President Donald Trump's Final Days...

[xenontrioxide]

During the election someone in another thread supported the suggestion that the U.S. should engage in direct talks with North Korea. I'm going to repeat, word for word what I said then as know Herr Twittler now says he'd be "honoured" to meet with Kim Jong-Un.

Here's why You Bloody Well Can't

The reason why is that North Korea is (technically) at war with South Korea, and not the United States. The DPRK however, insists that it IS at war with the U.S. and that South Korea is just a U.S. puppet under enemy occupation. To negotiate would to confirm North Korea's position and place the U.S.(technically) at war. You can't negotiate peace unless you agree that you are already at war and that would be Pyongyang's starting point for negotiations. To negotiate with Pyongyang directly would be to negate the sovereign government of South Korea and 'prove' that the bullshit the DPRK has been spewing all these years is true. (This is what Nixon did to South Vietnam at the Paris talks) The DPRK has been trying to make this propaganda point for over 50 years and frequently risks war to do it.

The American forces in the ROK are not a de-stabilizing factor, indeed they are just the opposite. They are a trip-wire; the North cannot invade without risking war with the U.S. A number of U.S. generals sacrificed their careers to stop Jimmy Carter from unilaterally pulling troops out of Korea back in the 70s. Carter, liberal that he was, assumed that the U.S. was the problem and not the Stalinist-in-Wonderland regime in the North.

Trump, by suggesting direct talks, shows that he doesn't understand this, and indeed, judging by Pyongyang's reaction to his candidacy, is giving encouragement to the most barbaric regime on the planet, a nuclear armed never-never-land run by spoiled perverted child. I fully believe that based on his unwillingness to take advice and to listen to any opinions other than his own, Trump would ignore the dire warnings of South Korea, Japan and even China and the U.N., and especially his own State Department, and fall for North Korea's con-job because he believes he "has a good brain".

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...am#post3748067


I can't be the only person who sees this!

[Devius]

Congress has struck a budget deal to avert a government shutdown, but it allocates no cash for President Donald Trump's proposed US-Mexico border wall.

The $1tr (£770bn) agreement to keep the US government running until 30 September was reached on Sunday night.

While there was no money for a wall, Republicans managed to secure $1.5bn in spending on border security.

More details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39767844

[tsunamiSD]

Congress allocates $120 million for Trump family’s security costs

Congress would allocate more than $120 million to help cover the escalating costs of protecting the first family and Trump Tower under a bipartisan spending agreement that appears poised to pass this week. About half of the money, nearly $60 million, is earmarked for the Secret Service, with most of the funds going toward protecting the president while traveling and security for Trump Tower in New York City, according to legislation being circulated Monday.
Another roughly $60 million would be set aside in a rare provision to reimburse localities, like New York City and Palm Beach County in Florida, that have incurred “extraordinary law-enforcement personnel costs” associated with protecting Trump’s residences since Election Day.
The additional funding, which comes after weeks of mostly behind the scenes lobbying, reflects the tremendous costs associated with protecting the lifestyle of Trump and his family. And it is likely to provide relief to those who have borne the brunt of the effort.

The legislation provides the Secret Service $34 million for increased physical protection costs associated with Trump for the remainder of the fiscal year. The allocation is on top of several hundred million dollars already set aside for protection.
An additional $23 million would specifically go toward covering the costs of outfitting Trump Tower with the necessary equipment and personnel, as well as to rent space inside the building for agency personnel, according to a Homeland Security official who was familiar with the funding bill but not yet authorized to discuss it.

[Devius]

The US House of Representatives has passed a healthcare bill, bringing President Trump's pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare a stride closer.

The American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed with a vote to spare, after weeks of cajoling within the Republican party to muster enough support.

Democrats were unanimously opposed and their House leader Nancy Pelosi called it a "cowardly choice".

President Trump predicted this "great plan" would now get Senate backing.

"Make no mistake, this is a repeal and a replace of Obamacare," he said from the Rose Garden at the White House, soon after the vote.

Its safe passage through the US lower chamber provides the new president with his first legislative victory, three months into his term.

And it marks a remarkable turnaround after the bill was left for dead in March when Republicans were unable to agree on its provisions.

But it was a close-run thing - Republicans needed 216 votes in the House and it passed with 217. No Democrats voted in favour.

Details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39809168

[Devius]

According to reports, President Donald Trump (or his staff) has deleted a tweet about what “an honor” it was meet Palestinian Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas 13 hours after the pair met at the White House.

Trump said in the tweet, written on the day he welcomed the leader of the Palestinian Authority:

"An honor to host President Mahmoud Abbas at the WH today. Hopefully something terrific will come out of it between the Palestinians and Israel,"

The tweet was removed about 13 hours after it was posted.

Politwoops: Deleted Tweets From Donald J. Trump:
https://projects.propublica.org/poli...ealDonaldTrump

According to USA TODAY, the president's tweet deletions has raised the question of whether doing so violates the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the preservation of all presidential records. The National Archives has advised the administration to "capture and preserve all tweets that the President posts… including those that are subsequently deleted," according to Gizmodo.

[SanteeFats]

UMMM unemployment at a ten year low, wages rising yet I don't see any accolades for Trump. When good or bad wage and/or employment occur it is usual for the current POTUS to get some credit even if it is not deserved

[diamelsx]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

UMMM unemployment at a ten year low, wages rising yet I don't see any accolades for Trump. When good or bad wage and/or employment occur it is usual for the current POTUS to get some credit even if it is not deserved

I am going to use a scene of the all-time favorite show of the last president to illustrate a point about "taking credit". Now both wages and especially unemployment have been trending in a good direction for a year now while Trump has been in office for a little over 3 months so is it really him or is it the last president who oversaw one of the best stockmarkets in modern times? A stockmarket that would have to be in the 50,000 range after 8 years in order to match last president's performance.

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by diamelsx

I am going to use a scene of the all-time favorite show of the last president to illustrate a point about "taking credit". Now both wages and especially unemployment have been trending in a good direction for a year now while Trump has been in office for a little over 3 months so is it really him or is it the last president who oversaw one of the best stockmarkets in modern times? A stockmarket that would have to be in the 50,000 range after 8 years in order to match last president's performance.

Yeah I don't hold with the POTUS being the one to credit for the economy unless action(s) of theirs can be shown to be responsible. I must admit I was trolling a little bit to see what would happen . Curses foiled again by a logical response.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by xenontrioxide

During the election someone in another thread supported the suggestion that the U.S. should engage in direct talks with North Korea. I'm going to repeat, word for word what I said then as know Herr Twittler now says he'd be "honoured" to meet with Kim Jong-Un.

Trump, by suggesting direct talks, shows that he doesn't understand this, and indeed, judging by Pyongyang's reaction to his candidacy, is giving encouragement to the most barbaric regime on the planet, a nuclear armed never-never-land run by spoiled perverted child. I fully believe that based on his unwillingness to take advice and to listen to any opinions other than his own, Trump would ignore the dire warnings of South Korea, Japan and even China and the U.N., and especially his own State Department, and fall for North Korea's con-job because he believes he "has a good brain".

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...am#post3748067


I can't be the only person who sees this!

Our Mighty Leader seems to be oblivious to the dismay off-the-cuff remarks cause our allies

http://www.kvoa.com/story/35220083/n...e-line-with-us

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.a6ec6470f741

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.7a4afa9b7e82

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.e86d4fb8b526

Does Duterte make the Philippines safe?

[tsunamiSD]

Trump proposal would gut 'drug czar' office in middle of opioid crisis

The Trump administration is proposing to gut the budget of the White House "drug czar" by 95 percent, effectively eliminating the decades-old Office of National Drug Control Policy, the lead federal agency responsible for managing and coordinating drug policy, according to a memo that its acting director sent Friday to agency employees.The draft budget plan comes as the nation is struggling with an escalating opioid epidemic. Ending opioid addiction was a centerpiece of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, and he drew support from many of the rural areas and small working-class towns hit hardest by the drug crisis. In March, President Donald Trump commissioned a new addiction task force to help combat the opioid crisis, tapping his friend and former rival New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to lead the fight.
But in an email sent to full-time employees, Richard Baum, the acting director of the office, said the administration's proposed cuts for the fiscal year that begins in October "reflects a nearly 95 percent" reduction in the agency's budget. The proposed $364 million cut would leave a budget of just $24 million and eliminate its two major programs.
Baum wrote the cuts are "at odds with the fact that the President has tasked us with supporting his Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis." He called them "drastic" and "frankly heartbreaking."

White House fires its chief usher — the first woman in that job

The White House has fired its chief usher, Angella Reid, the first woman and second African American to hold the position.
When the White House residence staff arrived at work Friday morning, they were told that Reid was no longer employed, according to someone with knowledge of the dismissal. A White House official confirmed that Reid is no longer working at the White House.
Reached by phone, Reid declined to comment, saying only, “I think it’s best if the White House explains.”
During Friday’s daily briefing with reporters, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the principal deputy White House press secretary, said that the deputy usher will serve as the acting usher.
“She is no longer employed here at the White House,” Sanders said when asked about Reid’s departure. “We left on very good terms and wish her the very best and certainly hope for great things for her in the future. However, it’s not uncommon you might have a transition of staff when a new administration comes in. It’s nothing more than that.”

The job is one that typically involves a long tenure — there have been just nine since the beginning of the 20th century. The White House declined to provide any specifics for the reasons behind Reid's departure.
Despite the unusual title, the chief usher oversees all activities in the White House residence and works as general manager of the building, handling everything from the large staff of butlers, maids, chefs, florists and electricians to fiscal, administrative and personal duties.
The chief usher also works closely with the first family, including providing guidance on the furnishings, art and decor.
Reid, who previously worked for the Ritz-Carlton hotel group, joined the White House in 2011 under President Barack Obama.
She replaced the first African American chief usher, Adm. Stephen W. Rochon, when he left to take a job at the Department of Homeland Security.
Sudden dismissals from the White House’s permanent staff are rare. The last one that people interviewed for this story recall was in 1993, when the Clintons fired an assistant usher who had a friendly phone conversation with Barbara Bush that was thought to be inappropriate.

Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian and professor of history at Rice University, said that it is highly unusual for an administration to fire its chief usher, especially without providing any explanation. “If there is a very compelling reason for the dismissal, the White House needs to tell the public” he said. “Otherwise it comes off as cruel.”
“Knowing Angella, I doubt seriously that she would have done something herself to cause this,” said Rochon, Reid’s predecessor. “She worked for years in top management in hotels. She knows about hospitality. She is definitely professional but you’re not going to please everybody.”