2019 Politics- Life in Trump World

[Lupine]

Another turbulent year for us to dissect.

[Orpheus]

When I saw "Trump World" I thought of that old Jackson Browne song:

"...and I hear the USSR will be open soon,
as a vacation park for
lawyers in love."

[RJDiogenes]

Only in Trump World it's the other way around.

[Gary]

Trump vs. Pelosi: The standoff that will define Washington begins today

I've never cared much for Nancy Pelosi but do respect her abilities as a fund raising juggernaut for the Democrats. Meanwhile, I have come to respect how she's been playing President Trump like a well tuned fiddle.

And the lies keep coming: Trump falsely claims Mexico is paying for wall, demands taxpayer money for wall in meeting with Democrats

Here's the odd part about this shutdown -- the MMAC has a vast majority of operations shut down; however, in the area where I worked the contractors are working but the Feds are furloughed.

[Gary]

[RJDiogenes]

^^

Here's the odd part about this shutdown -- the MMAC has a vast majority of operations shut down; however, in the area where I worked the contractors are working but the Feds are furloughed.

Do the president and congress get docked when there's a shutdown? I'm willing to bet not. There should be legislation that the president and congress, as well as all their support staff, do not get paid during a shutdown and can never recover those lost funds.

[Gary]

^^

Here's the odd part about this shutdown -- the MMAC has a vast majority of operations shut down; however, in the area where I worked the contractors are working but the Feds are furloughed.

Do the president and congress get docked when there's a shutdown? I'm willing to bet not. There should be legislation that the president and congress, as well as all their support staff, do not get paid during a shutdown and can never recover those lost funds.

Everyone still gets paid, although some members of Congress are donating their salaries during the shutdown. The problem is that this is not a shutdown, per se, but rather Trump's refusal to sign legislation which will fund a select few agencies for either a few weeks or months. He's decided holding them hostage for his "big, beautiful, wall" is worthwhile. Fortunately, he is losing more leverage with each passing hour.

Meanwhile: Trump tells Democrats shutdown could last for months, years as talks fail to yield deal

I love this nugget I found in the comments.

Let me sum up trumps negotiating skills:
1. Brag self up to epic proportions.
2. Bullyboy his demands. Insult the other party.
3. Whine about how unfair it is when he doesn't get his way. Twitter rant.
4. fold arms, pout.
5. attempt bullyboy demands again.
6. whine when he doesn't get his way. twitter rants with insults and pity party for self.
7. fold arms, pout.
8. repeat.
9. find new thing to distract base, so they forget he lost.

[RJDiogenes]

It's amazing. He's failed at pretty much everything he's ever done. His only success was as a reality TV star.

[Lupine]

It's even more amazing that so many are so fanatically devoted to him.

[Gary]

A friend of mine works at the MMAC and is a FTE. He's upset and frustrated at not knowing if he'll be paid this cycle as he's been caught up in the shutdown. I feel like laughing at him, because he sent me a text last week stating, "Pocahontas is running for president", and I called him out for idiotic name calling. He's also the one who referred to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as "a libtard". Years ago, he proclaimed President Obama's "rampant, ridiculous spending" to be "unsustainable". Meanwhile, the federal deficit has exploded under President Trump, but nary a peep. Oh well. You broke it, you deal with it.

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Hypocrisy is intrinsic to politics.

It's even more amazing that so many are so fanatically devoted to him.

I don't think there are really that many. The ones that are are just noisy and orchestrated.

[Orpheus]

I dunno. Even if the approval polls are heavily skewed, he does seem to have a sizeable plurality who approve of him.

Meanwhile, though I know we have an election coming next year, I'm thinking of organizing a small escape from the Trump-verse to the Wakanda-verse.

I realize this may mark me as a traitor, but available evidence suggests that I must be on the tail end of a trend that began years ago, perhaps before the 2016 election.

[Lupine]

It's even more amazing that so many are so fanatically devoted to him.

I don't think there are really that many. The ones that are are just noisy and orchestrated.

I dunno. Even if the approval polls are heavily skewed, he does seem to have a sizeable plurality who approve of him.

At least one website is putting his approval at 41.4%. While that's not a majority by any stretch it's still a large number of people who somehow think he's doing a good job.

[RJDiogenes]

Yeah, but how many of those are going to approve of a Republican president by default, just because he's not a Democrat?

[Gary]

GOP Strategist Calls Ocasio-Cortez ‘The Little Girl.’ She Lets Him Have It.

She has a lot of energy and (IMHO) many good ideas; however, she needs to exert some self control and learn how the political process works; otherwise, she'll find herself marginalized and then out of office in two years.

Meanwhile: Trump: 'I don’t care' that most federal employees working without pay 'are Democrats'

The quicker this Presidency crumbles, the better off we'll all be.

If anyone's interested, Robert Reich has a YouTube channel. I watch his presentations whenever I can and shake my head in remembrance when I used to listen to Rush Limbaugh and how he'd rail against anything Mr. Reich advocated.

[Lupine]

GOP Strategist Calls Ocasio-Cortez ‘The Little Girl.’ She Lets Him Have It.

She has a lot of energy and (IMHO) many good ideas; however, she needs to exert some self control and learn how the political process works; otherwise, she'll find herself marginalized and then out of office in two years.

Agreed. She's a novelty right now and the irrational hatred the Republicans have for her will keep her in the news, but she is gaining enemies among the Democratic ranks.

[RJDiogenes]

Several of the new electees have been mouthing off. Like I said, if there's any possible way to get The Donald re-elected, the Democrats will figure it out.

[Lupine]

^Sad but true.

[Gary]

Trump Was Never a Great Dealmaker. The Shutdown Proves It

[Lupine]

[RJDiogenes]

Looks like it's gonna be just another brick in the wall.

[Gary]

I'd laugh if it weren't such a distinct possibility.

RNC won't take further steps to protect Trump from primary challenge

This could be interesting depending on how 2019 progresses.........

[Lupine]

So Trump's speech was an exercise in pointlessness. He could basically be replaced with an AI at this point.

[RJDiogenes]

^^ In his case it would have to be Artificial Stupidity.

RNC won't take further steps to protect Trump from primary challenge

They want to rig the system to favor the incumbent. Yeah, that's fair.

[Lupine]

And now Trump apparently stormed out of today's meeting.