# Things you didn't see coming about Trump administration **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882 "2019-04-01T19:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/1 "2019-04-01T19:53:00Z")
So my wife and I were lamenting the latest newscast the other day and generally griping about the political state of the country- specifically shenanigans on the part of Cabinet officials like Barr, DeVos and Pompeo. Something struck me - I turned to her and said “How weird is it that Rick Perry has turned out to be one of the more low-key and competent Trump cabinet officials?” It just struck me as nearly surreal, after 14 years of Perry as Texas Governor, and all that entailed, as well as his abominable attempts to be President, that somehow, he’s turned out to not be an absolute trainwreck like so many of his Cabinet colleagues. Anyone got any other oddities like this? ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/2 "2019-04-01T20:16:36Z")
Everything’s relative. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/3 "2019-04-01T20:27:34Z")
I’m surprised that Trump still seems to be enjoying the job. I would have thought that the grueling nature of the presidency, with all these policy wonks and having to be told or cajoled into this or that, and stress, would have made him miserable after half a year. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/4 "2019-04-01T20:37:41Z")
That he (and the Republicans) would be as incredibly incompetent as they have been. I expected them to be evil; I didn’t expect them to self-sabotage themselves so much. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/5 "2019-04-01T21:22:05Z")
I agree it’s the degree of ineptitude shown by Trump and his minions. I thought that Trump might actually appoint people who were capable of carrying out an agenda. While things have been pretty bad, they could have been infinitely worse if someone as smart of Richard Nixon had his hands on the levers of power. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/6 "2019-04-01T22:23:45Z")
The constant grade school name calling. I hadn’t imagines it would be 1) a daily occurrence, and 2) so accepted. > [@Velocity](#): > > I’m surprised that Trump still seems to be enjoying the job. I would have thought that the grueling nature of the presidency, with all these policy wonks and having to be told or cajoled into this or that, and stress, would have made him miserable after half a year. Well, that’s because he isn’t actually doing all that much. How many hours a day are “executive time”? 10? Hard to get stressed out if you’re not actually doing anything. Which is why we still have position unfilled after two years. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/7 "2019-04-01T22:35:14Z")
I expected him to be more compentent at assembling a WH staff and running the executive branch. Managerial skills don’t necessarily translate to political skills but I’m very surprised Trump has neither skill. At some point, his business would have been small enough that he had to actually run it. I have no idea how he kept from running it into the ground. I can only guess Ivana did much of the hands on work. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/8 "2019-04-01T22:49:13Z")
I thought he would’ve damaged the economy due to his ineptitude. But so far, things are doing well on paper. Also I’m surprised how much blatant corruption there has been. I thought they would hide it. I’m also confused by how no matter how incompetent Trump is, it never costs him anything. I thought his base would demand someone more competent. But even when he screws up or talks about taking away guns, they still love him. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/9 "2019-04-01T23:01:41Z")
That anyone or anything could make GWB seem competent by comparison, and even likeable. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/10 "2019-04-02T01:13:17Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I thought he would’ve damaged the economy due to his ineptitude. But so far, things are doing well on paper. > > Also I’m surprised how much blatant corruption there has been. I thought they would hide it. > > I’m also confused by how no matter how incompetent Trump is, it never costs him anything. I thought his base would demand someone more competent. But even when he screws up or talks about taking away guns, they still love him. The more outrageous he gets, the more his core base WORSHIPS him. Jesus wept. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/11 "2019-04-02T01:21:13Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Something struck me - I turned to her and said “How weird is it that Rick Perry has turned out to be one of the more low-key and competent Trump cabinet officials?” > > It just struck me as nearly surreal, after 14 years of Perry as Texas Governor, and all that entailed, as well as his abominable attempts to be President, that somehow, he’s turned out to not be an absolute trainwreck like so many of his Cabinet colleagues. It’s possible that he’s simply a quiet trainwreck. After all, how often does the Department of Energy enter into the national attention at all? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/12 "2019-04-02T02:10:26Z")
I honestly thought his supporters would have an upper limit to what they would be willing to tolerate when it comes to his antics. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/13 "2019-04-02T02:20:11Z")
Betsy DeVos ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/14 "2019-04-02T02:54:50Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > It’s possible that he’s simply a quiet trainwreck. After all, how often does the Department of Energy enter into the national attention at all? Doesn’t really look like it so far. I mean, he’s had a minor (by comparison) kerfuffle about bringing his wife to Europe with TX campaign funds (not Federal money) when he was there for a conference, which is apparently entirely legal, if weird. Otherwise, he seems to be avoiding controversy and doing his damnedest to actually do a good job. [https://www.star-telegram.com/latest-news/article224607935.html](https://www.star-telegram.com/latest-news/article224607935.html) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/15 "2019-04-02T04:37:47Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I honestly thought his supporters would have an upper limit to what they would be willing to tolerate when it comes to his antics. The more antics he pulls, the more admired he is. I don’t get it either. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/16 "2019-04-02T07:42:11Z")
He’s certainly not a “Worst Case Scenario” President yet despite all the claims that this is “The Worst Timeline”. The predictions I saw of a McCain Presidency or Romney Presidency were somehow more dire. Outright war with Russia for the former and complete abolition of Roe Vs Wade with the latter. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/17 "2019-04-02T10:20:53Z")
I didn’t expect the administration to be so blatantly evil. Like, sure, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld are evil, but at least they know how to style their hair so you don’t see their horns (so to speak). Stephen Miller is straight-up Gargamel. It could come out that the guy has been keeping Central American migrants captive in his basement to run experiments on them, and it wouldn’t shock me one bit. If it did come out that he is an actual psychopath (instead of just an apparent one), the Republican talking point wouldn’t be “FAKE NEWS”. “FAKE NEWS” is soooo 2018. No, the talking point would be “Well, if Central American migrants don’t want to be subjected to experiments, they should stop coming into the country illegally. Stephen Miller is simply a patriot who is acting out like any patriot would. MAGA!” The degradation of our collective morality is what I didn’t see coming. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/18 "2019-04-02T11:08:49Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Stephen Miller is straight-up Gargamel. It could come out that the guy has been keeping Central American migrants captive in his basement to run experiments on them, and it wouldn’t shock me one bit. > > . The sad thing is Trump’s base upon hearing that would push for a Trump/Miller ticket in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2019, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/19 "2019-04-02T11:18:19Z")
> [@bump](#): > > So my wife and I were lamenting the latest newscast the other day and generally griping about the political state of the country- specifically shenanigans on the part of Cabinet officials like Barr, DeVos and Pompeo. > > Something struck me - I turned to her and said “How weird is it that Rick Perry has turned out to be one of the more low-key and competent Trump cabinet officials?” > > It just struck me as nearly surreal, after 14 years of Perry as Texas Governor, and all that entailed, as well as his abominable attempts to be President, that somehow, he’s turned out to not be an absolute trainwreck like so many of his Cabinet colleagues. > > Anyone got any other oddities like this? The factthat he builds atom bombs for the Feds, & is quiet, is nothing to celebrate. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2019, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882/20 "2019-04-02T11:28:25Z")
> [@bump](#): > > So my wife and I were lamenting the latest newscast the other day and generally griping about the political state of the country- specifically shenanigans on the part of Cabinet officials like Barr, DeVos and Pompeo. > > \*\*Something struck me - I turned to her and said “How weird is it that Rick Perry has turned out to be one of the more low-key and competent Trump cabinet officials?” \*\* > > It just struck me as nearly surreal, after 14 years of Perry as Texas Governor, and all that entailed, as well as his abominable attempts to be President, that somehow, he’s turned out to not be an absolute trainwreck like so many of his Cabinet colleagues. > > Anyone got any other oddities like this? Let’s not forget he wanted to eliminate the Dept. of Energy because he knew **NOTHING** about what the agency did. He probably got the job because the Howling Yam didn’t know either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-didnt-see-coming-about-trump-administration/831882.md?page=2)