# The Trump Administration: The Clusterfuck Continues (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [December 1, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298 "2025-12-01T20:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 466
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9301 "2026-10-06T13:03:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [@atrupar.com on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mx64mioiez22) > > Trump: "For many years, farm vehicles, construction equipment, and other off road vehicles have used what is know as red dye diesel. Do you know what that is? I don’t know what the hell it is! But whatever it is, it’s supposed to be very good. Does… > > I’ll have my word salad with an extra rouseing of refineries I can explain this one. (Which Trump apparently can’t.) There used to be taxes on diesel fuel. Farms and some other businesses were exempt from the tax. (I don’t know if this is still true.) So they were sold diesel fuel with a red dye in it. This was to indicate that this untaxed diesel fuel was only supposed to be used on farms; it couldn’t be resold to other businesses. If an inspector found a commercial truck with red fuel in its tank, they would fine the owner. Despite what Trump said, it wasn’t better than any other diesel fuel. It was literally the same product just with some dye added to change its color. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9302 "2026-10-06T13:06:29Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Y’know, I would have had grudging respect for Trump if he’d seized the opportunity to make a Peter Schickele-style running entrance while shouting _Wait! Wait! Don’t start the rally!_ Running? Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9303 "2026-10-06T13:30:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > . Farms and some other businesses were exempt from the tax. (I don’t know if this is still true.) Yes, it’s still true. Diesel fuel for off-road equipment is not subject to the highway tax, and is marked with the red dye. If you were driving on the highway and got caught with red-dyed diesel in your fuel tank, you would be subject to a heavy fine. ISTM that the fine is 10 bucks per gallon. The highway tax is about 25 cents per gallon. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9304 "2026-10-06T13:40:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’ll have my word salad with an extra rouseing of refineries I give up. What’s _rouseing_? My search results aren’t very informative. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9305 "2026-10-06T14:21:18Z")
Quoting that excerpt of the Trump speech where he garbled something about “Russia rouseing refineries”. Possibly meant to say “losing”? ---
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9306 "2026-10-06T14:28:06Z")
That was my assumption, from context. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9307 "2026-10-06T15:25:01Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Diesel fuel for off-road equipment is not subject to the highway tax, and is marked with the red dye. And this has always been bullshit. Farm equipment does massive damage to county roads and highways. Huge farm equipment with gigantic lugged tires being driven from field to field do immediately noticeable damage to roads. Yet, they don’t contribute money to repair that damage. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9308 "2026-10-06T15:51:38Z")
The government wants farmers to grow food, and they want to keep their expenses down so they don’t pass them on to consumers. It’s not about who owes whom what, it’s what’s deemed best for the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9309 "2026-10-06T15:56:58Z")
Yes, but mostly it is about who has the best and most powerful lobby. Farmers all over the world excel at lobbying. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9310 "2026-10-06T16:00:40Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > > [@Railer13](#): > > > > Diesel fuel for off-road equipment is not subject to the highway tax, and is marked with the red dye. > > And this has always been bullshit. Farm equipment does massive damage to county roads and highways. Huge farm equipment with gigantic lugged tires being driven from field to field do immediately noticeable damage to roads. Yet, they don’t contribute money to repair that damage. Cool. It’s not just farm equipment. Any off-road distillate fuel is dyed red to indicate that they are exempt from federal, state, and local road taxes. This also includes diesel fuel for construction equipment, and home heating oil (which is chemically virtually identical to diesel fuel). ---
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9311 "2026-10-06T16:12:31Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > > “If your state has early voting, do not wait,” Trump said in a video on his Truth Social account on Saturday. “Vote early, vote by mail, or vote in person on Election Day.” “If you are a Republican, do all three!” ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9312 "2026-10-06T16:20:40Z")
> [@robby](#): > > It’s not just farm equipment. Any off-road distillate fuel is dyed red to indicate that they are exempt from federal, state, and local road taxes. The amazing “stopped clock” thing about it is, a lot of people didn’t actually know that. It’s not just Trump hearing about it for the first time and claiming it wasn’t common knowledge. On the other hand, his most earnest supporters include a lot of farmers, and they would naturally already know ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9313 "2026-10-06T16:34:54Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The government wants farmers to grow food, and they want to keep their expenses down so they don’t pass them on to consumers. It’s not about who owes whom what, it’s what’s deemed best for the economy. Still more breaks for farmers, the ultimate “welfare queens”. That also vote for dipshits like Trump and want to see people kicked off “food stamps”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9314 "2026-10-06T18:11:35Z")
Mind you, I like having access to food. I would just like to know the relative benefits to small / family farms vs mega-corporate farming conglomerates. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9315 "2026-10-06T18:23:46Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > the relative benefits to small / family farms vs mega-corporate farming conglomerates. Subsidies are based on acreage. Around these parts (central Kansas) a ‘small’ farm is about 1,000 acres. So if the subsidy is 25 bucks an acre, that farmer receives $25,000.00. A large farm might be 10-20 times that size, and the subsidy is 10-20 times as large. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9316 "2026-10-06T18:50:59Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Subsidies are based on acreage. Around these parts (central Kansas) a ‘small’ farm is about 1,000 acres. So if the subsidy is 25 bucks an acre, that farmer receives $25,000.00. A large farm might be 10-20 times that size, and the subsidy is 10-20 times as large. The acreage of a farm will also vary, depending on what sort of farming is being done. The farms you have in central Kansas are likely grain farms – probably wheat, or corn/soybeans\*. 20+ years ago, when I had the big ag processor ADM as a client, I did a lot of focus groups with grain farmers, and back then, I learned from them that they had to farm at least 1200 acres in order to make enough money to cover their fixed costs (tractor, combine, etc.) That number may well be higher now. Family dairy farms up in my home state of Wisconsin are usually smaller than that: they typically do have fields for growing crops (usually corn and/or alfalfa) to use as feed (including converting it into silage for the winter months), but they usually don’t need nearly as much land as do grain farmers. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9317 "2026-10-06T19:47:50Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The farms you have in central Kansas are likely grain farms – probably wheat, or corn/soybeans\* You are absolutely correct. Wheat and soybeans, with increasing acreages of corn, with new dryland varieties. Very, very few dairies around here anymore, so there’s no need for alfalfa or ensilage crops. I have a childhood friend who’s still farming because he has to pay his wife’s medical bills–she has advanced dementia. His farm is right at 1,000 acres, and his equipment is all at least 20 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9318 "2026-10-06T22:01:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > He knows he’s losing money as fast as he gets it. I hope it’s true; I would love this for him (as the yutes say). ---
**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:** [October 7, 2026, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9319 "2026-10-07T01:36:42Z")
[Tan the Conman is already walking back his “promise” to pay for his political ads instead of using government monies.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-hasnt-committed-repaying-federal-192407260.html) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (AP) — A day after President Donald Trump said he would start paying for [controversial taxpayer-funded ads](https://apnews.com/article/trump-government-ads-taxpayer-funded-psa-propaganda-26ae03010d78221d1d93b06c0818d06d) with a campaign account, there’s no sign he plans to refund the millions of federal dollars already spent on them. > > Nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired, according to AdImpact, as part of the $20 million the Department of Homeland Security [tapped for the contract](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ads-taxpayer-money-homeland-security-b869294503c8454db4109ae175ee9e5c). > > But Trump’s plan to pay for the ads with MAGA Inc. doesn’t mean there’s any reimbursement coming, said a White House official who was not authorized to talk publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. > > Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said the ads were “really good” and “promotion for the country, done by many presidents before.” Asked whether he’d repay the funds already spent, he said, “We’ll decide.” > > Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Trump for not committing to reimbursement and said he believes the president’s plan for covering future costs represents illegal coordination with his super PAC. > > “Trump must return this money to the American people and there must be a full investigation into this gross waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” Schumer told The Associated Press. Please don’t hold your breath on that, Senator. It’s not going to happen until the pubbies are out of Congress and the White House. [Reflecting Sewer case continues.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/olympian-accused-damaging-reflecting-pool-160005001.html) > [@](#): > > Attorneys for Olympic canoeist David Hearn asked the internal watchdogs at the Justice and Interior departments on Tuesday to investigate the circumstances surrounding his arrest, indictment and the dismissal of the case, according to a letter seen by CBS News. > > Hearn’s case garnered national attention, after he was [falsely accused](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-hearn-charged-destruction-of-property-reflecting-pool-vandalism/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17) of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and subsequently [indicted](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/olympian-david-hearn-pleads-not-guilty-reflecting-pool-damage/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17) on a charge of felony destruction of government property. > > Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, later moved to [dismiss](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-dismiss-david-hearn-reflecting-pool-vandalism-charges/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17) the case after she said new information had come to light showing the damage had been caused by a contractor’s “botched installation,” not vandalism. > > “Because of the actions of various DOJ and DOI employees, Mr. Hearn was deprived of his liberty, indicted for a crime he did not commit, threatened with incarceration of up to 10 years, and endured the defaming of his name and reputation by high-ranking government officials,” Hearn’s attorneys wrote in the letter to DOJ Inspector General Don Berthiaume and DOI Inspector General Caryl Brzymialkiewicz. > > Those officials, they pointed out, included Pirro, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and President Trump. > > “The DOJ OIG and the DOI OIG must conduct detailed and comprehensive investigations to determine what happened inside their agencies that led to the shocking and indefensible treatment of Mr. Hearn,” they wrote. “Anything less than a full and fair review would be a betrayal of your mission and perpetuate the outrageous mistreatment of Mr. Hearn.” [Truthspeak dictionary has a new entry.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/white-house-aide-trump-did-142631268.html) > [@](#): > > The White House clarified Donald Trump’s comments at a [Monday night rally](https://apnews.com/article/trump-nebraska-senate-pete-ricketts-106c5ad829c53b71bdf18a501fc6e07f), explaining that the president was not insinuating that he wanted Iran to attack U.S. cities but instead wants to prevent Tehran from having that capability. > > White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said on social media Tuesday that the president’s comments have been misunderstood and misrepresented in a “media freakout” that is “not rooted in reality.” > > Trump was discussing [the Iran war](https://apnews.com/hub/iran) and the resulting [high gas prices](https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-trump-midterms-affordability-iran-war-d2f5d5aa7ecc1f6d55d8f5759db03150) that have become a midterm liability for Republicans during his remarks in Nebraska when he mentioned the possibility of an Iranian attack on U.S. soil. > > “It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” he said of the war and its economic fallout. “They can take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay.” & > [@](#): > > Cheung, in his response Tuesday, said it was obvious that Trump was not calling for such an attack. > > “The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” he said. “He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped. America is safer because of the President.” So _let them destroy those cities_ is, in fact, _I have proactively prevented such attacks_. Orwell is in his grave spinning faster than Superman did to save Lois Lane. [Do you want your community to get federal funds for transit? You better start marrying and popping out babies!](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/bucks-babies-trump-administration-unveils-130000979.html) > [@](#): > > Communities with high birth and marriage rates could soon gain an advantage in securing federal transit money — a long-sought goal of the Trump administration but one that a top Democratic appropriator calls “bizarre and dystopian.” > > The Federal Transit Administration wants to revamp a multibillion-dollar program that helps state and local authorities fund infrastructure projects such as rail improvements and new bus lanes. Public feedback on the administration’s plan, which was rolled out Oct. 1, is being accepted through mid-November. > > The idea would fulfill a priority of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to steer grant money to parts of the country with birth and marriage rates higher than the national average, a policy initiative he unveiled shortly after being sworn into office [early last year](https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2025-02/DOT_2100.7-Ensuring_Reliance_Upon_Sound_Economic_Analysis_in_DOT_Policies.pdf). > > Under [the transit proposal](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/01/2026-20179/notice-of-availability-of-proposed-policy-guidance-for-the-capital-investment-grants-program), the FTA would cover up to 10 percentage points more of a project’s costs if an area’s average birth and marriage rates meet, exceed or are just below nationwide thresholds. ---
**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:** [October 7, 2026, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/9320 "2026-10-07T02:01:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Tan the Conman is already walking back his “promise” to pay for his political ads instead of using government monies. Well, it **is** Tuesday, after all. 🗓 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=465) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=467)