https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-celebr ... 17439.html

Who can believe this man can be so petty and vindictive? Imagine him scheduling his 100 day rally on the same night as the White House Correspondents bash. He then gets up and once again touts his non-existent accomplishments and insults the Free Press. All I have seen so far is his stolen USSC Justice position being railroaded onto the Court and a bunch of Executive Orders he has signed. Did not the Republicans deride, insult and incessantly ridicule President Obama for signing them? Trump is so far governing by Executive Orders and I guess that is alright now. Hypocrisy thy name is Trump. Where is Congress on this matter of governing by Decree ? I guess he does not need them. Funny that.

Is there another election coming up? Why is he still going around the country holding rallies

He is also a hypocrite! He has sign 30 executive orders in his first 100 days, but yet has bashed Obama for signing executive orders saying it was a outrageous abuse of power.

He also had a go at his predecessor for playing the odd round of golf, presumably him doing it much more is OK, as imbibed with the attitudes of his father (and many of his supporters), what is one of 'those people' doing on a golf course if not caddying or serving meals at the clubhouse? Don't they know their place?

Honestly, I couldn't care less about him having a rally to go up against the Correspondent's Dinner. Yes, it's petty and it's a political stunt, but it's not the first time a president has pulled a political stunt, it won't be the last...whatever.

Here's what does bother me though:

1) He is trying to consolidate power to get things done. He wants to revisit the system of checks and balances that we have so that his power won't be checked and balanced. That should be a red flag for anyone (and is especially hypocritical considering the GOP used the hell out of those rules to try and stop Obama's agenda): http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/ ... untry.html

2) He is trying to pass a tax plan that will likely benefit himself greatly by cutting rates for the sort of companies that he owns. How much will he benefit? We have no idea, because he continues to refuse to release his tax returns (in fact, his Treasury secretary said he had given more disclosure than anybody else - that is a flat-out lie): https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... 90aed8df87

2a) Compounding this problem is that he still refuses to divest himself from his businesses. He can withdraw money from them at any time (a recent change, implemented after he announced he was putting them in a trust managed by his kids). We know that people who want to curry his favor are spending money at his properties - in other words, he is using his office to stuff his pockets: https://www.propublica.org/article/trum ... telling-us

3) In another instance of multiple red flags being raised regarding corruption, he is refusing to release White House visitor logs, so that the public will have no idea who the president is meeting with and who is getting his ear. This after he claimed to want transparency in government. And his compound in Florida, where he conducts lots of business, does not keep logs either: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/us/p ... trump.html

3a) His former campaign advisor is now a lobbyist offering access to Trump for money, something that refusing to release visitor logs would make much easier. 'Drain the swamp' indeed: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/2 ... ngs-237725

4) His Administration has been trying to blame the Obama Administration for not vetting Michael Flynn properly, despite the fact that they were also responsible for vetting someone who was going to become a top-level advisor. Except that it's reported that they did vet him, but hired him anyway despite knowing about his issues (i.e. they lied). Also, it should be noted that Flynn was pushed out of his DIA post by none other than the Obama Administration: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politic ... on-n752786

And that's just from this week.

Let's for a moment imagine that Hillary had won, and it had been revealed that people on her campaign, some of whom later had jobs in her government, had deep ties to foreign powers. Let's imagine that it was reported that her campaign had paid another country to hack into the Trump campaign. Let's imagine that she filled her cabinet with unqualified billionaires. Let's imagine that she had given her daughter a high-profile job in the White House that she could use to advance her own self-interest, and that her son-in-law was her chief advisor. Let's imagine that she stonewalled the public when they wanted to know who she was meeting with. Let's imagine that she was making money off of the government by having the Secret Service (and, by extension, the taxpayers) pay her for providing security at her vacation spots. Or let's imagine that she only did a couple of those things. If you don't think the GOP would be having round-the-clock hearings and having investigation after investigation and talking about impeachment, you're living in denial. Instead, they're perfectly content to let it go.

It would be one thing if it were simply about policy and platform, but none of the things I mentioned has anything to do with that - all of them are about the integrity of the office of president and ensuring that people in the government are serving the people and not their own self-interest. That should be a banner that both parties, and particularly the GOP since they've been the one beating the 'we need government accountability' drum for a while now, could unify under. Instead, all we get from the GOP is a deafening silence. It's a miracle they're able to look themselves in the mirror each morning.

What are the accomplishments of the president of the first 100 days?

- America has dropped from 41 to 43 in the index of Reporters without Borders. Quite an accomplishment for Trump.
- Introducing: Fake news and alternative facts into the mix
- Questioning the authority of the rule of law, academic society, killing the environment protection,
- Neil Gorsuch appointed by strong balling.
- North Dacota pipeline for oil transport
- Brilliantly accusing the democrats of torpedoing his health care act (never mind that the republicans have a majority)
- Brilliantly accusing the democrats because his spending bill hasn't been accepted so he can't build his useless wall
- Brilliantly accusing the courts of upholding the rule of law.
- Brilliantly skipping the Correspondents' Dinner, why put your head on the chopping block and why make fun of yourself while the world is doing a perfect job for you! Much better to let a crowd cheer you on in Harrisburg.

Any more accomplishments? For his first 100 days? Perhaps the promises broken, like replacing Obama care on the first day?

QF29 wrote:

Is there another election coming up? Why is he still going around the country holding rallies

Feets his ego.....

It is worth remembering that Trump's massive but very fragile ego can not tolerate any kind of criticism.

His aides/handlers in the WH have to constantly filter and select the information that gets to him in order to manage his unpredictable mood.
He is fed a constant stream of supportive programs, which, these days, seem to be limited to Fox and Friends and a few fringe media shows.

He knows he would get his ass handed to him in the WH correspondent dinner, just like he did the last time he attended, and that would drive him furious.

It seems logical, for an individual as exceptionally vain and unstable as him, to keep organizing supporting rallies where he could find refuge in the only thing that seems to work for him: railing angry slogans at a selected cheering crowd picked for their unconditional adoration of him. Nevermind that these rallies have no purpose whatsoever as there are no upcoming elections, they're just made so that the man can keep a semblant of sanity in a Reality which, right now, only seems to be offering a very diverging view of his abilities... to say the least.

The whole scene is incredible to watch. We all came to expect this sort of behavior from narcissistic dictators in banana republics, but seeing the president of the US behaving in this fashion is something both astonishing and frightening. I never thought I'd witness something quite like that of my living.

[*]

QF29 wrote:

Is there another election coming up? Why is he still going around the country holding rallies

Because he's mentally retarded and thrives off attention and vengeance...been that way for decades. The rallies will continue: it's like a hit of morphine or a sugar cube for a lab rat. Anything that requires thought, strategy, and context will be outsourced.

QF29 wrote:

Is there another election coming up? Why is he still going around the country holding rallies

Yes there is an election coming up, a couple in fact.

It is never too early to start campaigning for re-election in 2020, when the Republican nominee will be decided in late 2019. Trump already has a re-election committee and is legally raising funds to pay for the 2020 campaign.

There is a US Congressional election in 2018. However, all the critical decisions that will impact the ability of Republicans to hold onto their majority in the US House of Representatives are less than six months.

The US election cycle is so messed up that a person has to be campaigning a full year to year and a half before the election, and several years early if running for the Senate or President.

BobPatterson wrote:

All Presidents travel for both political and PR purposes.

Of course, most of his travel is just to Florida so that he can have a nice taxpayer-funded vacation and make himself some money while doing it. No political or PR purpose there, just using his office like an ATM.

People need to be educated about engineering and logic with respect to the pipeline issue. Without education, people will continue to foam at the mouth ignorantly, on both sides. The Democratic party is right about some things, the Republican party is right about some things.

The pipeline will actually save energy and make people safer than alternative plans (or no plan) will. It appears to me that the people protesting the pipeline aren't equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with normal infrastructure issues, or indeed, legal issues, or civil life in general. People like that get arrested, because they can't control themselves and stay out of society's way. Some of them needed to be taught those skills in a jail environment.

After I posted this thread, the first reply posted was a crude reference to a body part and the Democrats losing the election. I posted an answer to such crudeness which I feel has no place on this forum. I appreciate it being removed with my reply. I really do not see where insults to each other solves anything while we are being screwed over by our politicians, both parties. I posted my feelings about Trump and his actions, which I do not agree with and that I feel is a valid subject and worthy of discussion. I also feel the participation of others not of this country are welcome, it is after all a small world now. We argue, while they lie, cheat and steal. Who is the smarter?

WarRI1 wrote:

Who can believe this man can be so petty and vindictive?

No need to "believe it" It is openly knowable based on obvious facts. He is a petty person and an insult to American politics.

WarRI1 wrote:

All I have seen so far is his stolen USSC Justice position being railroaded onto the Court

He stole nothing. If you must accuse someone of theft, point your finger at Senator McConnell. As for railroading, be good enough to point out what the democrats did a few years ago in order to get their guys confirmed. They left just one slot open to filibuster, and now that has been removed. Bye bye filibuster of appointments, and good riddance. But, even without filibuster, McConnell would have suppressed Garland anyway. Blame McConnell, not Trump.

WarRI1 wrote:

...... and a bunch of Executive Orders he has signed. Did not the Republicans deride, insult and incessantly ridicule President Obama for signing them?

Yes, the Republicans did indeed do those things with respect to Obama's executive orders. Most of what Trump has done is to reverse them, delay them, etc. Especially Obama's last-day-in-office and last-month-in-office power grabs.

There really is a large problem in the use of executive orders and agency rulings. The problem is in Congress having abandoned the responsibility for legislating. Solving that problem will require the Congress to adopt 5-day work weeks instead of the present 2.5-3.0, and that Congress write the rules and regulations and restrict the President to seeing to it that the laws are faithfully executed.

Knocking Trump for doing what you would not knock Obama for doing is rather silly, in my view.

The real problem was not in Obama or, now, in Trump. It is a Congressional problem, and Congress is OUR problem.

BobPatterson wrote:

WarRI1 wrote:

Who can believe this man can be so petty and vindictive?

No need to "believe it" It is openly knowable based on obvious facts. He is a petty person and an insult to American politics.



Aware of this, making a point.

WarRI1 wrote:

All I have seen so far is his stolen USSC Justice position being railroaded onto the Court

He stole nothing. If you must accuse someone of theft, point your finger at Senator McConnell. As for railroading, be good enough to point out what the democrats did a few years ago in order to get their guys confirmed. They left just one slot open to filibuster, and now that has been removed. Bye bye filibuster of appointments, and good riddance. But, even without filibuster, McConnell would have suppressed Garland anyway. Blame McConnell, not Trump.



A generalization, aware of old Mitch the Bitch. Still a stolen seat.

WarRI1 wrote:

...... and a bunch of Executive Orders he has signed. Did not the Republicans deride, insult and incessantly ridicule President Obama for signing them?

Yes, the Republicans did indeed do those things with respect to Obama's executive orders. Most of what Trump has done is to reverse them, delay them, etc. Especially Obama's last-day-in-office and last-month-in-office power grabs.

There really is a large problem in the use of executive orders and agency rulings. The problem is in Congress having abandoned the responsibility for legislating. Solving that problem will require the Congress to adopt 5-day work weeks instead of the present 2.5-3.0, and that Congress write the rules and regulations and restrict the President to seeing to it that the laws are faithfully executed.

Knocking Trump for doing what you would not knock Obama for doing is rather silly, in my view.



When you believe in what most but not all of what Obama did with some of his EOs one cannot really be guilty of being silly from my point of view. What I point out about Trump and the Republicans is the blantant hypocrisy after 8 years of incessant complaints and now we have a noble cause for this barrage by Trump ?I have a problem with that. Noble does not come close to Trumps motives by the way.

The real problem was not in Obama or, now, in Trump. It is a Congressional problem, and Congress is OUR problem.

If anyone can find any words of mine that defends congress or denies the real villian is congress, let me see them. When I make a statement like I do about the any facet of politics in our country, I assume someone has read my prior words about those points. I have been on here a few years now and I expect that I have been vey consistant in my dislike and disgust with our politics and politicians. We have a corrupted system plain and simple.

I don't want to get into the discussion if specific Trump policies are good or bad, history will be the judge and it will be ALL the American people that will either benefit from this presidency or carry a massive burden for atleast a generation.

What still shocks me that president Trump has not been publicly and by the republican party and supporters called out for his tyrant style of leading the country and all his flip-flopping in the past weeks. I remember very clearly how the tea-party members and the far right (and its media) has aggressively called out Obama for things that Trump is doing himself or even in more extreme ways.

I just found this video about how he "kicked" out a journalist for asking some tough (and good) questions. Kicking out a journalist, because you are not able to answer a question based upon the the BS he himself started, is a sign of weakness and is banana republic behavior! Here the link for the ones that haven't seen it yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TCR5oC5ZQs

There is the good old saying, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! I really would like to know from a Trump supporter how this behavior is still tolerated, while thousands of people in the US have to face "the heat" (fighting for and protecting their country) every single day and their own leader takes a walk-away position!!?

As a disclaimer, I am an a-political person and look at politicians (no matter which party, believes or background) that they are a "necessary evil" of the system that have to serve its people! And for the record I will also say that Obama wasn't a good president either, the only thing he had going for himself is that he was a charismatic person, but politics is not a Miss Universe contest and we shouldn't vote for the person that we like the most, but is able and qualified to best lead the country and make sacrifices in order to push the country forward.

mham001 wrote:

That is hilarious.

Yes, it is.

(That is just Germany, but should be pretty much the worst case, data from Nature "The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale", doi:10.1038/nature15371).
Traffic is red, Germany in the middle.

All transportation, Rail, Flying, Cars, Ships etc. contribute a whole 20% of the dust in the air. Abrasion from brakes and ties alone is about half of the dust coming from Diesel cars. Heck, even catalytic converters contribute to dust. Dry bulk loading/unloading contributes about as much dust as the whole burning and turning from the traffic sector. Burning wood and BBQ contributes about as much dust as all Diesel cars. About one our of new year fireworks alone contributes about as much as 6 weeks of running diesel engines. All diesel engines. Not just those in cars.

Working on Diesel is a fairly straight forward way to reduce dust by a bit, but not nearly as much as some people in the US seem to think. The much higher population density, and therefore activities associated with humans present will be more intense. Considering that i find it rather surprising that our dust load is not that much higher than in the US.

best regards
Thomas

Ah Thomas, is it facts again in the way of the good old "but we are better than you because we are America?"

I have had to go through and delete more than half the posts in this thread because they were off-topic or contained personal attacks. This is a reminder to engage respectfully.

I'd also like to issue a reminder that this is an international website. Members are free to debate any topic. If you have an issue with non-Americans discussing American politics, then you should not be participating in an international website.

Flighty wrote:

People need to be educated about engineering and logic with respect to the pipeline issue. Without education, people will continue to foam at the mouth ignorantly, on both sides. The Democratic party is right about some things, the Republican party is right about some things.

The pipeline will actually save energy and make people safer than alternative plans (or no plan) will. It appears to me that the people protesting the pipeline aren't equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with normal infrastructure issues, or indeed, legal issues, or civil life in general. People like that get arrested because they can't control themselves and stay out of society's way. Some of them needed to be taught those skills in a jail environment.

The last thing we need is for a conservative to lecture others about education and logic.

It appears to me that people protesting the pipeline don't want their water polluted and have the threat of oil leaks near where they live. That's pretty mentally and emotionally stable if you ask me.

Please, don't insult our intelligence.

Hillis wrote:

Flighty wrote:

People need to be educated about engineering and logic with respect to the pipeline issue. Without education, people will continue to foam at the mouth ignorantly, on both sides. The Democratic party is right about some things, the Republican party is right about some things.

The pipeline will actually save energy and make people safer than alternative plans (or no plan) will. It appears to me that the people protesting the pipeline aren't equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with normal infrastructure issues, or indeed, legal issues, or civil life in general. People like that get arrested because they can't control themselves and stay out of society's way. Some of them needed to be taught those skills in a jail environment.

The last thing we need is for a conservative to lecture others about education and logic.

It appears to me that people protesting the pipeline don't want their water polluted and have the threat of oil leaks near where they live. That's pretty mentally and emotionally stable if you ask me.

Please, don't insult our intelligence.

I don't know who your "our" is with respect to insulted intelligence. I presume you mean that "you" felt insulted.

Flighty made a factual statement that you appear to have overlooked or have rejected:

"The pipeline will actually save energy and make people safer than alternative plans (or no plan) will."

That statement is factually true. No one should feel insulted by the truth.

Hillis wrote:

Flighty wrote:

People need to be educated about engineering and logic with respect to the pipeline issue. Without education, people will continue to foam at the mouth ignorantly, on both sides. The Democratic party is right about some things, the Republican party is right about some things.

The pipeline will actually save energy and make people safer than alternative plans (or no plan) will. It appears to me that the people protesting the pipeline aren't equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with normal infrastructure issues, or indeed, legal issues, or civil life in general. People like that get arrested because they can't control themselves and stay out of society's way. Some of them needed to be taught those skills in a jail environment.

The last thing we need is for a conservative to lecture others about education and logic.

It appears to me that people protesting the pipeline don't want their water polluted and have the threat of oil leaks near where they live. That's pretty mentally and emotionally stable if you ask me.

Please, don't insult our intelligence.

Indeed, there are legitimate reasons to oppose this pipeline. NIMBI is one of them, not investing in oil is another, the trace is another.

OA412 wrote:

I have had to go through and delete more than half the posts in this thread because they were off-topic or contained personal attacks. This is a reminder to engage respectfully.

I'd also like to issue a reminder that this is an international website. Members are free to debate any topic. If you have an issue with non-Americans discussing American politics, then you should not be participating in an international website.

OA412 wrote:

I have had to go through and delete more than half the posts in this thread because they were off-topic or contained personal attacks. This is a reminder to engage respectfully.

I'd also like to issue a reminder that this is an international website. Members are free to debate any topic. If you have an issue with non-Americans discussing American politics, then you should not be participating in an international website.

If non-American members are going to be free to incessantly hurl ignorant criticisms about the US, such as the post mentioning a PIPELINE as a symptom of "pettiness" - which you have allowed to remain (on topic???), then we should be equally free to talk about that issue, tell them why they are wrong and mention it might be better to sit down and listen once in awhile about that which they know little about. You threw out a lot of good information that directly refuted some of these criticisms. I think they hit too close to home. Because you agree with the remaining tone of the thread? BS - selective moderation.

Frankly, exactly how "on-topic" can a thread remain when it revolves around an opinion of "pettiness" about a man for whom 63 million people voted?

mham001 wrote:

If non-American members are going to be free to incessantly hurl ignorant criticisms about the US

Are you even serious?

salttee wrote:

mham001 wrote:

If non-American members are going to be free to incessantly hurl ignorant criticisms about the US

Are you even serious?

You betcha! He loves telling foreigners to shut up about the USA as much as he loves telling foreigners what to do in their country and calling gays rapists.

mham001 wrote:

OA412 wrote:

I have had to go through and delete more than half the posts in this thread because they were off-topic or contained personal attacks. This is a reminder to engage respectfully.

I'd also like to issue a reminder that this is an international website. Members are free to debate any topic. If you have an issue with non-Americans discussing American politics, then you should not be participating in an international website.

If non-American members are going to be free to incessantly hurl ignorant criticisms about the US, such as the post mentioning a PIPELINE as a symptom of "pettiness" - which you have allowed to remain (on topic???), then we should be equally free to talk about that issue, tell them why they are wrong and mention it might be better to sit down and listen once in awhile about that which they know little about. You threw out a lot of good information that directly refuted some of these criticisms. I think they hit too close to home. Because you agree with the remaining tone of the thread? BS - selective moderation.

Frankly, exactly how "on-topic" can a thread remain when it revolves around an opinion of "pettiness" about a man for whom 63 million people voted?

That was the losing count, BTW. He lost the popular vote. A majority of Americans voted for Hillary.

As far as the pipeline, Keystone goes from Canada, across an international boundary to an internationally owned refinery to be sold on the international market. Why shouldn't foreigners talk about it? For that matter, why shouldn't foreigners talk about a man who will start WWIII because someone says something about him he does not like?

And the threat derailed again. I suggest this threat is locked, apparently we, as a group, are not adult enough to discuss this subject.

Oh and airing tonight on Dutch television, the Russian business partners of Trump. An affair about laundering money with companies set up in Holland. It revolves around Trump Soho.

Dutchy wrote:

Oh and airing tonight on Dutch television, the Russian business partners of Trump. An affair about laundering money with companies set up in Holland. It revolves around Trump Soho.

Which Station will broadcast it?

best regards
Thomas

tommy1808 wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

Oh and airing tonight on Dutch television, the Russian business partners of Trump. An affair about laundering money with companies set up in Holland. It revolves around Trump Soho.

Which Station will broadcast it?

best regards
Thomas

NPO 2, 21:05: https://www.npo.nl/zembla/03-05-2017/VARA_101382218

Dutchy wrote:

And the threat derailed again. I suggest this threat is locked

Indeed, I think that's best.