[Discussion] Hope to Remember The Trump Administration Thread as being 'transparent and honest'

Let's follow and discuss what our newest presidential administration gets up to, the good, the bad, the lawsuits, and the many many indictments.

Paleocon wrote:

In January of 1985, the Dow opened at a little under 3100. By December of 1994, it was 6511. That is one of the most aggressive bull markets in human history.

Losing a billion dollars during this time is almost literally impossible.

NYT wrote:

At his nadir, in the post-recession autumn of 1991, Mr. Trump testified before a congressional task force, calling for changes in the tax code to benefit his industry.

“The real estate business — we’re in an absolute depression,” Mr. Trump told the lawmakers, adding: “I see no sign of any kind of upturn at all. There is no incentive to invest. Everyone is doing badly, everyone.”

Everyone, perhaps, except his father, Fred Trump.

While Donald Trump reported hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for 1990 and 1991, Fred Trump’s returns showed a positive income of $53.9 million, with only one major loss: $15 million invested in his son’s latest apartment project.

He is a walking, squawking weapon of mass financial destruction who, taken even in small doses, results in one sh*tting razor blades for three days before dying of humiliating bankruptcy.

The only people to ever get in business with him and not contract financial syphilis are folks who routinely poison people with nuclear waste.

so what? I mean are racists republicans really going to abandon him. No he is their hero. f*ck losing money probably makes them like him more! He is bad with money like me!

I wouldn't assume he actually lost money based on his tax return. Real estate has a lot of ways to make losses appear for tax purposes.

BlackSheep wrote:

It’s not really a ‘loophole,’ - it’s fraud just like if I ‘accidentally’ set my house on fire for the insurance is a ‘loophole’ and not fraud.

Further, if he lied about his debts and assets to banks, as looks likely, that's also illegal.

Meanwhile, you're about to get approximately seven times more calls and texts:
WP: Trump administration wants to allow debt collectors to call 7 times a week and text, email as much as they want: Consumer advocates say the proposal appears designed to shield debt collectors from lawsuits rather than help consumers

I'd narrow my criticism because it's only debt collectors rather than all phone spammers---but I already get frequent calls from debt collectors because the person who had my phone number ten years ago got put on a list at some point and they've been calling me off and on for the past decade trying to collect a debt from someone I've never heard of. I imagine I'm not the only one who deals with this...

The interesting thing about the tax return issue is that it puts Trump at a bit of a fork: either he acknowledges that he took this significant losses and that he's not the World's Greatest Dealmaker after all; or else he says that the tax returns are false and so opens himself up to accusations of criminal tax evasion.

His only real hope is to dismiss it as "fake news" and claim that he was exploiting the same loopholes as everyone else and hope that people buy it.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

His only real hope is to dismiss it as "fake news" and claim that he was exploiting the same loopholes as everyone else and hope that people buy it.

And that is a play that works extremely well for him. I think it will work just fine. Do that for one speech or tweet and then tell the cult they need to be afraid of Mexicans, or muslims, or hollywood, or whatever is the current scapegoat

ClockworkHouse wrote:

The interesting thing about the tax return issue is that it puts Trump at a bit of a fork: either he acknowledges that he took this significant losses and that he's not the World's Greatest Dealmaker after all; or else he says that the tax returns are false and so opens himself up to accusations of criminal tax evasion.

His only real hope is to dismiss it as "fake news" and claim that he was exploiting the same loopholes as everyone else and hope that people buy it.

Or he could double down on his comments during the campaign to the effect of he is so smart he can figure how to get out of his tax burden. This, I believe, would play to his supporters who see government spending (which does not include SSI, SSDI, Medicare, and defense) as a waste.

Here he goes this morning on twitter:

IMAGE(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/60011456_10218957408751328_8279035421409673216_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=fdb8b6ffc60a65a7a00071b38d0ef91a&oe=5D60B753)

So both. He's a genius, everyone was doing it. And also it's fake news. Uh...

Hey everybody: we're going to solve poverty! By redefining it!

Bloomberg: Trump May Redefine Poverty, Cutting Americans From Welfare Rolls

You're not poor anymore, you just don't have any money. This will make the statistics look great!

Stele wrote:

Here he goes this morning on twitter:

That looks familiar...

ClockworkHouse wrote:

His only real hope is to dismiss it as "fake news" and claim that he was exploiting the same loopholes as everyone else and hope that people buy it.

I can't stand to read his Twitter feed, so thanks for doing the hard work of wading through that garbage.

LeapingGnome wrote:

I wouldn't assume he actually lost money based on his tax return. Real estate has a lot of ways to make losses appear for tax purposes.

So, basically, he's a welfare queen.

Paleocon wrote:
LeapingGnome wrote:

I wouldn't assume he actually lost money based on his tax return. Real estate has a lot of ways to make losses appear for tax purposes.

So, basically, he's a welfare queen.

That would be a brilliant line of attack to take.

The humble brag of everybody did it and he was the best at it is fantastic.

Politico: Democrats appear headed straight to court for Trump's tax returns

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal indicated Tuesday that Democrats would go straight to federal court to try to force the administration to give up President Donald Trump’s tax returns, skipping a subpoena or a contempt vote.

“There doesn’t have to be any intermediary step. They seem not to be paying a lot of attention to the subpoenas, so take it from there,” Neal (D-Mass.) told reporters, adding that he’d have a response by the end of this week to the rejection of his request for the returns.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday shot down Neal’s request for six years’ worth of Trump’s personal returns and some of his business filings. Mnuchin told Neal that, relying on Justice Department advice, he determined that the request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose,” so Treasury isn’t “authorized” to disclose the returns.

Neal, in his fullest comments since Mnuchin’s decision, said: “That’s what a federal judge will decide. We think the law is unambiguous.”

The law is unambiguous. But Trump has never cared about the law.

Stele wrote:

So both. He's a genius, everyone was doing it. And also it's fake news. Uh...

Keep in mind that his definition of "Fake News" is the same as Putin's, "Any news that is true, but makes me look bad." So, to him it is both.

And the tactic of putting out multiple, conflicting spins is now standard practice in modern autocracy. The base believes whatever they choose to believe that makes them feel good about themselves, and the media talk about his messaging and rhetoric instead of the actual things he did.
This is Disinformation Dictatorships for Dummies. And we are falling for it.

Mixolyde wrote:
Stele wrote:

So both. He's a genius, everyone was doing it. And also it's fake news. Uh...

Keep in mind that his definition of "Fake News" is the same as Putin's, "Any news that is true, but makes me look bad." So, to him it is both.

And the tactic of putting out multiple, conflicting spins is now standard practice in modern autocracy. The base believes whatever they choose to believe that makes them feel good about themselves, and the media talk about his messaging and rhetoric instead of the actual things he did.
This is Disinformation Dictatorships for Dummies. And we are falling for it.

I do love that he says in the same sentence that this is "old news" and that it's "fake news." The man's a savant in some areas.

That paragraph.

Trump Invokes Executive Privilege, Demands Toothpaste Return To The Tube Forthwith:
Trump's executive privilege argument is dumb

Living with Donald Trump continues to be like living with a parrot who spends all day watching Law & Order. He says legal sounding words he’s heard on television. His owners clap because he’s such a dumb animal that mere articulation seems like an achievement. Later, some cynical turd in the punch bowl has to say “You all know the parrot can’t really talk, right? You know that it doesn’t know what it’s saying, right?”

White House Welcomes 'Boston Red Socks' Ahead of Donald Trump Visit

Something was lost in translation as the White House prepared to host the Boston Red Sox to celebrate their 2018 World Series title.

The White House incorrectly listed the team as the "Boston Red Socks" on a page listing the day's events.

I wonder if they got Wendy's or KFC?

Jayhawker wrote:

I wonder if they got Wendy's or KFC?

It's the new tradition. When Trump hosted Baylor women’s basketball team last month he also fed them fast food.

Of course that also kinda means that Trump's original explanation for serving fast food to sports teams--that the government was shut down and there was no kitchen staff around to make something better--was bullsh*t and he's really just a cheap f*cker who wants an excuse to make the White House smell like a McDonalds.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

The law is unambiguous. But Trump has never cared about the law.

Vox: How golf explains Trump. Seriously.
“This guy cheats like a mafia accountant.”

...

Here’s one: While Trump was meeting with Kim [Jong Un] in Singapore, a club championship was held at Trump International, a course Trump built near Mar-a-Lago in Florida for his rich people friends to join. So anyway, a month later, Trump’s there at his golf course, with the Secret Service and the SWAT team guys and all that stuff. And he sees Ted Virtue, one of the financiers behind the movie Green Book.

Virtue — who wouldn’t speak to me directly, but the story was reported by Golf.com and I confirmed it through two other members of the club — was playing with his kid, who I think is 10 or 11 years old. He [Trump] sees Ted on the 12th hole and decides to drive his cart over there. He tells Ted: Congrats on winning the club championship, but you didn’t really win it because I was out of town.

Ted tries to laugh it off, but Trump is dead serious. Trump says, “We’re going to play these last six holes for the championship.” And Ted’s like, “I’m playing with my son, but thanks anyway.” But Trump says, “No, your son can play too.” So they end up playing.

They get to a hole with a big pond on it. Both Ted and his son hit the ball on the green, and Trump hits his in the water. By the time they get to the hole, Trump is lining up the kid’s ball. Only now it’s his ball and the caddie has switched it. The kid’s like, “Daddy, that’s my ball.”

But Trump’s caddie goes, “No, this is the president’s ball; your ball went in the water.” Ted and his son look at each other confused, not sure if this is really happening. And Trump’s caddie says, “This is the president’s ball. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Trump makes that putt, wins one up, and declares himself the club champion.

...

This is the president's country. I don't know what to tell you.

That's some Goldfinger level stuff.

Rat Boy wrote:

That's some Goldfinger level stuff.

That's exactly what came to mind for me.

Beware Stephen Miller wearing a bowler hat.

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6NA3yBU8AAkkpB.png)
IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6NA6FpUcAMyKZj.png)
IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6NA8j9UcAAmDug.png)

So after 28 months in office Trump still doesn't understand even the most basic things about international trade *and* no one in his administration has been able to educate him.

So American consumers will pay about $500 more this year for imported products (and even more for Trump's bribes to farmers).

And where are all the conservatives who rage against any form of taxation?

Gremlin wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

The law is unambiguous. But Trump has never cared about the law.

Vox: How golf explains Trump. Seriously.
“This guy cheats like a mafia accountant.”

...

Here’s one: While Trump was meeting with Kim [Jong Un] in Singapore, a club championship was held at Trump International, a course Trump built near Mar-a-Lago in Florida for his rich people friends to join. So anyway, a month later, Trump’s there at his golf course, with the Secret Service and the SWAT team guys and all that stuff. And he sees Ted Virtue, one of the financiers behind the movie Green Book.

Virtue — who wouldn’t speak to me directly, but the story was reported by Golf.com and I confirmed it through two other members of the club — was playing with his kid, who I think is 10 or 11 years old. He [Trump] sees Ted on the 12th hole and decides to drive his cart over there. He tells Ted: Congrats on winning the club championship, but you didn’t really win it because I was out of town.

Ted tries to laugh it off, but Trump is dead serious. Trump says, “We’re going to play these last six holes for the championship.” And Ted’s like, “I’m playing with my son, but thanks anyway.” But Trump says, “No, your son can play too.” So they end up playing.

They get to a hole with a big pond on it. Both Ted and his son hit the ball on the green, and Trump hits his in the water. By the time they get to the hole, Trump is lining up the kid’s ball. Only now it’s his ball and the caddie has switched it. The kid’s like, “Daddy, that’s my ball.”

But Trump’s caddie goes, “No, this is the president’s ball; your ball went in the water.” Ted and his son look at each other confused, not sure if this is really happening. And Trump’s caddie says, “This is the president’s ball. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Trump makes that putt, wins one up, and declares himself the club champion.

...

This is the president's country. I don't know what to tell you.

I love how the caddies call him Pele for how much he kicks the ball.

But to be honest, if I owned a golf course I would probably make sure I was on the leaderboard too.

Gremlin wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

The law is unambiguous. But Trump has never cared about the law.

Vox: How golf explains Trump. Seriously.
“This guy cheats like a mafia accountant.”

...

Here’s one: While Trump was meeting with Kim [Jong Un] in Singapore, a club championship was held at Trump International, a course Trump built near Mar-a-Lago in Florida for his rich people friends to join. So anyway, a month later, Trump’s there at his golf course, with the Secret Service and the SWAT team guys and all that stuff. And he sees Ted Virtue, one of the financiers behind the movie Green Book.

Virtue — who wouldn’t speak to me directly, but the story was reported by Golf.com and I confirmed it through two other members of the club — was playing with his kid, who I think is 10 or 11 years old. He [Trump] sees Ted on the 12th hole and decides to drive his cart over there. He tells Ted: Congrats on winning the club championship, but you didn’t really win it because I was out of town.

Ted tries to laugh it off, but Trump is dead serious. Trump says, “We’re going to play these last six holes for the championship.” And Ted’s like, “I’m playing with my son, but thanks anyway.” But Trump says, “No, your son can play too.” So they end up playing.

They get to a hole with a big pond on it. Both Ted and his son hit the ball on the green, and Trump hits his in the water. By the time they get to the hole, Trump is lining up the kid’s ball. Only now it’s his ball and the caddie has switched it. The kid’s like, “Daddy, that’s my ball.”

But Trump’s caddie goes, “No, this is the president’s ball; your ball went in the water.” Ted and his son look at each other confused, not sure if this is really happening. And Trump’s caddie says, “This is the president’s ball. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Trump makes that putt, wins one up, and declares himself the club champion.

...

This is the president's country. I don't know what to tell you.

That's an insane story and tells you everything about his perspective on truth and facts.

Between having no conception of how tariffs actually work and how he plays golf and the other 1million weird things. Living in Trumps mind and seeing out of his eyes for a single day would be the most surreal mind altering experience.

He might be the closest thing to a mutant that the world ever created. It's like the cumulation of the most absurd variant of I don't know what.

jowner wrote:

It's like the cumulation of the most absurd variant of I don't know what

Wealthy white male privilege.