What stupid shit has Trump done today?

[teqniq]

Donald Trump 'yells at TVs in White House' over Russia scandal

 

[CrabbedOne]

On FiveThityEight Donald Trump Is Making Europe Liberal Again

...
And even within these Western European countries, while support for nationalist parties has generally been lower than it was a year or two ago, it may still be higher than it was 10 or 20 years ago.

Politics is often cyclical, and endless series of reactions and counterreactions. Sometimes, what seems like the surest sign of an emerging trend can turn out to be its peak instead. It’s usually hard to tell when you’re in the midst of it. Trump probably hasn’t set the nationalist cause back by decades, and the rise of authoritarianism continues to represent an existential threat to liberal democracy. But Trump may have set his cause back by years, especially in Western Europe. At the very least, it’s become harder to make the case that the nationalist tide is still on the rise.

Has Europe gone #NeverTrump? It would be a bit US-centric to blame Trump for some European hard right parties fading. Ludicrous infighting in the likes of the AfD and "liberal" politicians stealing their policies account for a lot of that. However Trump has created a useful orange sprayed boogeyman to run against. A wealthy, deceitful swamp draining, "populist" braggart, backed by billionaires who gets elected and then packs his cabinet with Goldman guys and industry lobbyists. Plots with Congress to take health cover away from his voters while pulling the plug on beloved eco pieties. He turns out to be both incapable of governing, mired in scandals and perhaps is being played by Russia. You couldn't invent a better tricksy demagogue gone wrong figure. The likes of Merkel can now smugly point at the chaotic polities in both the US and UK led by dummköpfe bumbling along with their fresh self inflicted wounds. Not that Merkel doesn't have a few self inflicted lacerations of her own but they're currently scabbed over. However is it just a last breathing space before the great fall?

 

[8den]

This is a quality chrome plug in
Make Trump Tweets Eight Again

 

[CrabbedOne]

On War Is Boring Donald Trump Is Building an Alliance of Oil States

...
But these prophecies of impending global disorder miss a crucial point. In his own quixotic way, Trump is not only trying to obliterate the existing world order, but also attempting to lay the foundations for a new one, a world in which fossil-fuel powers will contend for supremacy with post-carbon, green-energy states.

This grand strategic design is evident in virtually everything Trump has done at home and abroad. Domestically, he’s pulled out all the stops in attempting to cripple the rise of alternative energy and ensure the perpetuation of a carbon-dominated economy.

Abroad, he is seeking the formation of an alliance of fossil-fuel states led by the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia, while attempting to isolate emerging renewable-energy powers such as Germany and China.

If his project of global realignment proceeds as imagined, the world will soon enough be divided into two camps, each competing for power, wealth and influence — the carbonites on one side and the post-carbon greens on the other.
...

Oilys V Greenys: a clash of civilisations. Well it's a theory. More likely Trump is just set on featherbedding his retirement while in office.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Donald Trump 'yells at TVs in White House' over Russia scandal

It's only fair. He's made the rest of us yell at our tvs too. I might have even been inspired to throw small objects.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

If this doesn't make you yell at the tv, you aren't paying attention:

Video: Trump, lawyer give conflicting statements about Russia investigation

In the second half of the tape, Trump's lawyer wants it both ways. He says Trump isn't under investigation and then literally in the next breath, says that he is. I saw the whole interview on ABC this Sunday and it's incredible how willing these people are to say conflicting "facts", within just seconds of each other, with the expectation that we'll believe both versions at the same time.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

One of the reasons given for voting against Hillary: she would be more likely to be confrontational in the Middle East.

Syrian warplane shot down by US-led coalition - CNN.com

Russia threatens to target U.S.-led coalition planes that fly over Syria


Oops!

 

[CrabbedOne]

In Time President Trump Says He Has Higher Approval Ratings Than Obama. That’s Not True

He's just so needy for good ratings. Sad!

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

So, here we are: While other nations have to chose between displaying bizarre fealty to the Kremlin’s interests, and starting a war with Russia, America got itself a president who can do both.

Russia Vows to Target U.S.-Backed Aircraft in Western Syria

lol

 

[CRI]

In Popular Mechanics of all things . . .

The U.S. Shot Down a Syrian Plane. Russia Is Angry. Now What?
Russia threatens to retaliate against American planes. Could they?

On Sunday, an Su-22 fighter-bomber of the Syrian Air Force dropped bombs on U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. To the United States, that made the plane a clear and present danger "in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of coalition-partnered forces," as a statement from the coalition command put it. A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet engaged and shot down the Syrian plane.

Assad's government claimed that the Su-22 had been attacking ISIS terrorists and denounced the shoot-down as "blatant aggression." The Russians predictably took Assad's side, and have pulled the plug on the communications channel meant to "de-conflict" air operations in the region. More seriously, the Russians plan to shoot down any aircraft intruding into their area of operations. "Any aircraft, including planes and drones belonging to the international coalition operating west of the Euphrates river, will be tracked by Russian anti-aircraft forces in the sky and on the ground and treated as targets," it says.

If the Syrians made this kind of threat, the United States might shrug it off. But Russia is a different beast. As previously noted, Russia has recently beefed up defenses in Syria with some of their best surface-to-air missiles. The missile systems include the S-400 (also known as SA-21 , Growler or Triumf) and the S-300 (Grumble).

If things really go wrong, escalation over Syria could quickly spiral into a world war. There may not be any good options for the U.S. anymore, just a choice between bad and worse. We have seen repeatedly that getting into a war is frighteningly easy. Getting out of one is a different story. Some careful thinking will be needed before America takes any further steps.

 

[CRI]

WTF?



Story: Otto Warmbier came home just in time to die

 

[CrabbedOne]

On The Hill Poll: Bush, Obama popular in retirement

...
The new Gallup poll released Monday pegs Bush with a 59 percent approval rating and Obama with a 63 percent approval rating. The poll, conducted from June 7-11, found Bush’s approval rating has risen 7 percentage points over the past year.

Bush’s approval has improved among almost all core demographics surveyed by the poll, with the excepting of young adults, with whom his approval rating is 42 percent, well below the national average. Bush’s approval rating among Democrats has shot up fourfold to 41 percent since March 2009, according to Gallup.
...

Donald Trump: making George "Dubya" Bush great again.

Bush was about 900 days into to his Presidency last time he was that popular. It's easy to forget he was near up to 90% after 9-11 hit early in his Presidency. Took him till ~1,875 days to get to where Trump is now at ~150 days.

 

[Idris2002]

Trump, Trump, Trumpity-Trump Trump Trump:

'We're being called Trump militia. It's something I'm probably going to wear as a badge now'

CrabbedOne - have you ever seen anything comparing these militia wankers to the likes of the UDA?

 

[CrabbedOne]

Trump, Trump, Trumpity-Trump Trump Trump:

'We're being called Trump militia. It's something I'm probably going to wear as a badge now'

CrabbedOne - have you ever seen anything comparing these militia wankers to the likes of the UDA?

They look a good deal healthier than N.I. paramilitaries who tend to be fat fuckers these days. Though the latter do actually still kill people occasionally rather than playing at soldiers out in the woods.

 

[Idris2002]

They look a good deal healthier than N.I. paramilitaries who tend to be fat fuckers these days. Though the latter do actually still kill people occasionally rather than playing at soldiers out in the woods.

Their pasty-faced basement dwelling brethren in the alt-right have already graduated to the killing people phase, don't forget. How much longer before these outdoorsmen do the same?

 

[bimble]

According to this there's loads of them, scuttling about in the woods throughout the land, with their little badges sewn on.
Militia - III% Security Force

 

[CrabbedOne]

Their pasty-faced basement dwelling brethren in the alt-right have already graduated to the killing people phase, don't forget. How much longer before these outdoorsmen do the same?

There've always been racially motivated killings stateside. A fringe is genuinely dangerous and it has grown. There were a few militia related killings in Obama's time. Unofficial US military opinion on the chance of there being serious civil trouble in the US is pretty elevated. I'd rate most of the militia people as harmless, law abiding "walts". The tricked out black rifles look scary but most of this running about in the woods stuff is basically bullshit.

Last UDA related killing was a month ago; those fuckers are still the real deal.

 

[Idris2002]

According to this there's loads of them, scuttling about in the woods throughout the land, with their little badges sewn on.
Militia - III% Security Force

We don' need no stinkin' badges.

CrabbedOne - years ago I read a piece about Malachi O'Doherty, which argued that he was part of a generation that came up between 1962 and 1969, and thus grew up thinking that everything was going to be alright; it didn't work out like that, as you know. Which does suggest that the US is different, and won't actually follow the same path. Maybe.

 

[bimble]

Where have the TV press briefings gone?

The White House Press Briefing Is Slowly Dying

best bit: "'Asked why the briefings are now routinely held off-camera, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said in a text message “Sean got fatter,” and did not respond to a follow-up.'

 

[DotCommunist]

According to this there's loads of them, scuttling about in the woods throughout the land, with their little badges sewn on.
Militia - III% Security Force

50% of them will be touts for the gubbermint they profess to despise.

 

[CrabbedOne]

We don' need no stinkin' badges.

CrabbedOne - years ago I read a piece about Malachi O'Doherty, which argued that he was part of a generation that came up between 1962 and 1969, and thus grew up thinking that everything was going to be alright; it didn't work out like that, as you know. Which does suggest that the US is different, and won't actually follow the same path. Maybe.

Reading
Belfast and Derry in Revolt: A New History of the Start of the Troubles without Paisley and a few dozen direct force headcases on both sides everything might have been sorted out with nothing more than the odd riot as it usually had been. The Troubles is a good example of unexpected fragility creeping up on people in a flawed democracy with outdated institutions. Which is what the US is. History looks inevitable when replayed as a narrative but often a few small events or a really big mouth do the shaping. How things might go if a raging Trump is impeached out of office is a worry.

 

[Idris2002]

Reading
Belfast and Derry in Revolt: A New History of the Start of the Troubles without Paisley and a few dozen direct force headcases on both sides everything might have been sorted out with nothing more than the odd riot as it usually had been. The Troubles is a good example of unexpected fragility creeping up on people in a flawed democracy with outdated institutions. Which is what the US is. History looks inevitable when replayed as a narrative but often a few small events or a really big mouth do the shaping. How things might go if a raging Trump is impeached out of office is a worry.

I know - or I suppose it's a case of 'I used to know', really - an historian from Tiger's Bay who was fond of saying that 'nothing is inevitable in history'. Well maybe nothing is inevitable in history, but somethings are a damn sight more likely than others - when you operate in a flawed democracy with outdate institutions, for example, your operations are likely to be funnelled in negative directions. . .

And it's not like NI regarded its founding fathers as demi-Gods who could do no wrong, as the Americans appear to regard theirs.

 

[1%er]

God bless America!

 

[1%er]

Is this evidence of collusion

 

[1%er]

 

[CrabbedOne]

I know - or I suppose it's a case of 'I used to know', really - an historian from Tiger's Bay who was fond of saying that 'nothing is inevitable in history'. Well maybe nothing is inevitable in history, but somethings are a damn sight more likely than others - when you operate in a flawed democracy with outdate institutions, for example, your operations are likely to be funnelled in negative directions. . .

And it's not like NI regarded its founding fathers as demi-Gods who could do no wrong, as the Americans appear to regard theirs.

The unlikely has a way of happening and becoming the inevitable when we reimagine the past. The ludicrous Trump even running for President is an example. The disintegration of Lebanon, Iraq and Syria into civil wars were another series of nasty surprises for folk living there.

At least one of The Founders didn't expect The Constitution to last a decade. In reality it's been really heavily amended especially after the Reconstruction. I think they'd be astounded that it's still held in such reverence though last time GOP lawmakers insisted on reading it out in Congress like it was Scripture they had a skip a large section of it concerning slavery as it was a teensy bit embarrassing.

 

[CrabbedOne]

On The Daily Mash Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse revealed as 'Stupidity'

...
Bible expert Tom Logan, from the Institute of Studies, warned the discovery suggested the end times might be upon us.

He said: “The passage in question makes a direct reference to the ‘last trump of doom’ when Stupidity would ride forth to bring manifold miseries upon all the lands of the Earth.

“In his left hand he held a great scroll upon which were uncounted numbers of unsourced memes which reinforce thine prejudices, and when opened it rained forth a plague of fatuousness upon humanity.

“And all comments threads followed after him.”

Fake news but strangely compelling.

 

[not-bono-ever]

James Landale...
Diplomatic correspondent
Posted at 12:38
The understanding was that the Trump state visit would be this year, but as yet there's no date.
And there's a very good reason for no date being set. The White House is concerned there could be significant demonstrations and they could be embarrassing for both countries.
One possible protest being discussed was encouraging as many people as possible to bare their bottoms - 'Show your rump to Trump' - as he arrived.
Downing Street was understandably worried that a reception like that could be bad for US-UK relations.

 

[CrabbedOne]

On TSG Trouble in the Gulf Continues

...
Regardless of how the GCC crisis ends, there appears to be a complete disconnect between the statements of President Trump and the statements and actions of other parts of the executive branch. President Trump’s statements, including his tweets—which the White House has said were considered official statements—carry tremendous weight, especially in the Gulf where power is held by individuals. The contradictory messages coming from the highest levels of the U.S. government complicate efforts to negotiate an end to the crisis, which is no small matter in the region and beyond. The recent joint military exercises and arms deal with Qatar, as well as the consistent concern from the State Department about the crisis, have essentially treated President Trump’s tweets and public statements as irrelevant to actual policy—a truly concerning state of affairs for the United States.

Donald Trump: President irrelevant.

 

[chandlerp]

Ford to move production of Focus from Mexico to China

So after pressurising Ford not to build a new factory in Mexico they haven't. Well done, Donald. Oh, wait, what? China? hahahahahahahahah