The Trump presidency

[gosub]

I'm sticking to my view that the content, speed, lack of legal review and failure to consult with crucial government departments before enacting the Executive Order were absolutely intended to cause confusion.

How Trump’s Rush to Enact an Immigration Ban Unleashed Global Chaos

WASHINGTON — As President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Friday, shutting the borders to refugees and others from seven largely Muslim countries, the secretary of homeland security was on a White House conference call getting his first full briefing on the global shift in policy.

Gen. John F. Kelly, the secretary of homeland security, had dialed in from a Coast Guard plane as he headed back to Washington from Miami. Along with other top officials, he needed guidance from the White House, which had not asked his department for a legal review of the order.

Halfway into the briefing, someone on the call looked up at a television in his office. “The president is signing the executive order that we’re discussing,” the official said, stunned.

The global confusion that has since erupted is the story of a White House that rushed to enact, with little regard for basic governing, a core campaign promise that Mr. Trump made to his most fervent supporters. In his first week in office, Mr. Trump signed other executive actions with little or no legal review, but his order barring refugees has had the most explosive implications.

--------------

Is the Trump Admin trying to create an excuse for violent suppression?

I cut & pasted the above Twitter thread below - deffo reflects my thinking on this.


The Trump Admin rushed through the #MuslimBan for a purpose other than national security. The question is what is that purpose?

I suspect it will not be long before members of our Natl Guard/military will be put in a position of deciding whether to fire upon citizens.

I pray I am wrong. But Bannon et al WANT to bring domestic division to a point of heightened conflict. It's a feature, not a bug.

With the #MuslimBan, Bannon et al chose to do something overtly unConstitutional that they knew would be a flash-point for the left.

They *rushed* this through on purpose, overriding objections and failing to coordinate with intelligence or immigration officials.

From their actions, we can infer the #MuslimBan has a purpose that suits their strategic goals and has nothing to do with national security.

A #MuslimBan is a perfect vehicle for them: it's a flashpoint for opposition from the left and a dog whistle for support from the right.

The #MuslimBan furthers domestic division: it makes many within the U.S. see protesters as aligned with who they perceive to be "the enemy."

The (good & righteous) response by the left to the #MuslimBan serves Bannon et al's goals. Protesters are unknowingly "othering" themselves.

Like other ascendant authoritarian regimes, the Trump Admin WANTS an excuse to put down dissent. And to do so violently.

Don't get me wrong: We of good conscience have no choice but to protest and dissent. Especially those of us with privilege to spend.

Dissent and protest are our duties and responsibilities as citizens.

Nonetheless, when I analyze the timing, content, and manner of this Exec Order, I cannot help but realize it has a purpose for the Admin.

The purpose has nothing to do with national security and everything to do w heightening domestic political division and increasing dissent.

Authoritarians cannot complete their ascendance until they have an opportunity to quash dissent with violence.

The violence used to quash dissent must be dramatic enough to serve as a deterrent for all meaningful future dissent.

Because the #MuslimBan is NOT the end game for this Administration. They literally want to dismantle our republic as we know it. All of it.

"Lenin wanted to destroy the state, & that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, & destroy all of today’s establishment."

The previous tweet is a quote from Steve Bannon, Trump's Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor and former Campaign Manager.

As @sarahkendzior has documented, Trump himself has made statements eerily similar to Bannon's in the past.

Trump's chief propagandist Kellyanne Conway has very recently mirrored this "shock to the system" mentality:

Kellyanne Conway @KellyannePolls - Get used to it. @POTUS is a man of action and impact. Promises made, promises kept. Shock to the system. And he's just getting started
…

The SuperPAC "Committee to Defend the President" is airing ads basically inciting civil war to "defend" Trump: https://twitter.com/Jess4_RK/status/825358392575266816 …

In short, an excuse for a violent government response to domestic dissent is something Bannon et al WANT and are looking for.

If an opportunity doesn't arise organically (humans in large groups do stupid things sometimes), they will create one eventually. I'm sorry.

 

[bimble]

I'd stop short of this bit from your quote CRI

Like other ascendant authoritarian regimes, the Trump Admin WANTS an excuse to put down dissent. And to do so violently.
..... Authoritarians cannot complete their ascendance until they have an opportunity to quash dissent with violence.The violence used to quash dissent must be dramatic enough to serve as a deterrent for all meaningful future dissent.

I think they're happy (for now anyway) with just doing everything possible to whip up and entrench the most extreme polarisation - you're with us or you're the enemy etc.

 

[CRI]

I'd heard there was a rogue account. Genuine or not, I don't think it takes an insider to conclude that this is just the kind of thing Bannon wants. There's plenty of stuff out there about his views, he's just been given a seat on the National Security Council, bumping off the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Energy (in charge of nukes) and the UN rep. WTF do people expect he'll do, hand around chocolate chip cookies?

 

[newbie]

Trial Balloon for a Coup?
Analyzing the news of the past 24 hours

Definitely worth reading all of this piece, but if tldr, here's the summary at the end.

1. 
   
   
   • Trump was, indeed, perfectly honest during the campaign; he intends to do everything he said, and more. This should not be reassuring to you.
   • The regime’s main organizational goal right now is to transfer all effective power to a tight inner circle, eliminating any possible checks from either the Federal bureaucracy, Congress, or the Courts. Departments are being reorganized or purged to effect this.
   • The inner circle is actively probing the means by which they can seize unchallenged power; yesterday’s moves should be read as the first part of that.
   • The aims of crushing various groups — Muslims, Latinos, the black and trans communities, academics, the press — are very much primary aims of the regime, and are likely to be acted on with much greater speed than was earlier suspected. The secondary aim of personal enrichment is also very much in play, and clever people will find ways to play these two goals off each other.

interesting roundup, particularly given that the author is very senior at google. Aren't US tech companies pretty much the epicenter of liberalism?



and yes, I'd not seen any mention of the Russian speculation before.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported (in great detail) how 19.5% of Rosneft, Russia’s state oil company, has been sold to parties unknown. This was done through a dizzying array of shell companies, so that the most that can be said with certainty now is that the money “paying” for it was originally loaned out to the shell layers by VTB (the government’s official bank), even though it’s highly unclear who, if anyone, would be paying that loan back; and the recipients have been traced as far as some Cayman Islands shell companies.

Why is this interesting? Because the much-maligned Steele Dossier (the one with the golden showers in it) included the statement that Putin had offered Trump 19% of Rosneft if he became president and removed sanctions. The reason this is so interesting is that the dossier said this in July, and the sale didn’t happen until early December. And 19.5% sounds an awful lot like “19% plus a brokerage commission.”

Conclusive? No. But it raises some very interesting questions for journalists to investigate.

 

[Yossarian]

Six people shot dead in a mosque in Quebec City Sunday night - wonder what incredibly stupid thing Trump will say about an actual terrorist attack happening in the country next door.

 

[Cloo]

So, have the grumbles started yet about that sneaky independent judiciary trying to ruin everything and they need reining in?

 

[billy_bob]

Interesting bit of news: Starbucks vows to hire 10,000 refugees after Trump ban.

Brace yourself for a lot of sharing/praising on social media along the lines of 'credit where it's due' without much thought given to Starbucks' motives, i.e. continuing supply of cheap/exploitable/expendable labour. Ultimately it might be pretty helpful to Trump, re dignifying his protectionism/isolationism, to have rapacious international companies trying to defy him on this.

 

[gosub]

Trump and his gang would love a confrontation with Iran. Great way to show he's tough on "the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism." And the mullahs love it.



Opinion | Trump’s travel ban is a gift to Iran’s rulers

Put Iran back in the box helps oil situation for US AND Russia

 

[Casually Red]

Nul points for seamless hasbara there. Mounting a stout defence of recent atrocities in Syria while wringing hands over 90s Iraq to me seems more than a little hypocritical.

Though I would not disagree in Syria most of the dead by NGO accounts are military aged males 60%+ of whom most were probably combatants or potential combatants. That toll is very large on both sides. Not that mainly killing young men who probably wanted no part of combat makes it palatable. Ignoring those dying in starvation sieges or just poisoned by crappy Baathist water provision it's in the R+6 air war mainly that kids are killed. The ground war that tends to spare them. But I'd allow that's mostly what we'd callously call "collateral damage" rather than deliberate targeting. There are too few murdered kids reported by NGOs to support that being R+6 policy.

Will Trump bend the 21st century Pentagon to a Putin style "bomb the shit out of IS" approach? Sec Def Mattis favours escalation to finish IS off. We'll see how similar the Russian and American approaches to COIN look. At the moment doctrinally they are worlds apart.

You were massively spoofing . And now you're at it again . " crappy Baathist water provision " is your description of a bunch of salafist maniacs poisoning the water supply to Damascus thanks to them occupying the springs outside Damascus . They've been defeated in the last couple of days and the waters back on .
No doubt you'll find a way to blame Putin for that too .

 

[rutabowa]

might russia want the UK now that we have pissed off both the US and the rest of europe so there won't be anyone that fussed about defending it? Probably not, I guess there isn't much valuable here.... they might do it for a laff tho.

 

[existentialist]

I signed it before it was popular.

Me too. And made sure to evidence that by posting on FB about it

 

[newbie]

Anyway, there's protests everywhere tonight, 6pm. Should probably go.

I read your post and googled trump london demonstration today

First hit is from the Daily telegraph

UK protests on Donald Trump's travel ban: Where are they happening and when?

 

[gosub]

I read your post and googled trump london demonstration today

First hit is from the Daily telegraph

shock horror paper you don't like is better at metatagging than one you do like

 

[killer b]

there's a list on huffington post - the london one is at downing street

Trump Muslim Ban Protests Planned In London, Manchester And Across The UK | The Huffington Post

 

[newbie]

shock horror paper you don't like is better at metatagging than one you do like

I don't like any of them particularly, but in the past the Mirror has been the most likely to publicise and support street demonstrations and the Telegraph amongst those most likely to condemn them. On this occasion they're actively encouraging the demos, just read the article.

 

[CRI]

I'd stop short of this bit from your quote CRI


I think they're happy (for now anyway) with just doing everything possible to whip up and entrench the most extreme polarisation - you're with us or you're the enemy etc.

Perhaps, but the speed at which things are moving is pretty fucking alarming.

In the days before the inauguration, most folks were speculating about the Mexico wall being his pipe dream, which other things he said had just been to appeal to the peanut gallery and would be forgotten, which things he would implement say in the spring, or summer, what the Democrats would do to regain congressional seats in 2018, etc.

He swears the oath and whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh!

It's discombobulating, like whack-a-mole of bizarro policies, confusing and exhausting.

As during the campaign, each time Trump said something outrageous, first there was shock, disbelief and (some) condemnation, media reports started to normalise it, criticism waned, it became rote, then the next initially outlandish announcement/event happened, rinse and repeat.

Same thing is happening now, except on speed, and the administration controls the narrative now, so . . .

 

[Pickman's model]

there's a list on huffington post - the london one is at downing street

Trump Muslim Ban Protests Planned In London, Manchester And Across The UK | The Huffington Post

when you see a list of speakers like that the prospect of turning up to this demo seems less enticing.

 

[terapija]

Interesting bit of news: Starbucks vows to hire 10,000 refugees after Trump ban.

Brace yourself for a lot of sharing/praising on social media along the lines of 'credit where it's due' without much thought given to Starbucks' motives, i.e. continuing supply of cheap/exploitable/expendable labour. Ultimately it might be pretty helpful to Trump, re dignifying his protectionism/isolationism, to have rapacious international companies trying to defy him on this.

Yes Starbucks is really dangerous not big oil and mining companies who are funding this shitstorm. Commodity traders as well

 

[Cloo]

I have this theory that seeing as Trump is incapable of even understanding criticism and just wants to be told that he's great, we all need to use mass reverse psychology on him in protests, like posters saying:

EVERYONE WOULD THINK YOU WERE SO SMART IF YOU GIVE LOTS OF MONEY TO THE ARTS

PEOPLE WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU SUPPORTED CIVIL RIGHTS

HELPING POOR PEOPLE WOULD MAKE YOU REALLY POPULAR

A REALLY SMART PRESIDENT WOULDN'T TARGET MUSLIMS

Whaddya reckon?

 

[redsquirrel]

Yes Starbucks is really dangerous not big oil and mining companies who are funding this shitstorm.

Couldn't have a better example of the point billy_bob was making. As if it's some sort of contest between the nice progressive companies vs the nasty companies, FFS.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I have this theory that seeing as Trump is incapable of even understanding criticism and just wants to be told that he's great, we all need to use mass reverse psychology on him in protests, like posters saying:

EVERYONE WOULD THINK YOU WERE SO SMART IF YOU GIVE LOTS OF MONEY TO THE ARTS

PEOPLE WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU SUPPORTED CIVIL RIGHTS

HELPING POOR PEOPLE WOULD MAKE YOU REALLY POPULAR

A REALLY SMART PRESIDENT WOULDN'T TARGET MUSLIMS

Whaddya reckon?

He's got too many wormtongues in his ear all day telling him the exact opposite.

 

[killer b]

View attachment 99679

when you see a list of speakers like that the prospect of turning up to this demo seems less enticing.

It does seem odd that someone who was hawking a 'controls on immigration' mug two years ago would be welcome to share this platform today...

 

[terapija]

Couldn't have a better example of the point billy_bob was making. As if it's some sort of contest between the nice progressive companies vs the nasty companies, FFS.

I didn't say that...There are some much more dangerous players behind this...You are the one caught in this divide and conquer shit

 

[Pickman's model]

It does seem odd that someone who was hawking a 'controls on immigration' mug two years ago would be welcome to share this platform today...

so apart from having a pop at t'rump, there's also the opportunity to heckle an opportunist.

 

[gosub]

I'd heard there was a rogue account. Genuine or not, I don't think it takes an insider to conclude that this is just the kind of thing Bannon wants. There's plenty of stuff out there about his views, he's just been given a seat on the National Security Council, bumping off the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Energy (in charge of nukes) and the UN rep. WTF do people expect he'll do, hand around chocolate chip cookies?

At the moment definitely worth keeping an eye on it.... Two camps Bannon and what the feed calls unholy trinity ence, Ryan, and Prebus

 

[Pickman's model]

I didn't say that...There are some much more dangerous players behind this...You are the one caught in this divide and conquer shit

do you see how you're being divisive here?

 

[Pickman's model]

At the moment definitely worth keeping an eye on it.... Two camps Bannon and what the feed calls unholy trinity ence, Ryan, and Prebus

thought by know you'd know you can't do : p

 

[Supine]

I have this theory that seeing as Trump is incapable of even understanding criticism and just wants to be told that he's great, we all need to use mass reverse psychology on him in protests, like posters saying:

EVERYONE WOULD THINK YOU WERE SO SMART IF YOU GIVE LOTS OF MONEY TO THE ARTS

PEOPLE WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU SUPPORTED CIVIL RIGHTS

HELPING POOR PEOPLE WOULD MAKE YOU REALLY POPULAR

A REALLY SMART PRESIDENT WOULDN'T TARGET MUSLIMS

Whaddya reckon?

Good idea and maybe would work. Unfortunately he is surrounded by people who won't be saying those things.

 

[redsquirrel]

I didn't say that...There are some much more dangerous players behind this...You are the one caught in this divide and conquer shit

No that would be pricks like you, who come out with shit like this

Workers struggling for basic survival in Western Europe and usa is a myth. It about social position. And you are racist.

Fuck you, you're every bit as much the enemy as Trump.

 

[Diamond]

That judicial branch stuff is really, really worrying.

At the speed that he is moving he could have massively entrenched his administration within weeks while undermining pretty much every other aspect of the Washington machine.

To be fair,that is more or less what he said he would do. The problem was that huge numbers of voters in the states didn't seem to appreciate that if you "sweep out the trash" of government you also create an enormous power vacuum ready for the new guy to fill.

It may be that we weren't taking Trump seriously enough and he always had designs on his own parallel state. It makes perfect sense actually - a Trump branded America.