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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Tue 31 Jan , 2017 2:31 pm
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At this rate, Trump won't have anyone with skills, intelligence or experience left in his administration pretty soon.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2 ... lly-flawed
Quote:
Trump's executive orders: Dramatic but fatally flawed?
The broad strokes of President Trump's executive orders are enabling swift action, but could leave them legally vulnerable.

In making their claims for greater executive authority, Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama offered careful legal justifications for their moves – and even then, courts did not accept all of them. By contrast, Trump’s orders appear to be very loosely written, legally speaking, opening broad latitude for legal challenges ...

On Monday evening, Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, an Obama appointee, said that she has directed the Justice Department not to defend the ban in court, saying she's not convinced "the executive order is lawful." Her decision was described as striking, but symbolic. Trump fired her the same evening.
But of course, he and his cronies will probably be quite pleased with that. I'd be surprised if people with visas/ green cards or dual nationality weren't deliberately included in the hasty travel ban. It sowed confusion and fear, even if they knew it wasn't the least bit legal.


And his latest brilliant plan:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2017/0130/ ... -out-order
Quote:
An executive order President Trump signed on Monday could lead regulators to, strictly speaking, think twice before they introduce a new rule. For every new regulation they put forward, agencies must identify two others they plan to eliminate to offset costs.
I'm no fan of bureaucracy, but this sort of broad order is the act of an imbecile.


Edit: I'm not sure who these people are, or how reputable, but if it's true, this seems to confirm that Trump, Bannon and his inner circle are trying to run the federal government like a private business where they have absolute say over what happens. And where transparency is absent, and dissenters are kicked out without evaluating whether they have a valid point.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/30/st ... president/
Quote:
Steve Bannon Is Making Sure There’s No White House Paper Trail, Says Intel Source
Quote:
Even before he was given a formal seat on the National Security Council’s “principals committee” this weekend by President Donald Trump, Bannon was calling the shots and doing so with little to no input from the National Security Council staff, according to an intelligence official who asked not to be named out of fear of retribution.

...

“They ran all of these executive orders outside of the normal construct,” he said, referring to last week’s flurry of draft executive orders on everything from immigration to the return of CIA “black sites.”
Quote:
Under previous administrations, if someone thought another person or directorate had a stake in the issue at hand or expertise in a subject area, he or she was free to share the papers as long as the recipient had proper clearance.

With that standard in mind, when some officials saw Trump’s draft executive orders, they felt they had broad impact and shared them more widely for staffing and comments.

That did not sit well with Bannon or his staff, according to the official. More stringent guidelines for handling and routing were then instituted, and the National Security Council staff was largely cut out of the process.

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 3:31 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
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Wow. Can I curl up in a ball now and hide? :help:

(I'm not, of course, but I would like to. There's a fine balance between staying informed and going insane.)

And I'm very sensitive now about my FB presence. I rarely actually post political things from my timeline; instead, I've been deliberately trying to post uplifting/positive/funny/silly things just to interject some light into the darkness there. However, I do often like or comment on political posts that others have posted, some of whom post them publicly. That means my comments and reactions are seen in my friends' newsfeeds and that has drawn some sarcastic comments ("Doesn't she have a job? How does she post so much?" to my BFF pretty much signing off of FB because she was annoyed—not just with me, but still). So now I'm not sure what to do. I know I've been a little more obsessed than usual. I've been trying to be more cognizant about reacting or posting on public posts, but this is important stuff. I don't know where else to stay informed (probably not hard to find better sources but I have good resources on FB already) and connected to action items (nowhere else, really, that I can think of).

I don't know. It's all just weighing me down today. :(

I am keeping a list of things I'm actually doing (besides spitting into the wind by arguing on FB, though I did have one productive exchange with a high school friend). I have not called anyone yet; that is like ultimate torture for me, but I have signed several petitions, commented in public comments for hearings by the EPA on the DAPL, written postcards (and actually mailed them! :w00t: ), and I've joined a FB group specific to my area. We should be getting together soon to strategize. I've participated indirectly in the Women's March (bought a t-shirt to support the cause, supported it online, and "marched" while I was at work that day), and I am probably attending a protest downtown on Friday regarding the immigration ban. If I go, that will be a big step for me. I don't like this stuff at all. :help: But my two main focuses at this time are the environment/science and human rights. So.

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Frelga
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 3:36 pm
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Lali, you continue to be amazing. :hug:

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Jude
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 4:52 pm
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I agree!

Take pictures on Friday if you can!

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 6:57 pm
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Quote:
I know I've been a little more obsessed than usual.
:) You and me both. I normally don't follow politics that closely, but this situation just seems so crazy. And ignoring the things going on seems dangerous. I think it's important to share them as widely as possible.

At least, Trump seems to have nominated someone for the Supreme Court who's intelligent, qualified, reasonable and sane. (Seriously, what happened? Did someone lock Bannon out of the room, and distract Trump with some adulation?)

I'm also focusing on the environment, especially short-term stuff that can do a lot of damage fast - for instance, if they want to open the national parks to oil drilling, or prohibit states from banning fracking. And science/ facts. I've heard that the most effective communication with legislators is through actual written postcards/ letters/ calls, rather than online petitions, just because it takes more effort and they figure you're serious if you bother. We contribute to NRDC for environmental causes, so get a lot of information there - they seem to be pretty good about picking the winnable battles, and fighting them effectively. Their name sounds a bit radical - Natural Resources Defense Council - but they're actually not. They're oriented more toward good science, and using the judicial system effectively. https://www.nrdc.org/about

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 9:00 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
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Thank you, inky. I will look them up!

And, just because: :horse:

Thank you, Frelga and Jude. :hug:

In seriously bummer news, though, I realized this morning that I can't go to the rally. :bawl: I have a stupid graduation meeting at 6pm in Xenia, and the rally is at 5:30 in downtown Dayton. Since they haven't invented that damn transporter technology yet, I can't be in both places at once, and they are about a half-hour's drive apart.

I don't know why I didn't put this together before now. Well, I know. (A) I kept forgetting about the graduation meeting, probably because I don't really want to go, and, (B) despite working 2nd shift and having to use military time, unless I actually force myself to figure it out, military times comes across as white noise to me. So my brain wasn't thinking 5:30; it was thinking 17:30, which means "blah, blah, blah, something afternoon-ish" to me. :roll:


:nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:

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Jude
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 9:03 pm
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The meeting is at 5:30 in the morning? :Q

Edit: never mind, I didn't read your post carefully enough :oops:

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 10:22 pm
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http://thehill.com/policy/energy-enviro ... -era-rules
Quote:
The House passed two Congressional Review Act challenges against former President Obama-era rules that Republicans have called a burden for fossil fuel companies.

One of the regulations — the Stream Protection Rule that was finalized by the Interior Department in December — has been a longtime target of Republicans. The party tried multiple times to block the Office of Surface Mining from issuing the rule under Obama but never succeeded; with majorities in the House and Senate and President Trump in the White House, they’re now likely to strip the rule from the books.
...
The measure passed the House 228-194 Wednesday. Two senators introduced a version of the Stream Protection resolution earlier this week and could move quickly on the House-passed bill.

Republicans say President Trump supports the legislation.
Quote:
The House also approved a CRA resolution undoing a Securities and Exchange Commission rule issued under the Dodd-Frank Act that requires oil, natural gas and mineral developers to file more detailed financial information.
Quote:
On Thursday, House Republicans are expected to strike down two more Obama-era regulations: a Labor Department rule requiring federal contractors to report labor violations they've committed, and a Social Security Administration gun regulation focused on disability recipients who suffer from mental disorders.

The Friday schedule includes a resolution undoing an Interior Department methane rule for natural gas developers.

The breadth of Republicans’ regulatory assault this week is unprecedented. Only one CRA measure has been signed into law since the Congressional Review Act took effect in the 1990s — and that was in 2001. Congress passed several CRA resolutions against rules during Obama’s presidency, but he vetoed all of them.
Quote:
In an interview, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) noted that CRA resolutions stop regulators from writing rules that are similar to the rules that are being blocked. By undoing a rule and preventing a similar one in the future, Grijalva said, “it’s a double-kill.”

“You turn back the clock to what was, and usually there was nothing,” he said. “You effectively then prevent, in the future, any means to address that problem. I think it’s cowardly to do it this way and not have a full debate on the merits.”

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 01 Feb , 2017 10:28 pm
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http://thehill.com/policy/finance/31742 ... -on-friday
Quote:
President Trump will meet with a group of the nation’s top executives on Friday to discuss strategies for creating jobs and growing the economy.

Trump is following through on his promise for the advisory group of 16 chief executives...

Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman is heading up the strategic and policy forum that will provide policy advice to the Trump administration.

The group includes Bob Iger, chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Co,; Larry Fink, chairman and CEO, BlackRock; Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores; Jim McNerney, former chairman and CEO, Boeing; Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co; Ginni Rometty, chairman and CEO of IBM.
Might be one to watch, and see if Trump makes any announcements Friday. It's is a traditional time for government executives to make announcements they think will be unpopular and want to bury.

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Thu 02 Feb , 2017 3:53 pm
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You know, there's really not much point in saying anything any more, after the latest shambles in the White House, and the ongoing indifference from Congressional Republicans - who are too busy gleefully and permanently dismantling rules they disagree with from the Obama administration, instead of changing/ eliminating rules through the normal channels. I've actually looked, half-seriously, at the Canadian government's immigration page. What else can you do when your government is going to hell, and acts like it would be perfectly happy to gratuitously alienate other nations and start a few wars besides? If someone doesn't get Trump, Bannon and his inner circle of right wing supremacists out of the White House ASAP, we're screwed.

Seriously, if just lying about a sexual relationship is enough to start impeachment proceedings, you'd think Trump's behavior would be more than sufficient by now.

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2017 1:16 am
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
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You would think, inky, but many people are so happy that things they like are happening they do not care how it's getting done.

Which, as we all know, is all well and good as long as things continue to go in your favor.... :neutral:

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2017 2:52 pm
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And, unfortunately, many Americans are poorly informed about the world beyond their borders. And a good number seem to have minimal critical thinking skills. (Not a reflection on anyone here). When I hear crap like "UC Berkeley should lose its federal funding" because a small contingent of violent protesters showed up at a protest against a nasty racist, I just despair at the stupidity of the average person. Do they realize that the university supports free speech, even objectionable free speech, gave Milo Yiannopoulos university meeting space to preach his message, and hired extra security to try to make sure things didn't get out of control? Do they think the administration enjoys replacing broken glass and fielding phone calls from anxious parents?

I have some ties to UCB. From what I hear, lately Berkeley's reputation for protests has a tendency to attract outside young anarchist-types, who think it's fun to protest and cause trouble. And have nothing to lose, unlike a student who gets caught becoming violent. I don't dismiss the possibility that some students were also involved, but I also know that if they get caught, administrations don't just smile and pat them on the back.

And I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but I'm becoming a little suspicious of all of these invitations to Milo Yiannopoulos to speak on prominent left-leaning campuses. Given his ties to Steve Bannon, I find myself wondering if they're trying to stir up trouble against academia. Last I heard, more than 25,000 of us had signed the academics' petition against the immigration ban.

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2017 3:22 pm
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Yes, I tangled with some people on this very issue yesterday. :neutral: At first the view was, "Yay for Trump! He should pull federal funding when colleges protest and riot." When I said this sounded like the move of a dictator, people got pissed, and then the tack was changed to, "Well, I meant when colleges suppress free speech by not allowing conservatives to speak on their campuses." I left it alone after that. There's only so much stupid a person can handle, you know?

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2017 4:02 pm
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I know. Once in a while, I've pointed some things out to my father-in-law, who watches and believes FOX news, but I doubt if it makes much difference.

You might be interested in sharing this. It's not about college campuses - has some interesting analysis of how Trump's operating methods are backfiring against some conservative or moderate goals.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/02/03/tr ... -blown-it/

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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Jude
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Sun 05 Feb , 2017 3:47 pm
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Earlier it was mentioned that one of the weaknesses of the protests is that they have no concrete aims. David Pakman has a brilliant idea I could totally get behind:



Whaddya think?

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Frelga
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Mon 06 Feb , 2017 7:13 am
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This is a very useful blog that provides a summary of everything that happens each day with a brief and fairly neutral explanation and links to sources. Sadly, I can't share the URL to HoF, even though it accurately reflects my feelings.

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/

A few of today's headlines I had not realized were real. I'd thought it was parody that went a bit too far. :scarey:

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Alatar
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Mon 06 Feb , 2017 9:29 am
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You could share like this:

https://goo.gl/1BHV19

or

http://bit.ly/2l2FvCp

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Mon 06 Feb , 2017 1:46 pm
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I read the CS Monitor, which is an old and well-respected newspaper, for general news. Like all news sources, it has some leaning, but it's known for delivering straight, reasonably neutral, stories on the news. It still has its own investigative reporters and also covers foreign news that most American papers tend to ignore. Ignore the terrible name, which in full is "the Christian Science Monitor." It raised my eyebrows, too, the first time I saw it 30 years ago - I wondered why all the foreign grad students, including friends I knew to be sane, were getting their news from some crazy newspaper by Christian Scientists. :D

Also, recently, I've been following "The Hill" (http://www.thehill.com), which covers political news out of Washington. The articles are varied, but they state clearly who the authors are (at least on the longer, analytical pieces), and you get some good perspectives by insiders - former members of various administrations - which I don't often see elsewhere. It posts breaking news very quickly.

And I've found some good things in http://www.foreignpolicy.com. It's a publication of The Washington Post, which I believe leans liberal.

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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Frelga
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 08 Feb , 2017 6:56 am
A green apple painted red
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Alatar wrote:
You could share like this:

https://goo.gl/1BHV19

or

http://bit.ly/2l2FvCp
Now that you did all the hard work, I will. Thanks! :)

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aninkling
Post subject: Re: Election
Posted: Wed 08 Feb , 2017 3:18 pm
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This has nothing to do with the website Frelga posted, which I haven't looked at. Just seemed topical, given the number of new political/ news sites springing up these days.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2 ... g-liberals
Actually discusses both right- and left-leaning fake news, as well as some of Trump's own lies. I can see where some of the fake news comes from, originating in a grain of truth. For instance, the news that the first lady was selling jewelry on the White House site undoubtedly originated in the first White House bio about her. It talked about her modeling and business ventures, and mentioned that her jewelry was sold on a home shopping network (QVC?). The administration quickly modified that bio, presumably because mentioning it was a potential ethics violation.

Melania Trump's biography, btw, is quite an entertaining read, especially when you've seen some of the other first lady biographies, like Michelle Obama's. :) I couldn't care less what she's done, or not done, with her life - she's not the one who ran for office - but it reads like a puffed up modeling resume. Admittedly, I don't like her - am rather disgusted by the first lady of the US suing some British tabloid and a US blogger for big bucks, because their insinuations may have hurt her "once in a lifetime" opportunity to profit by being the president's wife. Seems like there are far better things she could be doing than being the stereotypical sue-happy American.

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Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


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