As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

The Trump Administration Thread For Discussing the Trump Administration

ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
edited December 2016 in Debate and/or Discourse
So there's this guy who's the new president-elect. I think he's called Trump, but it's hard to say, because whenever someone speaks his name the only noise that emanates forth is the black screech of a thousand lunatic crows, flooding through the ragged hole that has been torn in the fabric of reality.

This thread is for discussing President-Elect Trump, the fascinating spectacle of his transition team, and the grim tapestry of madness that is his administration. It is not a thread for discussing:

- The election that just transpired
- Hillary, Bernie, Stein, Johnson, or other people who were not elected
- How the Democrats can fight against Trump

Other items of note:

- That thing where you post something clearly off topic and say "there's nowhere to post this so I'll just put it in here lolz"? Do not do that thing unless you want to eat an infraction. Seriously, it will not go well for you.
-Do not inline an entire article. God invented urls for a reason. Posting a paragraph or two is fine.
- Be excellent to each other. This should go without saying, but you know. Srsly. Do not be dillholes, you dillholes.

Now get posting. Trump has been a busy little beaver in the last 24 hours, and there is much to discuss.

I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
ElJeffe on
«134567100

Posts

  • ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    I'm so glad that the man who will be president soon is concerned with how mean SNL is to him.

    It's the middle of the damned week.

    The shoutout about his tax returns was nice. Keep fighting the good fight.

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
  • HamHamJHamHamJ Registered User regular
    So I heard on NPR that Bob Dole may have been behind the Trump Taiwan phone call as he was an early supporter of Trump and is also a paid lobbyist for Taiwan.

    While racing light mechs, your Urbanmech comes in second place, but only because it ran out of ammo.
  • GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    My confidence in trump would probably go up 300% if there was a guy who's sole job was to slap his cell phone/tablet/PC away everytime he tried to use twitter.

  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    DHS - John F. Kelly, another retired Marine general. This one retired all of a year ago. Among other things, he presumes everyone in Gitmo is guilty automatically. Is also retrograde on women in the military. Major command was Latin America, so he's a drug warrior. Wheeeee. Personal and sad note, he lost a son if Afghanistan, highest ranking person in the military to have that happen.

    Trump is also fighting with the head of the union at the Carrier plant, because the union guy is calling the whole thing bullshit and says Trump lied about how many jobs "he" saved. Guy is now getting threatening phone calls, though he says no explicit death threats yet!

    Laffer loves the tax plan, wheee!

    On the plus side, I don't think he caused any international incidents in the 30 hours since the thread got locked!

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    edited December 2016
    So let's see, we have:
    1. Wrestling magnate Linda McMahon for the SBA
    2. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the EPA (items of note: has an opened legal challenges to EPA enforcement; climate change skeptic)
    3. Picked retired general John Kelly to run the DHS because, after all, law enforcement is a war out there. (Honestly, this seems like one of the less objectionable picks he's had).

    He's been busy.

    The bottomless pit of horror that represents his administration is getting deeper!

    Orca on
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    Pruitt's been described as someone who was working in concert with the oil companies as Oklahoma AG, so yeah.

    McMahan is like the sanest pick he's made so far, which is hilariously depressing.

    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    The epa pick just bemuses me, as does the whole 'it's a complete lie' stance on climate change. Even Exxon can't say that any more because they can't find competent staff (as in, people who have engineering degrees and can find oil and gas for them) who share that belief.

    Yes, im literally saying that anyone who is smart enough to do oil extraction science and understand percolation theory agrees climate change is real. In fact, I dont think there is any real scientist in the entire world, regardless of field who would say that it isn't at least partly due to human emissions, and that there would be value to stopping if we could. Not one person capable of doing any real work in modern science or engineering. That's how clear the data is.

    "That is cool" - Abraham Lincoln
  • OneAngryPossumOneAngryPossum Registered User regular
    Trump's ongoing efforts to build military credibility and some sway in that community continue to deeply trouble me. There's a cadre of officers that deeply resented Obama's attempts at de-escalation and peace efforts, and I'm worried what the hell they do when this vile leaf in the wind is the only thing stopping them.

  • AstaerethAstaereth In the belly of the beastRegistered User regular
    I've been rewatching The West Wing and there's an episode where Republicans and Democrats have a strong, substantive disagreement: the Democrats want to increase the minimum wage over the next two years, while the Republicans want to increase it by the same amount over the next three years.

    I'm just saying, the extremity of distance in policy reversals that's going to happen between these two administrations is insane. The Trump admin is going to swing so far right compared to Obama that it will be both staggering and unprecedented. When were the parties last this far apart? The Civil War?

    ACsTqqK.jpg
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    Astaereth wrote: »
    I've been rewatching The West Wing and there's an episode where Republicans and Democrats have a strong, substantive disagreement: the Democrats want to increase the minimum wage over the next two years, while the Republicans want to increase it by the same amount over the next three years.

    I'm just saying, the extremity of distance in policy reversals that's going to happen between these two administrations is insane. The Trump admin is going to swing so far right compared to Obama that it will be both staggering and unprecedented. When were the parties last this far apart? The Civil War?

    1933 (re: New Deal) or 1939-1941 (re: intervention, though that wasn't strictly partisan), probably. At least in terms of acrimony.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    Trump's ongoing efforts to build military credibility and some sway in that community continue to deeply trouble me. There's a cadre of officers that deeply resented Obama's attempts at de-escalation and peace efforts, and I'm worried what the hell they do when this vile leaf in the wind is the only thing stopping them.

    Honestly open war in the middle east might be the least destructive thing trump has planned.

    "That is cool" - Abraham Lincoln
  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    Pruitt's been described as someone who was working in concert with the oil companies as Oklahoma AG, so yeah.

    McMahan is like the sanest pick he's made so far, which is hilariously depressing.

    If by working in concert you mean "sent letters wrote by the oil companies", yes. He just put their text on his letterhead and signed it.

  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    a
    Astaereth wrote: »
    I've been rewatching The West Wing and there's an episode where Republicans and Democrats have a strong, substantive disagreement: the Democrats want to increase the minimum wage over the next two years, while the Republicans want to increase it by the same amount over the next three years.

    I'm just saying, the extremity of distance in policy reversals that's going to happen between these two administrations is insane. The Trump admin is going to swing so far right compared to Obama that it will be both staggering and unprecedented. When were the parties last this far apart? The Civil War?

    As usual, xkcd has a really in depth chart of that. If you except extremism in party as the gap.

    The short is the house has been fucked for decades, but otherwise yeah. Thing to keep in mind with that chart is D/R didnt always mean what they mean today.

    steam_sig.png
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Astaereth wrote: »
    I've been rewatching The West Wing and there's an episode where Republicans and Democrats have a strong, substantive disagreement: the Democrats want to increase the minimum wage over the next two years, while the Republicans want to increase it by the same amount over the next three years.

    I'm just saying, the extremity of distance in policy reversals that's going to happen between these two administrations is insane. The Trump admin is going to swing so far right compared to Obama that it will be both staggering and unprecedented. When were the parties last this far apart? The Civil War?

    ie - The reason why The West Wing is a bunch of fantastically implausible bullcrap. Arguably to the point where it does harm the same way police procedurals do.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    I knew his administration would be a joke, but not "hiring a WWE executive" levels of three-ring circus.

    YL9WnCY.png
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    I knew his administration would be a joke, but not "hiring a WWE executive" levels of three-ring circus.

    Cabinet meetings well be stocked with folding chairs from here out.

    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    Band plays hail to the chief and suddenly the music cuts, and then...

  • TraceTrace GNU Terry Pratchett; GNU Gus; GNU Carrie Fisher; GNU Adam We Registered User regular
    I believe Donald Trump has been the only President to suffer a Stone Cold Stunner.

  • BurnageBurnage Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    Imagine how much hell would be raised if President-Elect Clinton appointed someone who'd donated $5 million to the Clinton Foundation to... well, pretty much any position.

    Yet Trump is doing that exact thing with McMahon and I'm guessing nobody will really give a damn. Utterly phenomenal.

    Burnage on
  • lonelyahavalonelyahava Call me Ahava ~~She/Her~~ Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    I knew his administration would be a joke, but not "hiring a WWE executive" levels of three-ring circus.

    I checked like 4 different news sites, just to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

    I wasn't until I saw it here that I fully believed the story.

  • TraceTrace GNU Terry Pratchett; GNU Gus; GNU Carrie Fisher; GNU Adam We Registered User regular
    Also it looks super duper likely that Biden is gearing up to smack the shit out of Trump in 2020.

    Obama can't be the vice president can he?

  • Alistair HuttonAlistair Hutton Dr EdinburghRegistered User regular
    I knew his administration would be a joke, but not "hiring a WWE executive" levels of three-ring circus.

    The main thing is the McMahon's are the source of the single largest non Trump donations to the Trump Foundation.

    Pay to play.

    I have a thoughtful and infrequently updated blog about games http://whatithinkaboutwhenithinkaboutgames.wordpress.com/

    I made a game, it has penguins in it. It's pay what you like on Gumroad.

    Currently Ebaying Nothing at all but I might do in the future.
  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    Trace wrote: »
    Also it looks super duper likely that Biden is gearing up to smack the shit out of Trump in 2020.

    Obama can't be the vice president can he?

    Isn't Biden like 74 years old?

    I wish had been the nominee this time, in hindsight--but it seems like 2020 is a little too late. We're going to need to find some younger blood, I think.

    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    OremLK wrote: »
    Trace wrote: »
    Also it looks super duper likely that Biden is gearing up to smack the shit out of Trump in 2020.

    Obama can't be the vice president can he?

    Isn't Biden like 74 years old?

    I wish had been the nominee this time, in hindsight--but it seems like 2020 is a little too late. We're going to need to find some younger blood, I think.

    I sort of agree with you, but I can't imagine anyone refusing to vote for Biden on account of Biden being old.

    He needs to have one hell of a VP pick, however. Someone bulletproof.

  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    OremLK wrote: »
    Trace wrote: »
    Also it looks super duper likely that Biden is gearing up to smack the shit out of Trump in 2020.

    Obama can't be the vice president can he?

    Isn't Biden like 74 years old?

    I wish had been the nominee this time, in hindsight--but it seems like 2020 is a little too late. We're going to need to find some younger blood, I think.

    I've seen arguments that it was partially to act as a lightning rod for the right wing defamation machine. Since he's not actually a sitting politician, them spending the next 4 years attacking him means less time and money spent attacking other dems

    steam_sig.png
  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    I knew his administration would be a joke, but not "hiring a WWE executive" levels of three-ring circus.

    Cabinet meetings well be stocked with folding chairs from here out.

    Are we actually a story-arc of Lucha Underground?

  • ShadowhopeShadowhope Baa. Registered User regular


    Linda McMahon is potentially one of the better cabinet choices. Not that she's a good choice overall, and the pay to play is hilariously overt, but she has a base level of competence that's reassuring. If small business fails under Trump it won't be because his cabinet pick wants to outlaw small businesses.

    Also, I want you all to know that "The Trump Administration" is an anagram for "I hid mint test trauma porn," which feels appropriate.

    Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
  • a nu starta nu start Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    My Trump news site, should the domain be swamp.team or swamp.zone? Maybe swamp.lol?

    Climate denial aside, I don't see how anyone sane would think it's okay to put someone in charge of the organization they are suing.

    a nu start on
    Number One Tricky
  • HakkekageHakkekage Space Whore Academy summa cum laudeRegistered User regular
    a nu start wrote: »
    My Trump news site, should the domain be swamp.team or swamp.zone? Maybe swamp.lol?

    Climate denial aside, I don't see how anyone sane would think it's okay to put someone in charge of the organization they are suing.

    The underlying theme behind most of these appointments seem to be appointing people who believe the agency they are about to lead provides little actual service worth maintaining

    3DS: 2165 - 6538 - 3417
    NNID: Hakkekage
  • a nu starta nu start Registered User regular
    I mean, I know Trump wants to get rid of some of these departments/organizations/whatever, but he should just nut up and outright dismantle them instead of trying to destroy them from the inside.

    Number One Tricky
  • TryCatcherTryCatcher Registered User regular
    Oh cool, is back. So, the president of United Steelworkers 1999, pretty much said that Trump was full of shit, since he's only keeping 800 Carrier jobs in the US, from 1350 jobs total.
    “But he got up there,” Jones said Tuesday, “and, for whatever reason, lied his a-- off.”

    In front of a crowd of about 150 supervisors, production workers and reporters, Trump praised Carrier. “Now they’re keeping — actually the number’s over 1,100 people,” he said, “which is so great.”

    Jones wondered why the president-elect appeared to be inflating the victory. Trump and Pence, he said, could take credit for rescuing 800 of the Carrier jobs, including nonunion positions.

    The President-elect answers (and you know what is coming):

  • kedinikkedinik Captain of Industry Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    It seems like whatever-upsetting-shit-Trump-did-lately is outside the scope of the thread

    kedinik on
    I made a game! Hotline Maui. Requires mouse and keyboard.
  • TryCatcherTryCatcher Registered User regular
    kedinik wrote: »
    It seems like whatever-upsetting-shit-Trump-did-lately is outside the scope of the thread

    Well, that's the definition of his Administration so....

  • NobeardNobeard North Carolina: Failed StateRegistered User regular
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    kedinik wrote: »
    It seems like whatever-upsetting-shit-Trump-did-lately is outside the scope of the thread

    Well, that's the definition of his Administration so....

    Twitter rants are going to be a legit part of political threads for the next 4 years.

  • NobodyNobody Registered User regular
    The news this morning announced the McMahon pick and used the video of Trump jumping Vince McMahon ringside to go with it.

    I've run out of even.

  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    Ugh, the anti-unionism, it hurts.
    kedinik wrote: »
    It seems like whatever-upsetting-shit-Trump-did-lately is outside the scope of the thread
    That almost defines the scope of the thread.

  • Jealous DevaJealous Deva Registered User regular
    Nobody wrote: »
    The news this morning announced the McMahon pick and used the video of Trump jumping Vince McMahon ringside to go with it.

    I've run out of even.

    He had to give the McMahons something, he wants to stay on Vince's good side so he doesn't sue him for ripping off his character.

  • King RiptorKing Riptor Registered User regular
    Nobody wrote: »
    The news this morning announced the McMahon pick and used the video of Trump jumping Vince McMahon ringside to go with it.

    I've run out of even.

    Vince has wanted an in to politics for a long time and Linda is how he planned to get his foot in the door because he has to much baggage.Trump was always,a plan b but I doubt he expected it at such a high level

    I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
  • rockrngerrockrnger Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    Oh cool, is back. So, the president of United Steelworkers 1999, pretty much said that Trump was full of shit, since he's only keeping 800 Carrier jobs in the US, from 1350 jobs total.
    “But he got up there,” Jones said Tuesday, “and, for whatever reason, lied his a-- off.”

    In front of a crowd of about 150 supervisors, production workers and reporters, Trump praised Carrier. “Now they’re keeping — actually the number’s over 1,100 people,” he said, “which is so great.”

    Jones wondered why the president-elect appeared to be inflating the victory. Trump and Pence, he said, could take credit for rescuing 800 of the Carrier jobs, including nonunion positions.

    The President-elect answers (and you know what is coming):


    He knows they don't have to pay dues right?

    rockrnger on
  • CaptainNemoCaptainNemo Registered User regular
    Vince McMahon is going to run in 2020.

    He will betray Trump.

    Let them fight.

    PSN:CaptainNemo1138
    Shitty Tumblr:lighthouse1138.tumblr.com
This discussion has been closed.