The Trump presidency

[CRI]

Expect more bills like this in the coming weeks, just fining or imprisioning protesters wont satisfy the demands of the Loons supporters.
I dislike hyperbole, but if just a small fraction of whats surfacing in the last few days becomes enacted in law many Americans will start to view the PRC as a bastion of democracy.
ETA, for the benefit of bluescreen, trying for a wee bit of irony and back humour, but, the emphasis is on 'wee'

Yes - and there is a risk of seeing all of the repressive, regressive measures as being only from Trump and his team. The rollback of environmental safety laws came from the GOP in congress, for example.

 

[bluescreen]

Expect more bills like this in the coming weeks, just fining or imprisoning protesters wont satisfy the demands of the Loons supporters.
I dislike hyperbole, but if just a small fraction of whats surfacing in the last few days becomes enacted in law many Americans will start to view the PRC as a bastion of democracy.
ETA, for the benefit of bluescreen, trying for a wee bit of irony and back humour, but, the emphasis is on 'wee'

Well, thank you for that. There is no emoji equal to the task. *grins, grits teeth*
The situation is too dire for irony or black humour. It feels as if we're in the middle of a Shakespeare play, full of alarums and excursions.
And I haven't a clue what's going on.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Mmm, but how many of his appointees believe in the 'rapture? '

In June 2015, Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Kansas congressman, headlined a “God and Country Rally” at Wichita’s Summit Church. “To worship our lord and celebrate our nation at the same place is not only our right, it is our duty,” he began. Pompeo’s speech was a mishmash of domestic culture war callouts and dark warnings about the danger of radical Islam. He cited an inflammatory prayer that a pastor named the Rev. Joe Wright once delivered before the Kansas State Legislature: “America had worshipped other Gods and called it multiculturalism. We’d endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.” He lamented government efforts to “rip faith from our schools” and then segued immediately into a discussion of the jihadi threat: “This evil is all around us.” Pompeo concluded by describing politics as “a never-ending struggle … until the rapture.”

Trump’s CIA Pick Wants a Holy War

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Trump’s CIA Pick Wants a Holy War

Fuck me. Anyone saying fascist comparisons are not valid can fuck off at the moment. The oft-misquoted line really is valid here:

"When Fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

Whatever the true origins of the quote, it has various antecedents from the 1930s, including from a certain Professor Luccock. tbh doesn't matter who first said it, it's fucking true.

 

[gorski]

It goes in all directions:

European parliament leaders call on EU to reject Trump's likely ambassador pick

Thankfully, there is pressure from all over the place in the opposite direction:

Uber CEO bows out of Trump advisory council after users boycott

 

[pk]

It's interesting to see these Trumpanzees telling people to go back to their own land when of course they themselves occupy stolen First Nation Indian lands.

See also: Israel.

I'm sure there is a way of exploiting the cognitive dissonance.

If not ... well, there is always trepanning.

 

[Pickman's model]

Fuck me. Anyone saying fascist comparisons are not valid can fuck off at the moment. The oft-misquoted line really is valid here:

"When Fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

Whatever the true origins of the quote, it has various antecedents from the 1930s, including from a certain Professor Luccock. tbh doesn't matter who first said it, it's fucking true.

Yeh right. Cos the republican party meets the fascist minimum.

 

[tim]

It's interesting to see these Trumpanzees telling people to go back to their own land when of course they themselves occupy stolen First Nation Indian lands.

See also: Israel.

I'm sure there is a way of exploiting the cognitive dissonance.

If not ... well, there is always trepanning.

The Israelis, of course, would dispute that as the romanticised first nation/noble savage cliche is one of the justifications for zionist colonisation.

 

[pk]

The Israelis, of course, would dispute that as the romanticised first nation/noble savage cliche is one of the justifications for zionist colonisation.

Well yes. But lest we forget, their post-war enclave could have easily been in Paraguay or Niagara Falls, or Uganda, Madagascar, the list is long. Then along came Lehi. Lehi (group) - Wikipedia

 

[bimble]

"During his speech on Thursday morning, Trump painted a vision of a world in chaos, scarred by “unimaginable violence carried out in the name of religion”. He spoke of the brutalization of “peace-loving Muslims”, the “threats of extermination” against the Jewish people and a “genocide against Christians, where they cut off heads – not since the Middle Ages have we seen that”.
“The world is in trouble – but we’re going to straighten it out, OK?” Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast, gesturing his hands for emphasis.
“That’s what I do. I fix things. We’re going to straighten it out. Believe me. When you hear about the tough phone calls I’m having – don’t worry about it. Just don’t worry about it.

phew, well that's a relief.
Trump defends chaotic foreign policy: 'We're going to straighten it out, OK?'

 

[CrabbedOne]

On Al Monitor Iran brushes off being 'put on notice'

...
Responding to Flynn’s remarks, Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, downplayed the Trump administration’s warnings. Velayati, who also heads the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research, said Feb. 2, “The missiles which were tested are for defensive purposes, and Iran will strongly continue its activities for defense purposes.”

Referring to Flynn as an “inexperienced man” who speaks “illogically,” Velayati emphasized, “Iran doesn’t pay attention to these [warnings]. The Americans have done nothing positive for Iran.” He went on to say, “On the issue of the JCPOA, Mr. Obama's government didn’t honor its commitments, and it is the US which is indebted to Iran and should honor to its commitments.”

“Bringing up new threats [against Iran] every day is against the spirit of the JCPOA, and they [the United States] should stop doing so,” Velayati continued. “It would be good if the Americans reviewed their past experiences. These hollow threats won’t make us leave the right path we have chosen in strongly defending ourselves. … The American people are dissatisfied with the hard-line positions that Mr. Trump and his entourage have adopted, and in the end, the side that will be harmed is America.”
...

Basically "come on if you think you are hard enough".

The Iranians do know how to find pain points to tease. Flynn does appear to be a greatly over promoted JSOC targeter at sea at such a high level.

 

[teqniq]

Anti-fascist activists take on Trump and the far right: 'Resistance is our only shot'

 

[hot air baboon]

....this "extreme vetting"...do you have to do it on a raft whilst shooting white water rapids or something...

 

[pk]

Looks like Trump is set to remove white supremacists/nazis from anti-terror watchlists.

Must be embarrassing to half your cabinet listed as belonging to extremist terrorist groups.

 

[CrabbedOne]

One way to look at it.

 

[Cloo]

So, on Trumpists on Twitter this week, lots of context free pictures claiming to be of Berkeley rioters 'attacking' people and similarly context free images of bloodied people (usually attractive women) claiming 'what happened when this Trump supporter came across some Anti Fa'. In at least one case this has proven to be a photo of an actress from Ash and the Living Dead.

 

[existentialist]

So, on Trumpists on Twitter this week, lots of context free pictures claiming to be of Berkeley rioters 'attacking' people and similarly context free images of bloodied people (usually attractive women) claiming 'what happened when this Trump supporter came across some Anti Fa'. In at least one case this has proven to be a photo of an actress from Ash and the Living Dead.

If someone really wanted to discredit these loons, one way they could do it would be to post lots of blatantly fake photos while purporting to be Trumplets. What the conspiranoid tendency call "false flag".

 

[Pickman's model]

 

[two sheds]

If someone really wanted to discredit these loons, one way they could do it would be to post lots of blatantly fake photos while purporting to be Trumplets. What the conspiranoid tendency call "false flag".

But then they'll be able to say that people are pretending to be Trumpets and putting up fake photos so don't believe all this discrediting of Trump that's going on.

 

[CrabbedOne]

~20% of Krauts trust Trump. Talk about a lunatic fringe.

 

[bimble]

Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg has built a wall around miniature USA.

 

[Raheem]

Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg has built a wall around miniature USA.
View attachment 99904

I bet Legoland is going to pay for it.

 

[existentialist]

But then they'll be able to say that people are pretending to be Trumpets and putting up fake photos so don't believe all this discrediting of Trump that's going on.

I expect they'll get around to saying that anyway. #fakenewsworld

 

[bimble]

fucking hell. Inside the mind of the president, a stream of consciousness..
"I was GREAT on that reality tv show, wasn't I, the best, everyone loved it.. and oh yea, also lets maybe try to start a war."

 

[bluescreen]

The Environment Protection Agency has started to remove Obama-era information from its website.

A group of researchers have found what are likely the first steps in a major overhaul of a site that’s been closely watched since President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Federal climate plans created under former President Obama, tribal assistance programs, and references to international cooperation have been stricken from the site.

A mention of carbon pollution as a cause of climate change has also been removed and adaptation has been emphasized, indicating an attempt to separate the cause of climate change from the response. Some of the changes — like removing mentions to programs and task forces that have run their course as well as broken links — are housekeeping, according to an agency statement.

Full story: The EPA Has Started to Remove Obama-era Information

 

[chandlerp]

fucking hell. Inside the mind of the president, a stream of consciousness..
"I was GREAT on that reality tv show, wasn't I, the best, everyone loved it.. and oh yea, also lets maybe try to start a war."

View attachment 99908

He's a fucking bratty man-child.

 

[Yossarian]

Once again, a Trump line on dissent that reads like it was lifted from a comic book about a fascist future US president:



The fact that he's talking about "paid protesters" suggests he's still finding time to read conspiracy websites.

 

[CrabbedOne]

In Politico Trump plots overhaul of financial market rules

President Donald Trump will back sweeping changes to U.S. financial regulations on Friday, providing a boost to congressional Republican efforts to gut rules put in place after the 2008 crisis that they say have stifled growth.

The president will also take the first concrete step toward rolling back Obama-era regulations by calling for the revamp of a conflict-of-interest rule for financial brokers, which was championed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
...

My he loves his wetland havens for Goldman type critters.

 

[8den]

Kellyanne Conway blames refugees for 'Bowling Green massacre' that never happened

If I remember correctly, "The Bowling Green Massacre" was a particularly violent episode of the controversial "gritty" season 5 of "Midsummer Murders".

 

[pesh]

Radio stations around the country reportedly hacked to play YG's anti-Trump song

Since Inauguration Day, several terrestrial radio stations from around the country have been dealing with the same problem: an unstoppable audio loop of YG and Nipsey Hussle’s track “FDT (Fuck Donald Trump).” Stations in South Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Tennessee, and Kentucky have all had their signals hacked over the past two weeks resulting in unexpected airtime for “FDT,” according to multiple sources.

On January 20th, reports began to surface of radio stations in Kentucky and Texas playing the song on repeat for hours. HeatStreet confirmed with Crescent Hill Radio in KY and 100.5 KCGF-LP in TX that the broadcasts were not intentional. Crescent Hill Radio reportedly had to go off the air entirely for several hours to fix the problem.