Surviving a second Trump admin

[O Really]

They've been disappearing forever in astonishing numbers. Birds, mammals, fish, bugs. Of course the alligators and cockroaches will always be fine.

No hope for slowing, halting or reversing that with the Dolt .45 crew.

Realistically, no way of significantly slowing it with any crew, but without Trump we could at least have not kept making it worse.

[GoCubsGo]

I think I want to puke.

Him getting on that plane makes it too real.

[GoCubsGo]

Former Trump aides are warning newbies: Buy legal insurance or risk a hefty bill Incoming administration staffers are being warned to weigh the threat of a pricey legal defense and consider purchasing a form of legal insurance that would provide them a lawyer if needed, a protection that many now consider part of doing business after former Trump aides were hauled before congressional committees and grand juries over the past eight years, five former senior administration officials and longtime Washington advisers said.

[Vrede too]

I think I want to puke.

Him getting on that plane makes it too real.

https://x.com/skylikeajedi/status/1880733718622671217

A "Deputy Director of Communications, Donald J. Trump for President | Former @WhiteHouse45 Press Assistant" should not be so ignorant. Oh, never mind, young Melania lookalike:



She IS qualified.

[GoCubsGo]

This terms Hope Hicks?

[O Really]

So TikTok went dark and then came backed "based on Trump's promise ". These people are fools. In addition to the total foolishness of trusting any Trump "promise" there doesn't seem to be anything in the ban law that lets him give them 90 days for anything other than "active negotiations to sell" which ain't happening. If any of these people have lawyers, and I'm sure they do, they should all be sacked.

[Supsalemgr]

I agree. Legally, I do not think he can change the law. The question then becomes will the DOJ just decide not to pursue the case? That has been the case with previous administrations. I personally believes Trump is trying to expedite a deal.

[Vrede too]

I agree. Legally, I do not think he can change the law. The question then becomes will the DOJ just decide not to pursue the case? That has been the case with previous administrations. I personally believes Trump is trying to expedite a deal.

He's suggesting that the USG buy all or part of TikTok. What's the world coming to when the GQP's cult leader advocates socialism?

[GoCubsGo]

She's not wrong.

[O Really]

I agree. Legally, I do not think he can change the law. The question then becomes will the DOJ just decide not to pursue the case? That has been the case with previous administrations. I personally believes Trump is trying to expedite a deal.

He's suggesting that the USG buy all or part of TikTok. What's the world coming to when the GQP's cult leader advocates socialism?

Let's see - Trump starts this malarky about TikTok being a Chinese spy tool, and as usual, without any credible evidence presented gets everybody believing it. Then he leaves office, the storyline continues and people in both parties say oh yes oh yes TikTok must go and Biden signs off. Now the aforementioned Trump, noticing the 170 million pissed of people - many of whom probably vote, comes riding in on his white horse to "save" us all from the "crisis" he created. Yep, sounds like standard Trump v.1 and v.2.

[O Really]

So we, collectively, have gotten to see Trump in action now for 10 years active in national politics and for numerous years before that when he got his political background and experience as a game show host, real estate con man and sexual abuser. Despite his efforts to keep everyone off guard and never knowing what to expect, he has been consistent and predictable over all that time. No matter the venue, he has been looking solely to benefit himself, has learned to negotiate only from the position of fear, has been disloyal to everyone close to him at one point or another, and is inherently cruel and uncaring about others. Those traits are seen negatively by some, positively by others, but are nonetheless true.

So if he says something or attempts to do something that seems ummm, "strange", will it make more sense if looked at not in itself but from the perspective of what we know about him? Turns out it does. Tariffs, for example, and particularly on allies, make no sense economically or diplomatically. But - Trump's only negotiation mode has always been to threaten or take away something and then offer "concessions" in exchange for whatever he wants or can get. Who feels the impact of tariffs? Well, the US consumer ultimately, but also the companies required to pay it, who would have an excess and unnecessary cost impacting their revenues and profits. What happens if you issue broad tariffs, but also offer a variety of exemptions? Could you get out of the tariff if you do something benefitting Trump? Yeppers, betcha can. If Trump interrupts trade between Canada, Mexico and the US, could US neighbors on the north and south alleviate the mess by giving Trump something he wants? Yeppers, bet they can.

Does Trump really care about immigration? Nope, not except from his perspective of racism, but if he has "mass deportation" as a club, he can use it to beat up opposition. Will there be massive raids of agriculture operations in South Dakota and Nebraska? Nope. And suppose California decided to go all trumpy, officially, would we find that the need for mass raids had been "fixed"? Yeppers, betcha would.

Here's the game for today - pick any issue. Look at it from the standpoint of Trump's benefit, and see if it makes sense. Extra gold star for anyone who can come up with anything in Trump's agenda that is solely on behalf of the country and can't be traced back to Trump's benefit.

[GoCubsGo]

Productive day.

[GoCubsGo]

Suckers!

[Vrede too]

This term's Hope Hicks?

One of them.

Who is Karoline Leavitt, the youngest-ever White House press secretary?

[GoCubsGo]

She ain't the only one.

Hillary Clinton's Reaction to Donald Trump Renaming the Gulf of Mexico at Inauguration Goes Viral

[GoCubsGo]

She may not survive this.



Carrie Underwood Faces Backlash After Nabbing Donald Trump Inauguration Gig: 'Incredibly Outrageous'

Embarrassment on multiple levels.

Perfect, although she does get some credit for pulling it off.

Carrie Underwood Reportedly Had a Heated Reaction Backstage After Her Inauguration Performance

Underwood was reportedly not thrilled as how her rendition went down, according to the Daily Mail. She allegedly felt that she was not “afforded the same level of respect” as other singers have in the past, including “Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.” “Carrie was dissatisfied with her performance at the event, primarily due to the limited space she was given, which left her feeling cramped and uncomfortable,” a source revealed.

It seems like she would rather forget the entire event. In addition to not sharing the news with her Instagram followers ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, Underwood did not upload any post-event photos or commentary. Her silence speaks volumes after her decision to perform for Donald Trump brought some criticism from fans who thought she should have stayed out of the political discourse. Instead, she leaned into the controversy.

[O Really]

It's curious with all the emphasis on getting rid of DEI stuff, which generally has no teeth, no compliance reviews, no enforcement, no reporting requirements they seem to be ignoring Executive Order 11146, which requires affirmative action of all federal contractors. Unlike DEI, 11246 requires a written affirmative action plan, annual reporting, compliance reviews sometimes on site, fines and a rarely used potential of shutting down the contract. Let's not tell the trumpers, mmmmK?

[GoCubsGo]

Anyone have a clue as to what he's up to?

Is it getting rid of anyone who's not a bootlicker and America be damned?

Trump fires heads of TSA, Coast Guard and guts key aviation safety advisory committee

[Vrede too]

Productive day.

Does this indicate that he will fight hard for KINO's confirmation?

[O Really]

Anyone have a clue as to what he's up to?

Is it getting rid of anyone who's not a bootlicker and America be damned?

Trump fires heads of TSA, Coast Guard and guts key aviation safety advisory committee

I'll take getting rid of non bootlickers, plus increasing the markets for dogs and ponies for $1,000 Ken