Trump's America
- Voronwë the Faithful
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Urban vs. Rural Cultural and Political Divide
Since the other thread is about the election, which is over, I think we need a new thread to discuss (mourn?) the reality moving forward.
Today Trump made some important appointments, one of which suggests a standard GOP administration, and the other of which, well, is terrifying. He appointed current RNC chairman Reince Priebus as his Chief of Staff. But he also named Steve Bannon the former head of Brietbart, and his Campaign Chairman, as chief strategist and senior counselor to the president. Anyone who thinks that Trump will be moderate in his approach can pretty forget it.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ ... strategist
Today Trump made some important appointments, one of which suggests a standard GOP administration, and the other of which, well, is terrifying. He appointed current RNC chairman Reince Priebus as his Chief of Staff. But he also named Steve Bannon the former head of Brietbart, and his Campaign Chairman, as chief strategist and senior counselor to the president. Anyone who thinks that Trump will be moderate in his approach can pretty forget it.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ ... strategist
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Re: Trump's America
Is HuffPo the only news outlet with the guts to actually call Bannon a White Nationalist, or is it understood that it's what alt-right stands for?
ETA: minutes after posting this, I came across this tweet
ETA: minutes after posting this, I came across this tweet
This is from John Weaver, the strategist for John Kasich. I'm impressed.Let's be clear here media. Stop using "Alt Right." It is the racist, anti-semitic, fascist extreme right. Please be clear & stop normalizing
"What a place! What a situation! What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter."
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
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Re: Trump's America
I've seen "white supremacist, antisemitic and fascist" in most of the media outlets I've come across, so no, not just HuffPost.
But you know he's going to use the "some of my best friends are..." argument against any accusation of antisemitism, because his son-in-law is a Jew. (And how the hell can Kushner support Trump in this and stand for it? I find this incomprehensible.)
But you know he's going to use the "some of my best friends are..." argument against any accusation of antisemitism, because his son-in-law is a Jew. (And how the hell can Kushner support Trump in this and stand for it? I find this incomprehensible.)
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
Re: Trump's America
Is 'chief strategist and senior counselor' an official post? That is, does every President name a 'chief strategist and senior counselor', or is this something they made up?
Avatar photo by Richard Lykes, used with permission.
Re: Trump's America
It's not in the Constitution, if that's what you mean, but the office has existed since Nixon:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counselor ... _President
No formal power; it pretty much is what the president makes it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counselor ... _President
No formal power; it pretty much is what the president makes it.
Re: Trump's America
This made me, actually, laugh out loud (from FT):
"Meanwhile, President Obama said he plans to spend more time with Trump, who's reportedly "surprised" at the scope of his new job."
"Meanwhile, President Obama said he plans to spend more time with Trump, who's reportedly "surprised" at the scope of his new job."
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
Re: Trump's America
Winning was easy, old man, governing's harder
(obscure Hamilton reference)
(obscure Hamilton reference)
Re: Trump's America
Trump is going to have some mighty pissed-off extremists storming the castle unless he does something to placate them, as they begin to see that his campaign rhetoric was all lies. Appointing Bannon to a no-power position makes sense in this context.
Trump has a history of big ideas that he quickly tires of. This is another one. He got what he wanted -- a position that gains him the ostensible respect of the important people who've always scorned him. He has no real interest in the work of the Presidency. It will be easy for those who are teaching him how things work to lead him in their preferred direction as they stroke his ego and make him feel important.
Trump has a history of big ideas that he quickly tires of. This is another one. He got what he wanted -- a position that gains him the ostensible respect of the important people who've always scorned him. He has no real interest in the work of the Presidency. It will be easy for those who are teaching him how things work to lead him in their preferred direction as they stroke his ego and make him feel important.
Last edited by Cerin on Mon Nov 14, 2016 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Avatar photo by Richard Lykes, used with permission.
Re: Trump's America
Optimistically, that's all it is. Not many are feeling optimistic at the moment, though.
Re: Trump's America
Worth the time to watch.
(Language warning, obviously.)
Re: Trump's America
"This is the Situation Room." Beat. "I watched bin Laden die from this chair. Hillary was over there. Quite a night. Coffee? Tea?"Inanna wrote:This made me, actually, laugh out loud (from FT):
"Meanwhile, President Obama said he plans to spend more time with Trump, who's reportedly "surprised" at the scope of his new job."
When you can do nothing what can you do?
Re: Trump's America
(What's FT?)
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
Re: Trump's America
Sorry, Financial Times. From across the pond.yovargas wrote:(What's FT?)
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
- Voronwë the Faithful
- At the intersection of here and now
- Posts: 47800
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:41 am
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Re: Trump's America
This is a bit technical, but I think pretty much on point (slight language warning).
An analysis of Donald Trump’s election win and the prospects for his presidency
An analysis of Donald Trump’s election win and the prospects for his presidency
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Re: Trump's America
Very well written, V. Thank you for the link.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
Re: Trump's America
Succinct and well researched.
"What a place! What a situation! What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter."
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
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Re: Trump's America
It's nothing we haven't heard a lot lately. My husband was making the same point just the other night.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Re: Trump's America
Impressive ability to write about a complex subject at a grade level that doesn't leave anyone out.
Re: Trump's America
It also makes sense in the context of Bannon's world views aligning with Trump's.Cerin wrote:Trump is going to have some mighty pissed-off extremists storming the castle unless he does something to placate them, as they begin to see that his campaign rhetoric was all lies. Appointing Bannon to a no-power position makes sense in this context.
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
Re: Trump's America
Also in the context of his campaign rhetoric being perfectly sincere. At least the White Supremacist-friendly portion.
Seriously, dafuq is alt-right? It sounds like a keyboard shortcut.
Seriously, dafuq is alt-right? It sounds like a keyboard shortcut.
"What a place! What a situation! What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter."
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal
Terry Pratchett, Going Postal