Trump Dump: Internal Policy (Thread I)

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2:47 PM
August 25 by Mark Berman
Trump wishes ‘good luck to everybody’ in Texas
When President Trump left the White House on Friday for Camp David, reporters shouted out questions on a number of topics, including about his economic adviser and a high-profile boxing match set for Saturday.

He did not answer. But he did respond to a question about what message he has for people in Texas.

“Good luck to everybody,” Trump said. “They’re going to be safe. Good luck to everybody.”

Trump added, pumping his first for emphasis, “Good luck.”

"Good Luck"


IE, "hope you don't die, but I'm going to vacation at Camp David, regardless."

[Flagg]

"They're going to be safe?" I hope his supporters didn't take that to mean they should stay in their mobile homes built on a flood plain. I'm not even kidding. What a cunt.

[Simon_Jester]

Fiddling while Houston bubbles, basically.

I don't really think his time as Governor is all that relevant. If the House and Senate managed to get their shit together and pass an ACA repeal do you really think he'd veto it when that's part of the platform he ran on? If he did, do you think he'd be elected (assuming he wasn't successfully primaried) as POTUS in 2020? State politics is very different from national politics.

I could see Pence actually trying to "fix" the ACA, in the sense of making it more palatable to Republicans without stripping health insurance from twenty million people.

Broomstick's point, is that Pence's list of priorities seems to include "not letting poor people die for lack of health insurance." It may not be at the top of his list, but it's on that list somewhere. This is a massive step up from most other powerful Republican politicians, including Trump.

[Flagg]

Fiddling while Houston bubbles, basically.

I don't really think his time as Governor is all that relevant. If the House and Senate managed to get their shit together and pass an ACA repeal do you really think he'd veto it when that's part of the platform he ran on? If he did, do you think he'd be elected (assuming he wasn't successfully primaried) as POTUS in 2020? State politics is very different from national politics.

I could see Pence actually trying to "fix" the ACA, in the sense of making it more palatable to Republicans without stripping health insurance from twenty million people.

Broomstick's point, is that Pence's list of priorities seems to include "not letting poor people die for lack of health insurance." It may not be at the top of his list, but it's on that list somewhere. This is a massive step up from most other powerful Republican politicians, including Trump.

It's a valid point, but having to work with a state legislature and having to work with congress are 2 very different things. And to be honest, I don't think Republican "improvements" to the ACA are in the interest of those who rely on it for health insurance. And Trumpzi can't get any changes to it passed while Pence, seeming reasonable in comparison, may very well be able to. I guess I just see Trumpzi as such an out of touch with the rest of his party assclown able to accomplish nothing as the better to be in office as opposed to Pence who seemingly knows how to get things done. That said, I can't say getting Trumpzi as far away from the nuclear codes as possible is a bad thing.

[Crossroads Inc.]

So, a new low in the "Petulant Man Child says "I dumped you before you dumped me!" " stories..
To Summarize.
A while ago, some of the players on the Golden State Warriors admonished Trump for various things, and not so subtly hinted they had no intention of going to the White House as per custom.
After hearing of said comments, Trump tweets he is "Un-Inviting" the team, keeping in mind he had yet to actually offer a formal invitation in the first place.

. President Donald Trump's rescinding of a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors opened a new fissure in the cultural wars on Saturday, touching off a war of words with between the president and a growing number of professional athletes.

Trump waded into a simmering debate on sports and free speech after he appeared to withdraw an invitation for the Warriors to visit the White House, and said National Football League (NFL) owners should fire players who openly protest by taking a knee on the field.

Trump's remarks stirred an already thorny national conversation about the dividing lines between politics, sports and race relations, with a number of sports figures using their celebrity to advance social justice causes. At a rally in Alabama on Friday, Trump sparked a firestorm on social media by suggesting NFL players who kneel during the national anthem should be fired by owners, and in doing so used salty language.

Although the Warriors have not yet received a formal invitation to the White House, Trump's post on Twitter came just a day after NBA All-Star Stephen Curry ruled out accepting it. Back in February, Curry burned Trump after the CEO of UnderArmour said having a pro-business president was an "asset" for the country.

Traditionally, championship-winning sports teams are asked to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a photo-op with the president. In a series of early morning Twitter posts on Saturday, Trump called a visit to the White House "a great honor," and admonished Curry for his resistance.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the president was rescinding the invite for the entire Golden State Warriors team, or Curry specifically.

However, the Warriors released a statement in response, saying the team accepted that Trump "has made it clear that we are not invited. We're disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise."

Yet the verbal jousting rose to a new level after Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James called Trump a "bum" on Twitter, effectively supporting the man who vanquished him in the NBA Finals. During the 2106 election, James campaigned for former Democratic contender Hillary Clinton in Ohio.

Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul also took to Twitter to lash out at Trump, telling him to "stay in [his] lane." Separately, former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant also weighed in by saying the president was creating "division and anger."


'You're fired!'

Playing in the background of the conflict with Curry was the NFL's on-field protests meant to draw attention to race relations.

Trump's statement in Alabama on Friday was interpreted by many to be a veiled reference to Colin Kaepernick, the free agent quarterback who took a knee in protest against police brutality while he was still playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Kaepernick's supporters argue that his protest is the main factor behind why he hasn't been acquired by another NFL team.

In a statement on Saturday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared to side with protesting players. He responded by calling Trump's comments "divisive" and demonstrative of an "unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players," he said. Goodell also lamented "a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities."

DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFL Players Association, said in a statement on Saturday that the peaceful demonstrations "are protected speech and a freedom that has been paid for by the sacrifice of men and women throughout history."

Still, "the line that marks the balance between the rights of every citizen in our great country gets crossed when someone is told to just 'shut up and play,'" Smith said.

Since Kaepernick's show of defiance, a number of other NFL players have followed suit. The debate has overshadowed the start of football season, where ratings have tumbled sharply as some viewers protest teams' refusal to pick up Kaepernick, while others have opted to avoid the politicized displays.

--The Associated Press contributed to this article.

So long and short, Trump once again acting as Petulant Man Child

[Dragon Angel]

Is ... it even legal at all for Trump to start telling NFL owners to fire protesting players? Is this edging on, if not a blatant violation of the First Amendment?

Not like Trump has ever cared about legality, but if he can get away with this who knows what other First Amendment violations he'd be able to get away with later...

[Flagg]

Is ... it even legal at all for Trump to start telling NFL owners to fire protesting players? Is this edging on, if not a blatant violation of the First Amendment?

Not like Trump has ever cared about legality, but if he can get away with this who knows what other First Amendment violations he'd be able to get away with later...

It’s his right to express the opinion that the players should be fired. That’s really all he did.

[Dragon Angel]

It’s his right to express the opinion that the players should be fired. That’s really all he did.

Mainly I ask because I saw a reference to this statute elsewhere, so I wondered if there was a line that was crossed:

(a) Whoever, being a covered government person, with the intent to influence, solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation, an employment decision or employment practice of any private entity—

(1) takes or withholds, or offers or threatens to take or withhold, an official act, or
(2) influences, or offers or threatens to influence, the official act of another,

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

(b) In this section, the term “covered government person” means—

(1) a Senator or Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;
(2) an employee of either House of Congress; or
(3) the President, Vice President, an employee of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission, or any other executive branch employee (as such term is defined under section 2105 of title 5, United States Code).

Looking into this statute I guess it's debatable. a.1 is not applicable and a.2 is ... iffy. He's also been on a warpath on his Twitter account, which doesn't exactly help his case.



But, I'm the furthest from a legal expert so.

[Flagg]

I think he would have to say “or I will do <insert negative action>“.

[Gandalf]

Indeed. It's basically commentary on his part.

That said, I hope more players start taking a knee, and that it spreads more to other sports. 'Twas good to see it start in baseball.

[Simon_Jester]

What is the original significance of the kneeling gesture? I think I missed that.

[Flagg]

What is the original significance of the kneeling gesture? I think I missed that.

Cops gettiing away with murdering unarmed black children.

[Gandalf]

What is the original significance of the kneeling gesture? I think I missed that.

NFL.com has an article where Kaepernick goes into it into a bit of depth, but here's the money quote; "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

[Civil War Man]

That said, I hope more players start taking a knee, and that it spreads more to other sports. 'Twas good to see it start in baseball.

Looks like you got your wish, since it was all over the place this week. Entire teams taking a knee, some of them joined by the coaches and team owners. The Steelers also upped the ante, with the entire team staying in the locker room until the anthem ended.

[TheFeniX]

I've always been amused by the hypocrisy of "celebrity says/does things I like, true American hero, we need more of these types, call them up and see if we can get an endorsement" but "celebrity says/does things I don't like, garbage, they should just leave, they don't get paid to voice an opinion, how dare they disrespect what I hold dear."

The Texans (goddamn I still think that's the dumbest fucking name for a football team) just released a statement condemning Trumps comment, so I'm interested to see how other Texans (people who live here) deal with their competing insanity of "Conservative > all" versus "IT'S FOOTBALL SON!"

And as far as protests go, this has been incredibly effective at least for exposure. I've never really understood why U.S. conservatives have such a hard on for the NATIONAL anthem. It's like "small government, but jerk it to that flag son." I still show respect because, for all it's faults, I think think this country does ok. But I can fully understand someone else being "I don't owe that flag or that song a fucking thing" and using Conservative bullshit mentality to get them all riled up with zero effort other than taking a knee is hilarious.

Goddamn modern conservatives are some thin-skinned wuss-factories.

[Broomstick]

Meanwhile.... the US Capitol was apparently treated to the spectacle of 1) a bunch of people in wheelchairs staging a protest/sit-in/wheel-in/whatever and 2) the spectacle of police dragging people in wheelchairs away for arrest. Also blind people, people on crutches, minus a limb or two....

All about that "healthcare" bill that's been proposed. The scare quotes are because I think it has jack to to do with either health or care.

[The Romulan Republic]

American police: proudly arresting invalids exercising their free speech rights, to defend the right of the rich to kill said invalids for the "crime" of being sick and poor.

[Broomstick]

From the looks of the police I don't think "proud" entered into anyone's mind, but disrupting protesters get removed at some point, regardless of whether or not said protesters are crippled or not,

[Flagg]

“Cripples?” Really?

Anyway, when does the Congressional investigation start?

Anyone?

Bueller?

[Crossroads Inc.]

nope never.
If they even bother to defend themselves, it will be saying "Well these aren't SECRET things like Hillary" and "WE aren't doing anything like BENGHAZI"

But..
With how trump and his cronies work, Id be surprised if they even bother to say anything. They KNOW theres nothing they can do at this point that can get them in trouble.

[Gaidin]

nope never.
If they even bother to defend themselves, it will be saying "Well these aren't SECRET things like Hillary" and "WE aren't doing anything like BENGHAZI"

But..
With how trump and his cronies work, Id be surprised if they even bother to say anything. They KNOW theres nothing they can do at this point that can get them in trouble.

I realize we're in a political thread but how often has that video come up where your best defense is to say nothing. These guys have at least one committee bearing down on them, nevermind something we haven't heard of.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, it must be something really bad if it gets Trump to shut up, instead of self-incriminating on Twitter.

[Broomstick]

Speaking of Trump and Twitter - his recent digs at the mayor of San Juan make me want to puke. I guess toeing the line on maintaining the YUUUUGEEE GREATNESS!!! of the Trump Brand(TM) is more important than the suffering of 3.5 million fellow citizens.

[Highlord Laan]

Speaking of Trump and Twitter - his recent digs at the mayor of San Juan make me want to puke. I guess toeing the line on maintaining the YUUUUGEEE GREATNESS!!! of the Trump Brand(TM) is more important than the suffering of 3.5 million fellow citizens.

To Il Duce and his mouth-breathing followers, they're not fellow citizens. Instead they're dirty nonmurricans crying for handouts.

[Broomstick]

I'm sure they feel the same about many in Texas and Florida who are still suffering - that's entirely dropped out of the news feeds, but millions are still affected and struggling,