# 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:** 869
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17365 "2018-03-02T19:52:02Z")
So when does it go down? When do Mike (Pence) and the Mechanics (cabinet) bring in a fake doctor to declare Trump mentally unfit for office and invoke the 25th? Wouldn’t matter, I guess, as it still requires congressional approval and Putin’s got his right hand so far up the GOP’s ass he controls the movement of their lips. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17366 "2018-03-02T19:55:06Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > “A Strange Game. The only winning move is not to play.” > > Is he\* trying\* to tank the economy? Dow’s down another 150 points after a 400 point loss yesterday. I gotta admit, the evil angel on my one shoulder would love it if the idiot farmers and small shopkeepers in flyover country got fucked so badly by Trump’s trade war that it put them into bankruptcy. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17367 "2018-03-02T20:00:48Z")
Carl Icahn dumped millions of dollars worth of steel stocks last week. > **[Trump confidant dumped millions in steel-related stock last week](https://thinkprogress.org/trump-ichan-steel-imports-cf7deb8beaf0/)** > > Carl Icahn has impeccable timing. Just sayin’. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17368 "2018-03-02T20:22:00Z")
EU threatens retaliatory tariffs on Harleys, bourbon, and American blue jeans if Trump’s tariffs go into affect. > **[E.U. Leader Threatens to Retaliate With Tariffs on Bourbon and Bluejeans...](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/business/europe-steel-tariffs-trump.html?referer=https:%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2F)** > > Government and industry officials around the world warned of an escalating trade war, but President Trump doubled down on his vow, tweeting, “Trade wars are good, and easy to win.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17369 "2018-03-02T20:31:47Z")
Ha! Joke’s on them, all that shit is made in China. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17370 "2018-03-02T20:34:46Z")
And I suspect this is where many of the plutocratic Republicans (the ones not actually in Congress) may get off the Trump train. Maybe not all at once, but it may start happening. They’ve been holding their noses and smiling politely because he’s largely kept things in the economy stable and even passed a very nice tax break for them. But now his stink is starting to get on them in the form of unstable markets, and potential loss of revenue. He’s been the unsavory guest at the party who, heretofore, has merely been passing the occasional gas or telling an off-color story or twelve. But if he starts dropping deuces onto the dinner plates, it may be time to call security. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17371 "2018-03-02T20:54:04Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And I suspect this is where many of the plutocratic Republicans (the ones not actually in Congress) may get off the Trump train. Maybe not all at once, but it may start happening. They’ve been holding their noses and smiling politely because he’s largely kept things in the economy stable and even passed a very nice tax break for them. But now his stink is starting to get on them in the form of unstable markets, and potential loss of revenue. He’s been the unsavory guest at the party who, heretofore, has merely been passing the occasional gas or telling an off-color story or twelve. But if he starts dropping deuces onto the dinner plates, it may be time to call security. I hope you’re right, but I’m afraid the security company has assigned Godot to this detail. For over two years now, I’ve been fruitlessly hoping the Republicans in Congress would turn on Trump in sufficient quantity and with sufficient vigor to actually _do_ something. Maybe Godot will show up this time, but if not today then surely he will tomorrow. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17372 "2018-03-02T21:05:00Z")
One of our Members sent an email to its customers that due to Loser Donnie’s tariffs, the price of their products will increase. They said that both the size and frequency of the price increases will likely accelerate. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17373 "2018-03-02T21:10:37Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Carl Icahn dumped millions of dollars worth of steel stocks last week. > [Trump confidant dumped millions in steel-related stock last week – ThinkProgress](https://thinkprogress.org/trump-ichan-steel-imports-cf7deb8beaf0/) > > Just sayin’. What an amazing “coincidence”. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17374 "2018-03-02T21:12:23Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I gotta admit, the evil angel on my one shoulder would love it if the idiot farmers and small shopkeepers in flyover country got fucked so badly by Trump’s trade war that it put them into bankruptcy. They’re his people, his base, his Deplorables. At this point, they DESERVE it. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17375 "2018-03-02T21:37:10Z")
Wall Street Journal calls out the steel tariff as the worst mistake of Trump’s administration. > **[Trump’s Tariff Folly](https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-tariff-folly-1519950205?mod=e2two)** > > His tax on aluminum and steel will hurt the economy and his voters. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17376 "2018-03-02T22:01:28Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I recall a lot of talk early on in the Trump administration about the possibility of Trump lighting up some nukes in a fit of pique. Then for a while, things seemed to quiet down, and at least to me it kinda looked like the country was running itself, however badly, without Trump really having much impact. And now I’m back to worrying about nuclear Armageddon if Trump doesn’t get two scoops of ice cream on his next visit to a foreign country. Same here. _shudder_ ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17377 "2018-03-02T22:05:01Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Wall Street Journal calls out the steel tariff as the worst mistake of Trump’s administration. > [https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-tariff-folly-1519950205?mod=e2two](https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-tariff-folly-1519950205?mod=e2two) So far… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17378 "2018-03-02T22:07:54Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And I suspect this is where many of the plutocratic Republicans (the ones not actually in Congress) may get off the Trump train. Maybe not all at once, but it may start happening. They’ve been holding their noses and smiling politely because he’s largely kept things in the economy stable and even passed a very nice tax break for them. But now his stink is starting to get on them in the form of unstable markets, and potential loss of revenue. He’s been the unsavory guest at the party who, heretofore, has merely been passing the occasional gas or telling an off-color story or twelve. But if he starts dropping deuces onto the dinner plates, it may be time to call security. I suspect that this is when Trump is going to discover who’s the muppet in this relationship and who’s the hand. The Republican majority in Congress have been happy to let Trump spout nonsense while they quietly enact their real agenda for their donors. But once Trump tries to do something that the Republican special interests don’t approve of, he’s going to find out how little power he has to act on his own. Trump needs Congress a lot more than Congress needs Trump. My speculation is this tariff will go nowhere. Congress can revise the laws that allow a President to impose tariffs by claiming a national security issue. Trump will back down and pretend he never said anything. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17379 "2018-03-02T22:10:58Z")
How does the President have this power. Seems like this should be Congress’s job. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17380 "2018-03-02T23:06:10Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > One of our Members sent an email to its customers that due to Loser Donnie’s tariffs, the price of their products will increase. They said that both the size and frequency of the price increases will likely accelerate. This. This is the problem with getting into trade wars (well, one of many): they’re unpredictable. I’d rather have rising energy prices and similar cost-push inflation than a trade war. Free trade is a sign that companies are largely operating in a climate of trust, with agreed-upon rules that all sides generally respect and with procedures to resolve disputes. They’re how people buy and sell goods across borders during times of economic and political stability. They engender cooperation. Trade wars signal the opposite: a climate of discord and distrust. They’re what people do when there’s increased skepticism and they represent a political platform that advocates competition over cooperation. They can lead to bitter feelings that lead to more dramatic forms economic and political retaliation. This is not the first time we’ve had economic globalization. It existed in the late 1800 and early 1900s. It ended with Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination. And it ended for good when a young Austrian became Chancellor of Germany not 20 years later. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17381 "2018-03-02T23:57:54Z")
Surely [this nomination](https://apnews.com/cf2a6a09bfe3455cb40bc5ed858345ae/Trump-picks-Dow-Chemical-lawyer-for-key-role-at-EPA) can’t have a negatives, right? > [@](#): > > The White House announced that Trump has nominated Peter C. Wright to serve as EPA’s assistant administrator for Land and Emergency Management. Wright has worked as a corporate lawyer at Dow Chemical Co. since 1999. “Fox, this is the hen house. Hens, this is your new chief of security.” :rolleyes: The AP story even notes: > [@](#): > > Despite Trump’s campaign pledges to “drain the swamp” in Washington, Wright’s nomination is the latest example of the president appointing corporate lawyers or lobbyists to supervise federal offices that directly regulate their former employers. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17382 "2018-03-03T00:04:35Z")
Also, why does [this story](https://apnews.com/0fc0013326ef4d2492b9db868992f5ac/APNewsBreak:-Questions-surround-Trump's-1st-wall-contract) feel familiar? > [@](#): > > A tiny Nebraska startup awarded the first border wall construction project under President Donald Trump is the offshoot of a construction firm that was sued repeatedly for failing to pay subcontractors and accused in a 2016 government audit of shady billing practices. > > SWF Constructors, which lists just one employee in its Omaha office, won the $11 million federal contract in November as part of a project to replace a little more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of a current fence with post-style barriers 30 feet (9.1 meters) high in Calexico, California. The project represents a sliver of the president’s plan that was central to his presidential campaign promise for a wall at the border with Mexico. > > It remains unclear why SWF was listed on the bid for the wall contract instead of Edgewood, New York-based Coastal Environmental Group, which online government documents list as its owner. The rather lengthy article describes many incidents of shady business dealings by Coastal, going back several years. Oh, and there was this: > [@](#): > > Coastal’s new Omaha company, SWF, is not registered with either the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office or the Nebraska Department of Labor, which is required for any company doing business within the state. Labor department officials are investigating whether SWF violated state registration requirements. And this: > [@](#): > > Richard Silva, who is listed in government documents as the primary contact for both SWF and Coastal, did not return numerous phone and email messages left by The Associated Press seeking comment. Messages left with a general voicemail box for Coastal also were not returned. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17383 "2018-03-03T00:28:32Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > They’re his people, his base, his Deplorables. You know… morons. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17384 "2018-03-03T00:39:32Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > “We all want safe schools, mental health reform and to keep guns away from dangerous people,” Cox said after the meeting. “POTUS & VPOTUS support the Second Amendment, support strong due process and don’t want gun control.” At this point, what we should all want is to keep armies out of the hands of a dangerous person. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=868) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=870)