Trump's Second Term: U.S. News and Politics

[Sweet FA]

As there's been a bit of interest, perhaps we could keep this thread to more about US politics; less live-blogging his every action? We could also take it for granted that he's a hateful bellend and not have to state that every 5 posts. I'm personally not a fan of videos but get that it's a brave new world and others do like them. I'd appreciate a why to watch at least if posters can be arsed.

Day 1 in the Big Trump Household:

....some of 10 sweeping executive actions on border security that incoming officials say Trump plans to sign on Monday:

1. Declare a national emergency at the border: The officials on the call said this action will allow U.S. armed forces to finish the border wall and allow the secretary of defense to deploy members of the armed forces and National Guard to the border.
2. "Clarify" the military's role in border security: This action "directs the military to prioritize our borders" and protect territorial integrity "by repelling forms of invasion, including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking and other criminal activities," the officials said.
3. End "catch and release," continue building the wall, and end "Remain in Mexico"
4. Designate criminal cartels as terrorists: This will allow the U.S. to more easily remove members of groups like Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela, and MS-13.
5. Suspend refugee resettlement: The official said the U.S. would suspend refugee resettlement for at least four months.
6. End asylum and close the border to those without legal status via proclamation: Officials said they are planning to end asylum entirely and close the border to those without legal status via proclamation, "which creates an immediate removal process without possibility of asylum."
7. End birthright citizenship: The officials said the White House plans to end birthright citizenship, which is enshrined in the 14th Amendment. They argued the amendment does not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents without legal status. This action is likely to see immediate legal challenges.
8. Enhance vetting and screening: The officials said they are going to "enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens."
9. "Protect American citizens against invasion": Officials said this "equips agents and officers of ICE and CBP with the authorities" they need to deport people from the U.S.
10. Restore the death penalty: "This action in particular, directs the Attorney General to seek capital punishment for the murder of law enforcement officers and capital crimes committed by illegal aliens. It encourages state agencies and district attorneys to bring capital state charges for these crimes," the officials said.

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/g-s1-43698/trump-inauguration-executive-orders-2025-day-1

Also, if you're asked to back up a statement, you're not being bullied: you're in P&P now boy.

 

[emanymton]

Let's not forget he's a bellend.

 

[Sweet FA]

He will never allow us to.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Just waiting to see what the senile old twat will do over the next few days.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Just waiting to see what the senile old twat will do over the next few days.

Indeed, it is like a drunk toddler heading for a Ming vase...

 

[spring-peeper]

Also, if you're asked to back up a statement, you're not being bullied: you're in P&P now boy.

Excellent point, and it needed to be said!!

 

[hitmouse]

flypanam just posted this over on the "interesting articles" thread, I'll confess I've not read it yet but on the strength of it being Phil Neel I reckon it's probably worth posting here too:

“A fistful of dripping hate” Intervista a Phil A. Neel (Eng version)

Trumpism, war and militancy The year 2024 has been dense with significant events. Complexity is in motion, we see it accelerating in political transformations, electoral or otherwise, in the winds of war blowing across the globe, in social and political phenomena that are increasingly difficult...

www.infoaut.org

Intro is:

The year 2024 has been dense with significant events. Complexity is in motion, we see it accelerating in political transformations, electoral or otherwise, in the winds of war blowing across the globe, in social and political phenomena that are increasingly difficult to interpret with traditional keys.

To try to provide us with some more enlightened tools for interpreting the present, we interviewed Phil A. Neel, communist geographer and author of the book “Hinterland. America’s New Landscape of Class and Conflict.” His book is one of the most interesting reconstructions of the relationship between value chains, political geography and class composition in the United States leading up to the first election of Donald Trump. Not only that, the interpretation of contemporary capitalism, globalization on which “Hinterland” rests is solid and offers many insights that transcend the specificity of the US context.

We have divided this interview into three sections starting with Trump’s re-election, then expanding the argument to the global context and finally touching on some issues related to militancy.

 

[two sheds]

Excellent point, and it needed to be said!!

Indeed, but preferably phrased as "you'll need to back that up" rather than "back up that statement you liberal cunt*"

* I apologize I promised not to use the word

 

[gosub]

Pah. Just tried wishing someone a merry Xmas got a stern look...wasn't a problem last month ...when Biden was President

 

[Sue]

Can we try and keep this thread for proper discussion and put everything else on the old Trump thread? Then people can post on whichever one suits their purposes best.

 

[spring-peeper]

Can we try and keep this thread for proper discussion and put everything else on the old Trump thread? Then people can post on whichever one suits their purposes best.

Although I totally agree with your point, how do I decide what is considered proper discussion, and what goes on the other three threads?

 

[two sheds]

Although I totally agree with your point, how do I decide what is considered proper discussion, and what goes on the other three threads?

that's not proper discussion, so should go on the other three threads

hth

sorry I stop now

 

[spring-peeper]

that's not proper discussion, so should go on the other three threads

hth

sorry I stop now

See, this is what I'm afraid will happen.

Someone will decide to be a hall monitor and start directing people to use the other three threads. Then, we have a bun fight, a mod comes on and tells everyone to calm down - rinse and repeat.

Honestly, I think three threads are enough. I don't understand why we need a fourth one.

 

[Sue]

Although I totally agree with your point, how do I decide what is considered proper discussion, and what goes on the other three threads?

Well I reckon discussion about policy and the political implications/results of those policies or things like votes in the Senate/HoR would sit nicely on this thread.

Laughing at or taking the piss out of Trump or posting memes or whatever could go on whichever of the other threads you fancy.

So tl:dr serious and more substantive discussion here. Other stuff wherever you please.

 

[Sue]

See, this is what I'm afraid will happen.

Someone will decide to be a hall monitor and start directing people to use the other three threads. Then, we have a bun fight, a mod comes on and tells everyone to calm down - rinse and repeat.

Honestly, I think three threads are enough. I don't understand why we need a fourth one.

Okay. So maybe you'd prefer to stick to the other ones then.

 

[spring-peeper]

Well I reckon discussion about policy and the political implications/results of those policies or things like votes in the Senate/HoR would sit nicely on this thread.

Laughing at or taking the piss out of Trump or posting memes or whatever could go on whichever of the other threads you fancy.

So tl:dr serious and more substantive discussion here. Other stuff wherever you please.

Laughing and posting silly memes go on the Ridicule thread.

What stupid thing has trump done today, should go there.

Mega discussion thread contains some discussion of both policy and the implications.

This one is for serious discussion?

Since I really can't make a logical decision on the other two threads, I'll just bow out of this thread, and put it on ignore. All I see is people policing the thread and, in the worse case scenario, posters being harassed for not understanding that fine line.

Gonna avoid the rush, and just put this thread on ignore.

Have fun, folks!!!

 

[Sweet FA]

You managed to make something fairly simple quite complicated then have an argument with yourself about it

 

[two sheds]

... and flounce in the same post

 

[two sheds]

One thing that will be interesting - how much Trump can do by Executive Order, and if it's as much as he thinks he can, why Biden didn't do the same?

 

[breadandcircuse]

One thing that will be interesting - how much Trump can do by Executive Order, and if it's as much as he thinks he can, why Biden didn't do the same?

Because that power is not taken lightly by normal presidents. It is something that I suspect is used sparingly. Biden is a statesman, who took his role seriously, and didn't use the office as his own personal fiefdom, to do whatever took his fancy to appeal to the cult.

 

[story]

Biden made 42 EOs, which is more than any other president since Truman. He made a dozen on Day One.

Executive orders don’t need approval from Congress. So long as they don’t break the law, they happen.

Here’s a basic outline of what they are etc.

What are executive orders? The powerful tool used by US presidents

A US leader can weigh in on anything affecting federal government by issuing their own directions.

www.bbc.co.uk

In practice they’re potentially dynamite and snarl things up horribly, politically speaking. But they’re often deployed by the president in the first instance, to get the ball rolling and set the agenda.

 

[story]

Because that power is not taken lightly by normal presidents. It is something that I suspect is used sparingly. Biden is a statesman, who took his role seriously, and didn't use the office as his own personal fiefdom, to do whatever took his fancy to appeal to the cult.

That’s debatable, maybe even naive.

Comer: Mountain of Evidence Reveals Joe Biden Abused his Public Office for his Family’s Financial Gain - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

oversight.house.gov

- INFLUENCE PEDDLING: EXAMINING JOE BIDEN'S ABUSE OF PUBLIC OFFICE

Checks & Imbalances: How Joe Biden Has Become $2 Million Richer While In Office

Today we continue digging into the personal finances of the 2024 presidential candidates.

www.forbes.com

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, it is a point for the "is America turning into a dictatorship?" thread I suppose, the fact that their system seems to have this whole "oh, and the President can just do whatever, we're just gonna trust that they'll* only use this power for good things" element written into it.

*using the gender-neutral pronoun there, although in practice it has always been a "he" to date.

 

[breadandcircuse]

That’s debatable, maybe even naive.

Comer: Mountain of Evidence Reveals Joe Biden Abused his Public Office for his Family’s Financial Gain - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

oversight.house.gov

- INFLUENCE PEDDLING: EXAMINING JOE BIDEN'S ABUSE OF PUBLIC OFFICE

Who believes the shit Comer says if they have a functioning brain? That's the guy who has spent the last few years trying to dig up dirt on Biden, and Hunter, wasting every fucking day as a lawmaker on petty vendettas to please his orange overlord. He failed.

 

[story]

Yeah, it is a point for the "is America turning into a dictatorship?" thread I suppose, the fact that their system seems to have this whole "oh, and the President can just do whatever, we're just gonna trust that they'll* only use this power for good things" element written into it.

*using the gender-neutral pronoun there, although in practice it has always been a "he" to date.

It’s kinda bizarre. Trump using them as missiles has at least brought them into the light. They used to be a lot more shady, less openly reported. Trump uses them for public capital while others presidents use them in a more shadowy fashion. Also with more of an eye on the political outcome, how they might affect future deal brokering etc. none of which really matters to Trump since he operates like a tyrant.

 

[story]

Who believes the shit Comer says if they have a functioning brain? That's the guy who has spent the last few years trying to dig up dirt on Biden, and Hunter, wasting every fucking day as a lawmaker on petty vendettas to please his orange overlord. He failed.

I’m not saying it’s true ffs. I’m saying that the idea that Biden is a diamond geezer is debatable.

Of course he’s benefited from the office, they all do. Whether that’s done shamelessly or with more caution about how it looks is the question.

 

[tommers]

Let's not hold up Joe Biden as some shining light of democracy.

 

[Dystopiary]

Let's not hold up Joe Biden as some shining light of democracy.

I mean, yeah - he and Harris were facilitating a genocide.