem.” > > [Trump Proposes Arming School Staff: ‘It Could Very Well Solve Your Problem’ - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-proposes-arming-school-faculty-it-could-very-well-solve-your-problem) > > Putting aside for the moment that arming teachers is a harebrained idea, note that he told students **who had just survived a mass shooting** that this was **their problem.** Is there nothing the man cannot fuck up? “YOUR problem?” Really? Someone get an adult in the room. How more clear can it be that this waste of plasma DOES NOT CARE? ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16968 "2018-02-22T02:16:32Z")
> [@](#): > > In his current role, Cordova oversees day-to-day operations for the Office of Human Relations, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Security and Strategic Information, Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance and Operations Office and the Program Support Center, according to his biography posted on the HHS website. > [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > In other words, he kept a chair moist. The Trump Administration in a nutshell. When you don’t care about something, like Health and Human Services, just leave all the positions empty and appoint one guy to “oversee” every department that used to do something, but now doesn’t… ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16969 "2018-02-22T02:19:45Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > In addition to needing a reminder to say “I hear you”, Trump also needed a crib sheet to get through such complex issues as, “What would you most want me to know about your experience” and “What can we do to help you feel safe”. Haven’t watched the video to see if he used or even glanced at the card, but it seems to me that 45 wouldn’t have come up with the idea of such a cheat sheet, almost certainly didn’t write it, and likely had to be heavily talked into carrying it at all (with those ‘persuaders’ having little to no hope that he’d actually use it in anything approaching an effective manner). ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16970 "2018-02-22T02:58:31Z")
These young peeps are grilling everyone and Rubio at the town hall meeting. They are sweating way less than the suits. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16971 "2018-02-22T04:24:46Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > And, in his typical approach of “say anything and everything and see what sticks”, Trump floated several ideas at the listening session, including background checks, age restrictions on some gun purchases, and arming teachers, which he said “could very well solve your problem.” > > [Trump Proposes Arming School Staff: ‘It Could Very Well Solve Your Problem’ - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-proposes-arming-school-faculty-it-could-very-well-solve-your-problem) > > Putting aside for the moment that arming teachers is a harebrained idea … No doubt the gun filth will lap up that idea. ---
**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 22, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16972 "2018-02-22T04:41:31Z")
Fred Guttenberg just fucking destroyed Marco Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16973 "2018-02-22T07:09:05Z")
“Fred’s daughter was lost this week” No, damnit, she was not “lost”. She was murdered. Use your words! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16974 "2018-02-22T13:06:54Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > And, in his typical approach of “say anything and everything and see what sticks”, Trump floated several ideas at the listening session, including background checks, age restrictions on some gun purchases, and arming teachers, which he said “could very well solve your problem.” > > [Trump Proposes Arming School Staff: ‘It Could Very Well Solve Your Problem’ - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-proposes-arming-school-faculty-it-could-very-well-solve-your-problem) Nooooooo thanks. I went to Catholic schools. I’ve seen what nuns can do with yardsticks. The idea of Nuns with Guns terrifies me [https://www.google.com/search?q=nuns+with+guns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCi4mOy7nZAhXFzlMKHbb4BJcQ\_AUICigB&biw=1440&bih=729](https://www.google.com/search?q=nuns+with+guns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCi4mOy7nZAhXFzlMKHbb4BJcQ_AUICigB&biw=1440&bih=729) > **[Nude Nuns with Big Guns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_Nuns_with_Big_Guns)** > > Nude Nuns with Big Guns is a 2010 nunsploitation vigilante action film directed by Joseph Guzman and starring Asun Ortega, David Castro, and Perry D'Marco. > The film was the subject of one of the largest copyright lawsuits in California. The two lawsuits are the first time that two different companies claiming the intellectual-property rights of the same movie are each suing the same alleged 5,865 BitTorrent downloaders. > A young Mexican nun, named Sister Sarah, is neglected and abused by a corr... > **[FACT CHECK: Is This the Vatican Women's Rifle Team?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/vatican-rifle-team/)** > > A photograph shows a group of nuns with rifles, but they aren't members of the Vatican Women's Rifle Team. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16975 "2018-02-22T13:07:15Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > “Fred’s daughter was lost this week” > > No, damnit, she was not “lost”. She was murdered. Use your words! I agree completely. Now is not the time for euphemisms! ---
**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 22, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16976 "2018-02-22T13:43:15Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > And I say this as somebody who is (as far as a Canadian goes) a bit conservative, which of course from an American point of view makes me a raging Communist but what can you do. People like Starving Artist (not to mention the other usual suspects on this board) make me realize how intellectually bankrupt is a significant part of the conservative movement. American conservatives are rapidly making me more embracing of liberalism so I guess that’s something and as I embrace more (Canadian) liberal ideas, I kind of have to thank them for opening my eyes. I know the feeling. I’ve consistently voted for the Tories as far back as 1988 (I was and still am pro free-trade) and our conservatives are intellectual giants compared to those now known as American conservatives. I suspect the distinction at least in part derives from the Canadian ideal of “Peace, Order and Good Government”, while the Americans, since at least as far back as Reagan’s 1981 “Government _is_ the problem” inaugural speech, have been sold the idea that government is something to be feared, mistrusted and opposed. In addition to a billion dollars a day in trade, the Americans are most useful to us as an ongoing cautionary example. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16977 "2018-02-22T14:15:09Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I know the feeling. I’ve consistently voted for the Tories as far back as 1988 (I was and still am pro free-trade) and our conservatives are intellectual giants compared to those now known as American conservatives. > > I suspect the distinction at least in part derives from the Canadian ideal of “Peace, Order and Good Government”, while the Americans, since at least as far back as Reagan’s 1981 “Government _is_ the problem” inaugural speech, have been sold the idea that government is something to be feared, mistrusted and opposed. The NRA may be evil, but you have to give them credit, they’ve done a terrific job of being evil. Fifty ago the idea that the Second Amendment meant anyone could stockpile any number of guns without any sort of restriction was regarded as a lunatic fringe theory, on par with sovereign citizens. In almost two centuries of Constitutional history, effectively no one had ever interpreted the Second Amendment that way - not conservatives, not liberals, not the Supreme Court. A handful of nuts. The “my guns are the most important element of freedom” thing so prevalent today simply did not exist until approximately 40 years ago and wasn’t really a strong thing even then. The NRA and Republican Party have managed to completely alter the dialogue on this and create in the minds of the citizenry - and install on the bench - the concept of absolute gun rights. This is a new thing in the United States, not a historical phenomenon, and is reaching heights of absurdity. One is reminded of the apocryphal story of the boiled frog. People - million of people - are actually, honestly saying that schoolteachers should carry guns. This is utterly bone stupid to the point of absolute insanity, obviously, but it’s not something you could have done without decades of gun obswession being sold to the populace. If there had been a rash of school shootings in 1964 and an America said “Let’s have teachers pack heat” everyone would have thought that person was insane. 100 Senators, 50 Governors and 435 Representatives, all Democrats and Republicans, would have found such a proposition ludicrous. The NRA would have laughed at such an imbecilic idea. But after four decades of the new NRA pushing gun obsession, here we are. It’s probably going to happen, and more people will die as a result. No lobby group has changed American political life more. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16978 "2018-02-22T14:33:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The NRA may be evil, but you have to give them credit, they’ve done a terrific job of being evil. > > Fifty ago the idea that the Second Amendment meant anyone could stockpile any number of guns without any sort of restriction was regarded as a lunatic fringe theory, on par with sovereign citizens. In almost two centuries of Constitutional history, effectively no one had ever interpreted the Second Amendment that way - not conservatives, not liberals, not the Supreme Court. A handful of nuts. The “my guns are the most important element of freedom” thing so prevalent today simply did not exist until approximately 40 years ago and wasn’t really a strong thing even then. A slight hijack to say that this latest atrocity moved me to do something I’ve never done in my long adult life: write to my Congressperson. And I told her that somebody needs to stand up in Congress and say the unthinkable: repeal the 2nd Amendment. And she’s the right one to do it (probably the most liberal member of the House in a very safe seat.) ---
**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 22, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16979 "2018-02-22T14:51:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > No lobby group has changed American political life more. I tried to think of a rival and the WCTU came to mind - perhaps in some ways it was more remarkable since for most of its history, most of its membership couldn’t vote. Their big success, prohibition, was fairly brief, though, while the NRA-driven Wild-Westification of America continues. The only immediate hope for lasting change I can currently see is if the kids can maintain their outrage through November 2018 and November 2020, and the 18-29 cohort goes from the bloc least likely to vote to become one of the most likely to vote. If turnout in the upcoming midterms follow the usual pattern, the NRA will have won for another decade at least. Longer-term, maybe the financial support of the NRA (i.e. the gun manufacturers) is weakened when home 3D printing allows people to make as many guns as they want. Of course, by then, notions of gun control could be moot. I’m a little concerned about what effect this might have on Canada, but I have reasonable confidence that by and large my fellow citizens don’t _want_ to stockpile guns, nor do they view guns as necessary tools of freedom (a lie frequently told to Americans). We already have guns and can get more guns, but the artificially stimulated demand just isn’t here. > [@](#): > > If there had been a rash of school shootings in 1964 and an America said “Let’s have teachers pack heat” everyone would have thought that person was insane. I have to admit, when I picture a school shooting in the U.S. in 1964, what comes to mind is someone shooting at Negroes who were trying to integrate, and the response isn’t to arm teachers, but to send in the National Guard. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16980 "2018-02-22T15:07:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If there had been a rash of school shootings in 1964 and an America said “Let’s have teachers pack heat” everyone would have thought that person was insane. Seen on my Facebook feed: “Ronald Reagan was surrounded by Secret Service agents when he was shot. I guess they just needed a few armed math teachers.” ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16981 "2018-02-22T15:37:20Z")
I’m in a restaurant, just saw a news crawl on TV screen that said an NRA official is blaming gun-free zones for school shootings. Right. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16982 "2018-02-22T15:48:34Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m in a restaurant, just saw a news crawl on TV screen that said an NRA official is blaming gun-free zones for school shootings. Right. That’s nothing new. The premise is that shooters choose a target that is known to be gunfree. Which probably has some validity. Doesn’t mean the answer is to arm people who can’t shoot. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16983 "2018-02-22T15:54:52Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Seen on my Facebook feed: “Ronald Reagan was surrounded by Secret Service agents when he was shot. I guess they just needed a few armed math teachers.” That’s cute. All I see now are lists of notorious shooters and the claim that each was a Democrat [sort of like Snopes covers here.](https://www.snopes.com/democrat-shooters-list/) So we get: More guns are the answer, the outraged kids are actors, they could have been killed with a knife, mass killers are always Democrats, the victims should have fought better… and so on every single time. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16984 "2018-02-22T15:55:18Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Seen on my Facebook feed: “Ronald Reagan was surrounded by Secret Service agents when he was shot. I guess they just needed a few armed math teachers.” The mention of Reagan reminds me of a bit of [interesting history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulford_Act) that raises a fascination question: If some prominent Black Lives Matter spokesperson were to suggest that his followers arm themselves for self-defense against police abuse, which right-wing pundit would produce the largest cranial blast radius? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=848) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=850)