# What do you expect to be the first "REALLY BAD NEWS" from the Trump administration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 16, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054 "2025-01-16T20:06:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/101 "2025-01-18T15:24:48Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Thomas Homan “ **has proposed a hotline for people to report neighbors they suspect are living in the country illegally** Clog it up with nuisance accusations — GOP member’s nannies, etc ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/102 "2025-01-18T15:41:59Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > It took seven years under Nazi Germany to go from just arresting political opponents and communists to bulk rounding up of Jews, Roma, homosexuals, et cetera and sending them to death camps, and that was starting from a place of often violent prejudice against those groups and extreme and vocal resentment for having lost the First World War because of supposed domestic sabotage. We’re not there by a long shot, and I hope to hell that there are enough people who recognize that path and resist going down it. Trump may be the chief executive come 20 January, but he is not an absolute ruler even if he and his devotees think he should be, and federal employees—many of whom dislike politics and the interference with doing their duties—aren’t going to fall over themselves to follow illegal orders even if they come from the top. > > Stranger Also bear in mind that roughly 50% of the populace did NOT elect this regime and has quite some capacity to slow-walk and throw some other aministr. wrenches into the autoritarian machine (as civil servants, etc…). I do agree, however, that There is a closing Window of opportunity for these actions and pressure might build where it really takes a “heart and toll” to do those actions (e.g. White rose). > **[White Rose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rose)** > > The White Rose (German: Weiße Rose, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}pronounced \[ˈvaɪsə ˈʁoːzə\] ⓘ) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students and one professor at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl... ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/103 "2025-01-18T15:51:21Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > When the logistics for moving so many people gets in the way I expect they’ll transition to “shoot brown people on sight” instead. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > _sigh_ Who is it that you imagine is going to be gunning down “brown people on sight”? The military, which is substantially composed of “brown people”? Federal agents, most of whom are decent people doing a job, and don’t want to be sent to prison for committing what would clearly be murder? @Stranger_On_A_Train, while you make great points and I’m generally more in agreement with your position, there is a certain perspective about systemic racism that already makes Black and Brown lives at higher risk of death from authorities. Then you have yahoos like that Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who see Brown and ~~assume~~ decide illegal. O know Arpaio is currently not a Sheriff, but there’s no shortage of jumped up thugs waiting for the excuse to run wild. Still, there’s a long way from violating civil rights to shooting on sight. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > (purging the military of non-whites is on the agenda, I’m sure). This administration is openly anti-DEI, and Hegseth has been given a mandate to clean house. Going after women and gays is certainly on his agenda, it’s not a large leap to think racism is off the table. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/104 "2025-01-18T16:01:09Z")
Panamá also has a perfecly sound weapon to stifle any “agression or intervention” from us-military… Just blow up the canal … (and that could be as easy as 200kg of C4 in the right places and it Will be out of comisión for 6-60 months) - while hell breaks lose in our global económic system - stuff that Will make the covid crisis look like a kid ´s birthday party) Panama w/out the canal is just a small irrelevant country like Costa Rica or Guatemala. … nothing there … move on ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/105 "2025-01-18T16:29:38Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > They’ll grab anyone who looks “illegal” Yes, I’ve been shaking my head at those with undesireable surnames or shades of pigmentation who assume their birth certificates or ITINs will protect them. There isn’t going to be time or inclination for such niceties. You get shoved on the bus, take up your complaint with the Mexican border police. Useful quotes to remember: “I don’t need to see no stinkin’ badges.” “Kill them all, God will know his own.” ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/106 "2025-01-18T16:40:58Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > who is going to be picking produce, processing meat, doing much of the basic unskilled and semi-skilled construction jobs, taking care of the elderly in care facilities, et cetera, The MAGA government can enable the oligarchs to follow the example of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc and import foreign labor, confiscate their passports and keep them in slavery. ([Human Trafficking in the Middle East - The Exodus Road](https://theexodusroad.com/human-trafficking-middle-east/)) The immigrants will be pretty much isolated and if the citizenry can’t see them, they don’t exist, right? Elon Musk is already making noises about replacing US tech workers with H-1B imports who won’t be so uppity about wages and working conditions. ([Bannon vs Musk: How Trump’s U-turn on H-1B visas has split MAGA | Donald Trump News | Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/1/16/bannon-vs-musk-how-trumps-u-turn-on-h-1b-visas-has-split-maga)) ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/107 "2025-01-18T19:23:50Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > :snip: > What we’re going to see is some flashy-looking PR stunts that will impress the rubes but fall far far short of anything Trump has promised, just like he’s been doing his entire life. I will agree the announced raids in Chicago for this next week are likely intended to be flashy PR stunts to impress the MAGAts and to scare people. At the same time they are likely to have harsh consequences for some migrants, legal or illegal, and possibly some citizens who could get caught up in the raids. The choice of Chicago is clearly an attempt to antagonize Gov. Pritzker (who Trump hates) and Mayor Johnson. They have both issued statements reiterating that CPD officers are prohibited from assisting ICE in any way and that Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago Park District and Community Colleges of Chicago have all been directed not to allow ICE access into any of its buildings. At least one alderman, Michael Rodriguez, has said activists will be sending observers to record any raids as they find out about them. Tom Homan, Trump’s evil border czar, has said this will continue for a week. I am concerned this could result in violence by some of the more radical activists. I suspect this may be what Homan, Miller and their ilk are hoping for so they can get DJT to invoke the Insurrection Act in Chicago. Whether it gets to this point is unlikely but possible in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/108 "2025-01-18T20:10:11Z")
I wonder if instead of a historically significant Bible he will use one of his “God Bless the USA” ™ $69.99 editions. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/109 "2025-01-18T21:10:54Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why does the Speaker get to decide about the flags? He’s the leader of one of two equal chambers. Does the Senate have no say? I don’t think he can. The Executive Order from President Biden, which is in effect until possibly revoked by President Trump once he is in office, reads in part: _“I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in honor and tribute to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr., and as an expression of public sorrow, do hereby direct that the flag of the United States be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for a period of 30 days from the day of his death.”_ I don’t think the Speaker has the authority to ignore it. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/110 "2025-01-18T21:59:03Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > The only bright side of all this is that when the underground economy collapses Government will have to come up with another way to get brown people back to do the work that no American is willing to do, which means a lot more work visas, whether temporary or permanent. Or forced labor. I recall that one of the first things I [heard about](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/08/us/video/viral-racist-texts-anonymous-reaction-digvid) from the Right after the elections was various versions of “put the blacks back on the plantations”. These are people who think that slavery was a _good_ thing, keep in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/111 "2025-01-19T00:22:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I wonder if instead of a historically significant Bible he will use one of his “God Bless the USA” ™ $69.99 editions. And then put it up for auction. Imagine what it will fetch. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/112 "2025-01-19T00:33:32Z")
I think we just got the first really bad news even before the inauguration. Trump just launched a cryptocurrency, which is probably like 30% scam on his supporters and 70% a way to launder money to Trump as a way to buy US policy. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/113 "2025-01-19T00:51:07Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Trump just launched a cryptocurrency, which is probably like 30% scam on his supporters and 70% a way to launder money to Trump as a way to buy US policy. [_Politico_: “Trump launches crypto meme coin, ballooning net worth ahead of inauguration”](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/18/trump-crypto-meme-coin-inauguration-00199157) This is what you would get if you asked ChatGPT to give you a David Mamet-esque script titled _House of Morons_. Stranger ---
**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:** [January 19, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/114 "2025-01-19T02:21:06Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > > [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > > > I really hope I’m exaggerating. > > I think you are, although you may be excused for based upon the rhetoric you hear from Stephen Miller et al. I very much hope that you are correct in your detailed explanation. I would much prefer to be wrong about this. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2025, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/115 "2025-01-19T02:26:38Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Canada has the ability to cut off power to New England, Jeez, don’t even suggest that, New England is mostly blue and Trump would love to stick it to us. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/116 "2025-01-19T02:36:31Z")
And they’ll turn even more blue if Canada cuts off the power. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2025, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/117 "2025-01-19T02:38:00Z")
I’d get a chuckle out of that if I weren’t a New Englander. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/118 "2025-01-19T02:42:22Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I very much hope that you are correct in your detailed explanation. I would much prefer to be wrong about this. Yeah, me too. But I’ll admit that it is possible I am being overly optimistic (which is not my typical position) and that worse things will pass than we have seen since the post-Reconstruction mass lynchings and ‘removal’ of Native Americans to reservations. That seems too far of a leap for the first week, but then eight and change years ago I didn’t seriously think that a failed casino magnate and reality TV host would win the presidency and be given nearly free reign to be a blundering racist asshole while Congress mostly stood around and whistled Dixie. I do think they will do plenty of harm as it is; I just don’t think it is going to be as easy to scoop up hundreds of thousands of suspected immigrants and deport them as Trump, Miller, et al imagine, or that they will see as much compliance to following illegal orders (if issued) as some believe. But a lot of people are going to be hurt, and basic principles of civil governance and democratic norms will almost certainly be eroded. If Trump effectively declares a national emergency and deploys the military against a “domestic insurrection”, that will be a bad enough precedent that people (and doubtless the media) will come to regard as normalized and thus easier to do the next time. Stranger ---
**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:** [January 19, 2025, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/119 "2025-01-19T04:22:14Z")
Now you’ve gone and depressed me all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054/120 "2025-01-19T04:25:14Z")
Join the club. I recommend Irish whiskey or whatever libation eases your anxiety if but temporarily. Stranger [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-expect-to-be-the-first-really-bad-news-from-the-trump-administration/1013054.md?page=7)