Official Donny, Drumpf, Trump Thread

[jarnon]

I spoke today with @SpeakerPelosi about the importance of strong US-Israel relations and I thanked her for her commitment. The link between us is between peoples, based on historical ties, deep, strong friendships and shared values, not dependent on the links with either party

Mr. Rivlin is President of Israel and a member of Bibi’s Likud party.

[flockofseagulls104]

Yeah yeah, I don't get to vote, Trudeau is messing up too, but I can still be horrified.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-jew ... -1.5254115

U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office Tuesday. Trump told reporters that Jews who vote for Democrats in 2020 show 'either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.' (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)

I listened to the whole 2 1/2 minutes of trump's statement. I didn't just read this or any other article written by a reporter with an agenda that concentrated on the last paragraph of his statement. He spent the first part of his statement making a case for the last paragraph. Whether you agree with him or not, you are not going to get a fair analysis by reading articles like this. In this particular situation or any situation involving President trump. Before you get horrified, which is what this 'journalist' is intending, try actually judging for yourself by doing a little research on your own. You may still be horrified, but at least you will get both sides of the story, which you won't relying just on articles like this.

PS

Showing a fresh willingness to play politics along religious and racial lines,...

This article is presented as a 'news' report. Is this, the opening sentence of the 'report', (not to mention the headline) , anything that can be possibly construed as an objective statement? Would anyone with a fair mind consider that objective reporting? Any counter reference to what his opponents are doing? If you want to truly know what trump is referring to when he calls out 'Fake News', this is an example. Think about it. Extrapolate.

It is remarkably offensive for the "loyalty" of any American to be measured by support for any foreign country. And this very meme has been frequently used historically to question the loyalty of American Jews.

I really don't care how Donny wants to justify this. The loyalty of American Jews, just like the loyalty of any other American, is measured by our loyalty to America. Not to Israel, or to any other foreign country. To suggest otherwise is at least as bad as anything that Rep. Ilhan Omar ever said. And she, at least, had the grace to admit error and apologize.

Speaking of which, did you bother watching Rep. Omar's entire speech when you went after her for "some people did something"? Or did you uncritically assume that the usual right-wing sites had presented a "fair and balanced" account of the context of her words? --Bob

Did I ever write a post that I wrote the words 'some people did something'? I don't recall one. You must have me confused with someone else. Maybe I did, I don't remember. The batphone answer you re-typed must have assumed that your sentence would be valid for all your intended audience.

[earendel]

And in a fit of petulance, Trump calls off a trip to Denmark because she told him Greenland isn't for sale.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... VB007?il=0

Maybe it isn’t Greenland.

ICYMI last night, I offered this theory about why Trump cancelled the Denmark visit scheduled for Sept 2-3. Former president Obama will follow him September 28. The contrast in the Danish public reception of the two men was likely to prove embarrassing.

Frum is a conservative pundit who’s no fan of either president.

In Trump's own words:

Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time....

....The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!

[jarnon]

And in a fit of petulance, Trump calls off a trip to Denmark because she told him Greenland isn't for sale.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... VB007?il=0

Maybe it isn’t Greenland.

ICYMI last night, I offered this theory about why Trump cancelled the Denmark visit scheduled for Sept 2-3. Former president Obama will follow him September 28. The contrast in the Danish public reception of the two men was likely to prove embarrassing.

Frum is a conservative pundit who’s no fan of either president.

In Trump's own words:

Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time....

....The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!

Yes but he may have the other reason in the back of his mind.

[BackInTex]

Maybe it isn’t Greenland.
Frum is a conservative pundit who’s no fan of either president.

In Trump's own words:

Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time....

....The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!

Yes but he may have the other reason in the back of his mind.

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

[silverscreenselect]

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

Odd you should say that since Denmark has one of the best economies in the world, especially for a country its size. It has a small debt ratio and paid off all its foreign debt recently. It also ranks #1 in the world in terms of personal freedom according to Forbes and #7 in terms of Best Country for Business (The US is #17). And with their concern for the environment, I doubt you would ever see them sell Greenland to anyone that would do things ecologically risky there (that leaves Trump and Putin out).

https://www.forbes.com/places/denmark/

[Beebs52]

Or China. Rare earths and all.

[jarnon]

But the New York Times, they’re trying everything they can. It is a totally dishonest newspaper. It’s a paper that really has lost tremendous credibility. And let me tell you, in six years -- or maybe ten or maybe fourteen, right? In six years, when I’m not here, the New York Times goes out of business very quickly.

[a1mamacat]

In Trump's own words:

Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time....

....The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!

Yes but he may have the other reason in the back of his mind.

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

They already spent their allowance for Kentucky

'Badaboom"

[Bob Juch]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/201 ... 077813001/

[Spock]

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

Odd you should say that since Denmark has one of the best economies in the world, especially for a country its size. It has a small debt ratio and paid off all its foreign debt recently. It also ranks #1 in the world in terms of personal freedom according to Forbes and #7 in terms of Best Country for Business (The US is #17). And with their concern for the environment, I doubt you would ever see them sell Greenland to anyone that would do things ecologically risky there (that leaves Trump and Putin out).

https://www.forbes.com/places/denmark/

It is easy for Denmark to highlight their "Concern for the Environment" when they import everything messy-Oil, Gas, Minerals, Rare earths, Lumber-etc etc and export the resulting environmental costs to other environs.

[frogman042]

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

Odd you should say that since Denmark has one of the best economies in the world, especially for a country its size. It has a small debt ratio and paid off all its foreign debt recently. It also ranks #1 in the world in terms of personal freedom according to Forbes and #7 in terms of Best Country for Business (The US is #17). And with their concern for the environment, I doubt you would ever see them sell Greenland to anyone that would do things ecologically risky there (that leaves Trump and Putin out).

https://www.forbes.com/places/denmark/

It is easy for Denmark to highlight their "Concern for the Environment" when they import everything messy-Oil, Gas, Minerals, Rare earths, Lumber-etc etc and export the resulting environmental costs to other environs.

FYI, Denmark has quite a sizable number of oil refineries - some areas reminded me of parts of Texas and I think it is the 3rd largest oil producer in Europe.

I just started looking at the link from SSS - since I lived in Denmark recently for 7 months, it has this line in it (emphasis added):

Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector.

[Bob78164]

If the economy does tip into a recession, the ads will write themselves.

"Is this really the guy you trust to help us get through a recession?" I'm pretty sure most of the country will vote for the only adult on stage. --Bob

[BackInTex]

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

Odd you should say that since Denmark has one of the best economies in the world, especially for a country its size. It has a small debt ratio and paid off all its foreign debt recently. It also ranks #1 in the world in terms of personal freedom according to Forbes and #7 in terms of Best Country for Business (The US is #17). And with their concern for the environment, I doubt you would ever see them sell Greenland to anyone that would do things ecologically risky there (that leaves Trump and Putin out).

https://www.forbes.com/places/denmark/

Not odd, just wrong. I confused Finland's problems with Denmark.

[Bob Juch]

Too bad. Denmark could use the money. Who wants to bet Russia makes a bid?

Odd you should say that since Denmark has one of the best economies in the world, especially for a country its size. It has a small debt ratio and paid off all its foreign debt recently. It also ranks #1 in the world in terms of personal freedom according to Forbes and #7 in terms of Best Country for Business (The US is #17). And with their concern for the environment, I doubt you would ever see them sell Greenland to anyone that would do things ecologically risky there (that leaves Trump and Putin out).

https://www.forbes.com/places/denmark/

Not odd, just wrong. I confused Finland's problems with Denmark.

Yeah, that's why Finland is ranked first on the World Happiness Report report.

[jarnon]

The story by Axios that President Trump wanted to blow up large hurricanes with nuclear weapons prior to reaching shore is ridiculous. I never said this. Just more FAKE NEWS!

Here's the Axios story for anybody who's curious:
Scoop: Trump suggested nuking hurricanes to stop them from hitting U.S.

Pull quote>>>You could hear a gnat fart in that meeting.<<<

[jarnon]

Happy Birthday Regis, a truly special man!

[Bob Juch]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... -about-it/

[Bob Juch]

Trump Admin. Quietly Awards Dozens of Lion Trophy Permits to Hunters, GOP Donors

https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-quietly- ... 1532621561

[jarnon]

President Trump is so eager to complete hundreds of miles of border fence ahead of the 2020 presidential election that he has directed aides to fast-track billions of dollars’ worth of construction contracts, aggressively seize private land and disregard environmental rules, according to current and former officials involved with the project.

He also has told worried subordinates that he will pardon them of any potential wrongdoing should they have to break laws to get the barriers built quickly, those officials said.

Trump has repeatedly promised to complete 500 miles of fencing by the time voters go to the polls in November 2020, stirring chants of “Finish the Wall!” at his political rallies as he pushes for tighter border controls. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed just about 60 miles of “replacement” barrier during the first 2½ years of Trump’s presidency, all of it in areas that previously had border infrastructure.

The president has told senior aides that a failure to deliver on the signature promise of his 2016 campaign would be a letdown to his supporters and an embarrassing defeat. With the election 14 months away and hundreds of miles of fencing plans still in blueprint form, Trump has held regular White House meetings for progress updates and to hasten the pace, according to several people involved in the discussions.

When aides have suggested that some orders are illegal or unworkable, Trump has suggested he would pardon the officials if they would just go ahead, aides said. He has waved off worries about contracting procedures and the use of eminent domain, saying “take the land,” according to officials who attended the meetings.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pardon you,” he has told officials in meetings about the wall.

“He said people expected him to build a wall, and it had to be done by the election,” one former official said.

Asked for comment, a White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Trump is joking when he makes such statements about pardons.

Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday that the president is protecting the country with the addition of new border barriers.

“Donald Trump promised to secure our border with sane, rational immigration policies to make American communities safer, and that’s happening everywhere the wall is being built,” Gidley said. He called internal criticisms of the president “just more fabrications by people who hate the fact the status quo, that has crippled this country for decades, is finally changing as President Trump is moving quicker than anyone in history to build the wall, secure the border and enact the very immigration policies the American people voted for.”

“President Trump is fighting aggressively for the American people where other leaders in the past have rolled over, sold out, and done absolutely nothing,” he said.

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper is expected to approve a White House request to divert $3.6 billion in Pentagon funds to the barrier project in coming weeks, money that Trump sought after lawmakers refused to allocate $5 billion. The funds will be pulled from Defense Department projects in 26 states, according to administration officials who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the matter.

Trump’s determination to build the barriers as quickly as possible has not diminished his interest in the aesthetic aspects of the project, particularly the requirement that the looming steel barriers be painted black and topped with sharpened tips.

In a meeting at the White House on May 23, Trump ordered the Army Corps and the Department of Homeland Security to paint the structure black, according to internal communications reviewed by The Washington Post.

Administration officials have stopped trying to talk him out of the demands, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to instruct contractors to apply black paint or coating to all new barrier fencing, the communications show.

Trump conceded last year in an immigration meeting with lawmakers that a wall or barrier is not the most effective mechanism to curb illegal immigration, recognizing it would accomplish less than a major expansion of U.S. enforcement powers and deportation authority. But he told lawmakers that his supporters want a wall and that he has to deliver it.

Trump talked about the loud cheers the wall brought at rallies, according to one person with direct knowledge of the meeting.

Former White House chief of staff John F. Kelly would often tell administration officials to disregard the president’s demands if Kelly did not think they were feasible or legally sound, according to current and former aides.

During a conference call last week, officials at U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Army Corps engineers that the hundreds of miles of fencing must be completed before the next presidential election, according to administration officials with knowledge of the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal communications.

“Border Patrol insists on compressed acquisition timelines, and we consent. Their goal is to get contracts awarded, not for us to get a quality contract with a thoroughly vetted contractor,” said one senior official who is concerned the agency has been hurried to hand out contracts as quickly as possible.

Military officials expect more contract protests because the arrangements have been rushed, the official added. The Army Corps already has had to take corrective actions for two procurement contracts, after companies protested.

The companies building the fencing and access roads have been taking heavy earth-moving equipment into environmentally sensitive border areas adjacent to U.S. national parks and wildlife preserves, but the administration has waived procedural safeguards and impact studies, citing national security concerns.

“They don’t care how much money is spent, whether landowners’ rights are violated, whether the environment is damaged, the law, the regs or even prudent business practices,” the senior official said.

CBP has suggested no longer writing risk-assessment memos “related to the fact that we don’t have real estate rights and how this will impact construction,” the official said.

While Trump has insisted that the barriers be painted, the cost of painting them will reduce the length of the fence the government will be able to build. According to the internal analysis, painting or coating 175 miles of barriers “will add between $70 million and $133 million in cost,” trimming the amount of fencing the Army Corps will be able to install by four to seven miles.

In June, teams of U.S. soldiers painted a one-mile section of fence in Calexico, Calif., at a cost of $1 million. The coating, known as “matte black” or “flat black,” absorbs heat, making the fence hot to the touch, more slippery and therefore tougher to climb, according to border agents.

At Trump’s behest, the Army Corps also is preparing to instruct contractors to remove from the upper part of the fence the smooth metal plates that are used to thwart climbers. The president considered that design feature unsightly, according to officials familiar with his directives.

Instead, contractors have been asked to cut the tips of the steel bollards to a sharpened point. Trump had told aides this spring he thought the barrier should be spiked to instill a fear of injury.

The change in the bollard design is likely to reduce the overall length of the barrier by two to three miles, according to the administration’s cost assessments.

CBP has used a pointed design in the past, according to agency officials, either by installing a pyramid-shaped cap or making what the agency refers to as a “miter cut” in the metal.

Trump remains keen to tout incremental progress toward his wall-building commitments, and in recent weeks, top Homeland Security officials have taken to Twitter to promote the advances.

In recent days, DHS leaders including acting CBP chief Mark Morgan and the top official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ken Cuccinelli, have tweeted photos of border fence construction, echoing promises that 450 miles of new barrier will be completed by next year. Another senior administration official credited both men with injecting urgency, saying that “things are starting to crank away,” even though Cuccinelli’s agency is not involved in the project.

Dan Scavino Jr., the White House social media director, has asked for video footage and photos of equipment digging up the desert and planting the barriers so that administration officials can tweet about it, aides said.

Administration officials involved in the project also defended the president’s use of eminent domain laws to speed the process.

“There is no more constitutionally permissible public purpose for eminent domain than national defense,” said a current administration official who was not authorized to speak on the record about the contracting process.

“Our intention is to negotiate with every property owner, and every property owner will receive fair market value for the land,” the official said. “But the land that is needed is not replaceable land. This is not like building a hospital or even a school. There is no alternative land to the border.”

CBP and Pentagon officials insist they remain on track to complete about 450 miles of fencing by the election. Of that, about 110 miles will be added to areas where there is currently no barrier. The height of the structure will vary between 18 and 30 feet, high enough to inflict severe injury or death from a fall.

The Border Patrol’s strategic planning and analysis office has not made a final decision on the black paint or other White House design requests .

“Ultimately, we’ll do our assessment and determine what is the best for us operationally,” said Brian Martin, the office’s chief, adding that the agency is waiting to get border agents’ feedback on whether the coating would be beneficial.

Martin also said CBP would continue to install anti-climb panels on portions of the barrier already under contract, calling the design “very vital to overall effectiveness.” But he and other CBP officials said that some new portions of barriers will have the panels and that others will not, a determination that he said will be guided by necessity, not aesthetics.

Trump has recently urged the Army Corps to award a contract to a company he favors, North Dakota-based Fisher Industries, though the firm has not been selected. Fisher has been aggressively pushed by Trump ally Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who briefly held up the confirmation of a Trump budget office nominee last month in an attempt to put pressure on the Army Corps.

Cramer demanded to see the contracts awarded to Fisher’s competitors, lashing out at the “arrogance” of the Army Corps in emails to military officials after he was told the bidding process involved proprietary information that could not be shared. The CEO of Fisher Industries is a major backer of Cramer and has donated to his campaigns.

Cramer visited the El Paso area Tuesday to tour border facilities and view a span of privately funded border fencing Fisher built as a showcase for what it claims are superior construction techniques. Cramer posted videos of his tour to social media. He undertook the tour “to see the crisis at our border firsthand.”

The senator had asked Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, the commander of the Army Corps, to meet him at the site, but Semonite is traveling in Brazil, where the Trump administration has offered to help fight wildfires in the Amazon.

In an email to The Post, Cramer said he met with CEO Tommy Fisher on Tuesday at a span of fencing the company built on private land; he said Army Corps officials joined them at the site.

“The agents on the ground said the walls have been very helpful in slowing illegal crossings,” Cramer wrote. “I’m not a wall-building expert, but at the pace of the last few years, it’s hard to see how 450 miles gets built with the same process. . . . I wish DHS would engage a whole bunch of builders and innovators rather than rely on the same decades old bureaucracy.”

Cramer said he shared the president’s “frustration” with the pace of progress.

Several administration officials who confirmed the White House’s urgency said they expect to be able to deliver on Trump’s demands because the actual construction of the barriers is typically the last step in the process.

“There is a long lead time to acquiring land, getting permits and identifying funding,” the official said. “I think you will see a dramatic increase in wall construction next year because all of the work over the past two years has primed the pump.”

[silverscreenselect]

I don't want to Win for myself. I only want to Win for the people. The New @FoxNews is letting millions of GREAT people down! We have to start looking for a new News Outlet. Fox isn't working for us any more!

Fox News isn't supposed to work for you.

Trump is managing to alienate the people at Fox who have even a shred of journalistic integrity. Pretty soon, all he'll have left are Hannity, Diamond and Silk, and Flock.

[Bob Juch]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8 ... =emaildkre

Donald Trump says that his Doral golf resort is “positioned perfectly” for the next G-7 meeting. Considering that the only requirement is that it be in the United States, and it is in the United States, that’s true. And obviously having world leaders stay at a place that wouldn’t put tens of millions straight into Trump’s pocket is out of the question. So … just what can those leaders expect when they pitch their tents on the 11th fairway?

Well, the settlement in which the staff confirmed that at least one suite tested positive for bedbugs is two years old. So perhaps the world leaders could be spared waking up to dozens of welts on their face, neck, and torso as the unfortunate guest did at that time. But a genuine bedbug infestation isn’t the Doral’s only issue. Or its only insect adventure. According to The Washington Post, visitors to the Florida club should be well entertained even if they can’t play connect the itchy dots.

Let’s start with the kitchen, where health inspectors have logged flies, roaches, various unidentified flying insects, and just plain bugs. It was also cited for serving cold foods that had been warm for too long, and supposedly hot foods that never got hot enough. Plus … no sneeze guard at the salad bar. That should certainly help the “sharing” among the G-7 leaders.

Moving to the lodging, what can guests expect in what Trump called “a series of magnificent buildings.” That’s where inspectors found food debris, mold, and more mishandled food. No comments on whether the beds are soft. Or clean. Apparently this isn’t expected.

Honestly, there’s nothing in the inspections at the Doral that shouldn’t be expected at any motel. Assuming the motel included the number “6” in its name. The reports don’t look unusually horrible, it’s just difficult to say they’re particularly good.

One more thing about the Doral. Trump purchased the resort in 2012 with a $125 million loan from Deutsche Bank. That’s a loan paper it would be interesting to see. Maybe it’s not just Trump who has an interest in seeing these leaders come to the Doral.

[jarnon]

In addition to Florida - South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Experts, including the National Weather Service, immediately responded that Alabama was not in danger. Trump insisted that the briefings he received mentioned Alabama and displayed this map as proof.



An unidentified person altered the cone of uncertainty with a black Sharpie to include Alabama.

[a1mamacat]

In addition to Florida - South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Experts, including the National Weather Service, immediately responded that Alabama was not in danger. Trump insisted that the briefings he received mentioned Alabama and displayed this map as proof.



An unidentified person altered the cone of uncertainty with a black Sharpie to include Alabama.

The beginning of SHARPIEGATE

[BackInTex]

In addition to Florida - South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Experts, including the National Weather Service, immediately responded that Alabama was not in danger. Trump insisted that the briefings he received mentioned Alabama and displayed this map as proof.



An unidentified person altered the cone of uncertainty with a black Sharpie to include Alabama.

I think the folks in South and North Carolina will attest that just because you aren’t in the cone of uncertainty (as they aren’t in this picture) you could still be and likely should be considered.

Those that are ridiculing the Preaident in this are fools.