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The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: No smocking guns. The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: No smocking guns.

04-10-2017 , 07:23 AM
Here are days 71-80 from my synopsis of Trump's first 100 days.

Trump's First 100: Days 71-80 - The $93 Million Tomahawk Chop

Day 71
  • Judge okays $25 million settlement in favor of two class action lawsuits accusing Trump University of defrauding its students.
  • One litigant had been holding up the final settlement, upset that the terms did not require the president to admit fault and apologize for cheating his customers.
  • Judge ruled in favor of the other customers who wanted the settlement to move forward.
  • President Tweets, "Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!"
  • At a televised Executive Order signing, he gives a brief speech, then leaves, having neglected to sign his Executive Orders.
  • Senate Intel Committee rejects former national security adviser Flynn's initial quest for immunity in return for testifying.
  • Sec of State Tillerson says sanctions will remain in place on Russia until that country reverses its actions in the Ukraine.
  • In Syria, US State Dept. draws its policy closer to Russia by backing off on demands for president Assad to step down.
Day 72
  • President proclaims April as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
  • That's the joke.jpg
  • Tweets, "“When will Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd and @NBCNews start talking about the Obama SURVEILLANCE SCANDAL and stop with the Fake Trump/Russia story?”
  • Former national security adviser Flynn files amended financial disclosure forms, adding payments from state-sponsored media outlet Russia Today he neglected to include on his initial disclosure.
  • Flynn didn't report being paid for speaking at the dinner that produced the famous picture of him sitting at a table with Vladimir Putin and US Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
  • Chinese company pulls out of $400 million real estate deal with Trump adviser/son-in-law Jared Kushner.
  • Five Democratic lawmakers had written to the WH asking for further details of the deal, which they called a "highly troubling transaction."
  • WH has stopped disclosing US troop deployment numbers in Iraq and Syria.
  • WH informs the American Bar Association that it will no longer use their evaluations of lawyers to vet nominations for federal judges.
Day 73
  • Federal judge will not dismiss a lawsuit by three protesters who were roughed up at a Trump rally after the president pointed at them and repeatedly shouted "get them out."
  • The president's golf outing today is at the Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia.
Day 74
  • Meets with Egyptian president Sisi--who had until recently been barred from the WH after seizing power in a military takeover--and heaps praise on the authoritarian dictator.
  • Asked about Trumpcare's failure to get a vote, says "There was no reason to take a vote. I said, ‘Don’t take a vote,’ and we will see what happens."
  • This is exactly the opposite of what he said.
  • Signs the bill that allows ISPs to sell your browsing history and location data to advertisers, insurance companies, law enforcement and anyone who wants it.
  • Donates his first quarter presidential salary, $78,333, to the US Park Service to help preserve old battlefields.
  • Trump's proposed budget would cut $1.5 billion from the Dept that runs the US Park Service.
  • Tweets once again that his wiretapping claims have been validated.
  • There is still no evidence for this being true.
  • WH aides and officials hold meetings on Capitol Hill in an attempt to revive Trumpcare before the House breaks for Spring recess begins after Day 78.
  • It's discovered that the president has quietly amended the trust designed to isolate him from his business interests.
  • The trust may now "distribute net income or principal to Donald J. Trump at his request”, or whenever his sons or attorney deem appropriate.
  • There is no limit to the type or amount of income he may pay himself from his business interests, and he need not report any details of the transactions.
  • It's reported that Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater and brother of Education Sec DeVos, arranged a secret meeting in January with a Russian official.
  • Prince represented himself as an unofficial representative of the incoming Trump administration, and interested in a back channel line of communication with Moscow.
  • Former campaign adviser Carter Page admits to meeting with Victor Podobnyy, a Russian intelligence operative, in 2013.
  • According to charges filed against the Russian spy in 2015, Page met with, exchanged emails with and provided documents related to the energy business to Podobnyy.
  • US Attorney Preet Bharara was in the process of prosecuting the spy ring involving Podobnyy when the Trump administration fired him.
Day 75
  • Attorney General Sessions releases a memo that maps a course for reducing investigations into unconstitutional policing, racial profiling, excessive force and other misconduct by local police forces.
  • WH blames the Obama administration for Syrian president Assad gassing his own civilians to death today.
  • The Obama administration had held firm its with demands that Assad step down; the Trump administration had backed away from those demands last week.
  • Speaker Ryan gives noncommittal answers when asked if a new Trumpcare bill will be introduced this week ahead of the House break.
  • It will not be introduced in time.
  • WH announces that tax reform is the next big legislative agenda.
  • The president had promised a full new tax plan by early March, between Days 41-50.
  • Former Obama national security adviser Rice denies leaking the names of the Trump campaign members who were caught up in incidental surveillance of Russian agents.
  • The WH is arguing that Rice improperly asked for the names, which were blacked out in the surveillance reports.
  • Top officials such as Rice are allowed by law to ask intelligence agencies, for national security purposes, to reveal blacked out names.
  • Evidence of collusion between Americans and Russian spies to tip the US election in Trump's favor would be considered a national security issue.
  • Rice at first denied knowing anything about the incidental surveillance after it was made public by Rep Nunes.
  • She lied when she said that.
  • House Intel member Joaquín Castro, asked about the evidence he's seen so far in hearings on the Trump campaign, says, "I wouldn’t be surprised after all of this is said and done, that some people end up in jail.”
  • Asked if 'some people' means Trump associates, Castro says "If I were betting, I would say yes,”
Day 76
  • Back on Day 32, the Newtown CT school board wrote a letter to the president asking him to denounce Alex Jones' conspiracy theory that the Sandy Hook mass killings were a hoax.
  • Jones has repeatedly said that the murder victims--20 children and 6 adults--were all actors participating in a staged event designed to bring about stricter gun controls.
  • The president is a fan of Jones and has called in to his radio show.
  • During the last 44 days, the president has never acknowledged the plea from Newtown.
  • He did find time today to praise Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly, who has settled five sexual harassment lawsuits and lost 38 advertisers so far from his top-rated show.
  • He called O'Reilly a "good person," and said "I think he shouldn't have settled; personally I think he shouldn't have settled. Because you should have taken it all the way. I don't think Bill did anything wrong."
  • Signs bill allowing hibernating bears and wolf cubs in dens to be hunted on Federal lands.
  • Sen Merkley gives a speech on the Senate floor detailing his opposition to Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court. His speech last 15 hours and 28 minutes.
  • Chief WH strategist Bannon is removed from the National Security Council.
  • Energy Sec Perry is added to the NSC.
  • President says he thinks former national security adviser Rice committed a crime by asking for the blacked out names in the Russian surveillance reports.
  • Current and former intelligence officials say Rice acted lawfully when asking for the names.
  • US Ambassador to the UN Haley holds up pictures of victims of the Syrian gas attacks at a UN Security Council meeting and asks, "How many more children have to die before Russia cares?"
  • Sen Rubio says it's no coincidence that Assad gassed his own civilians soon after the US backed off on calling for his ouster.
  • Later in the day, the president says, ""It's very, very possible, and I will tell you it's already happened, that my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much."
Day 77
  • Says, “I think we’ve had one of the most successful 13 weeks in the history of the presidency.”
  • It's reported that Trump senior adviser/son-in-law Kushner omitted foreign contacts on his security clearance application.
  • The application grants top-secret security clearance and requires the applicant to disclose all encounters with foreign officials over the last seven years.
  • Kushner did not list dozens of contacts he made with foreign leaders and officials during the transition.
  • House Intel Chief Nunes temporarily recuses himself from the investigation into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia.
  • Nunes is now under investigation himself, as complaints have been filed against him through the the Office of Congressional Ethics.
  • Rep Conway will head the investigation while Nunes addresses these complaints.
  • Nunes claims they are from "left wing activists," angry at his focus on the source of the leaks, rather than any evidence of collusion that these leaks may have uncovered.
  • Senate vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch does not get the required 60 votes to end debate on the nomination.
  • Senate votes to employ the 'nuclear option,' which is to change the long-standing rule, reducing the number of votes needed for a Supreme Court nomination from 60 to 51.
  • Trump orders strike: 59 Tomahawk missiles launched at the Sharyat Airfield in Syria.
  • American officials believe this is the base the Assad government used to launch chemical weapon on its own civilians.
  • Russia, which claims that Assad is not responsible for the chemical attacks, denounces the US strike.
  • Aside from telling the US they would not give Crimea back to the Ukraine, this may be the first criticism of US policy made by Russia during the Trump administration.
Day 78
  • Meets with Chinese leader Xi at Trump's luxury Mar-A-Lago golf resort
  • Says they had "very frank, very candid" discussions that were "very positive," but gives no details of the results.
  • The leaders will not be holding a joint press conference.
  • Posts photo of he and his team being briefed on Syria in a situation room at Mar-A-Lago.
  • Several people in the picture are economic advisers who have nothing to do with Syria. They are seat fillers for the photo.
  • Senate confirms Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court Justice by a vote of 54-45.
  • Federal Government will pay US Marshals $7.78 million to guard Education Sec DeVos from February-September.
  • Russia suspends agreement to share flight information related to their aircraft in Syria with the US, increasing the chance of a midair collision or a confrontation between the two forces.
  • Press Sec Spicer tells press pool to turn off their cameras and recorders while he briefs them on Syria.
  • Spicer claims he would like the president to have the first broadcasted words on the Syria attack.
  • But Spicer had already given Fox news two on-camera interviews on the attack before making his demand to the remaining press.
  • Many from the loose confederation of racist, nationalist web-savvy right wing commenters who've made up the president's support base have come out against the Syria attack.
  • They are repeating Russian claims that the chemical attack on civilians was staged by someone other than Assad.
Day 79
  • Department of Homeland Security abandons pressuring Twitter to reveal the user identity of an anonymous account critical of the Trump administration.
  • Twitter subsequently drops a lawsuit against the DHS over their demands.
  • Eyewitnesses report that Syrian planes are flying out of Sharyat Airfield, two days after it was struck by 59 Tomahawk missiles.
  • President orders a meeting between senior advisers Bannon and Kusher to address reported infighting between the two.
  • Bannon represents the reactionary, nationalist anti-immigrant side of the administration and Kushner stands for the pro-Wall Street, pro-global conglomerate wing.
  • The president's golf outing today is at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, FL.
Day 80
  • Plays a follow-up round at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
  • US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announces that US policy will swing back towards prioritizing Assad's ouster in Syria.

Days 1-70 are in the sticky here

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/41...-days-1651105/
04-10-2017 , 08:43 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperUberBob
When people say that "college isn't for everybody", people should consider that being too stupid or too poor are just a couple of the possible reasons for it not being good for everybody.

Some people don't fit in well with academia. I didn't psychologically adjust well to life in a university setting. My grades were terrific in high school but horrible in college because of severe anxiety and depression that I unknowingly suffered from for my 4 years in higher education. I gained about 60 pounds and was a recluse to the point where I didn't have the will to get out of bed and go to class let alone seek out a therapist. I graduated but didn't gain much from the experience. My bachelor's degree only indicates that I know more about a topic, economics, than I did when I entered college. Although I had the intellect to do well in college, I might have been better off either in a different school or figuring myself out mentally before entering college in the first place.

Others might want to do something that college can't provide for him. There are people who want to be auto mechanics or construction workers. While it is true that an engineering degree would help that person achieve more than just being a hands-on worker, some people don't want that. They'd be happier but not wealthier in a vocational job where they work with their hands. Perhaps vocational classes in a non-university setting would be a better option than college for people like that. Yet, we look down on people who take those classes. We assume that they're there because they were too dumb to go to college when that is not the case.

My cousin is a great example of the above. Super-smart guy with great grades but he wanted to be a chef. Instead of taking offers from major universities, he went to culinary school and aspired to be a chef. He took money he would have spent going to school and traveled throughout Thailand while learning to cook Southeast Asian cuisine after completing school and in the end he spent substantially less than he would attending a uni. When he couldn't find work that he enjoyed as a chef, he taught himself some computer programming languages and now works in IT.

Reality is that some people just don't want to go to college either because their aspirations lie elsewhere or it just doesn't suit them personally. As a society, we are hurting those people by making college mandatory for jobs where a college education is not needed. We also correlate lack of college with lack of intellect rather than recognizing other aspirations that people have. In response, those who didn't want to go or need college moved to elect Donald Trump as a **** you to people who unjustifiably stigmatized them.

Education today is educating people to attend college, not to be functioning members of society. But college should not be considered the endgame for everybody. A well-rounded education system should offer adequate classes in vocational fields and encourage enrollment in technical schools for those that aren't interested in college. They should not be punished by the market or ridiculed by society for that decision.


+1. By far the best post on this subject. Few jobs actually need more than a basic high school education and a year or two on the job experience to do well and fully.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
04-10-2017 , 09:05 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by markksman
Predicted future Trump tweet:



https://mobile.twitter.com/foxandfri...74719852990465
Obv scared of getting thrown in buses and taken back to Mexico.
04-10-2017 , 09:26 AM
Come on guys. "Universal college" doesn't mean that people are rounded up into camps of higher education and forced to learn Calculus if they want to eat. It just means everyone has the opportunity to go to college IF they want to. And naturally, trade school and two-year college would be a part of the deal as well.
04-10-2017 , 09:27 AM
Speaking of Fox, did anyone see their coverage of Syria this weekend? I caught pieces of Judge Jeanine and Watters' World and holy **** it was (so much more) hard(er) to watch (than usual)!

They were giddy over how amazing a commander Trump is. How America showed the world that we're not the weak, feckless Obama-led country anymore. How Obama and Susan Rice lied to us when they said Russia removed all the chemical weapons from Syria. How Trump attacking the airport forever dispels the Russiagate leftist conspiracy. How a "one and off" attack (like Jeanine has the inside scoop on the future) doesn't ever need Congress approval.

And the ridiculousness went on and on...
04-10-2017 , 09:29 AM
State-run media. Or at the very least, they're coordinating with the White House on messaging.
04-10-2017 , 09:43 AM
I have a feeling that the left is going to get wrecked pretty hard on this issue. There are plenty of practical arguments against the attacks (pointless, raise tensions/risk of conflict with Russia) and process nerd arguments (lack of congressional authorization), but those seem like political losers. The narrative (CW use leads to missiles striking airfield that launched attack) is pleasingly straightforward and lacks any messy complications (boots on the ground, civilian casualties). It seems like the gutless DemE centrist triangulation move of accepting the strikes but underscoring their pointlessness is the right move politically. Pelosi's statement is fine; Bernie's statement is good too, but should probably be taken as the extreme end of acceptable pacifism.
04-10-2017 , 10:08 AM
This is the 7th consecutive president to have military action in the Middle East, going back to Carter.

The angle should be it's just not working.

Mice learn faster.
04-10-2017 , 10:19 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
State-run media. Or at the very least, they're coordinating with the White House on messaging.
So Fox replaced CNN/NYT/NBC/CBS & ABC from the last 8 years?
04-10-2017 , 10:23 AM
lol i remember when you used to insist that you didnt support trump

"blah blah i dont need to vote for hillary cuz of the state i live in, im gonna vote 3rd party cuz i dont like trump but then in the months after the election im gonna rush to daddy's defense on every single screwup"

pretty suite story brah
04-10-2017 , 10:37 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
Come on guys. "Universal college" doesn't mean that people are rounded up into camps of higher education and forced to learn Calculus if they want to eat. It just means everyone has the opportunity to go to college IF they want to. And naturally, trade school and two-year college would be a part of the deal as well.
Exactly, just like a UBI doesn't mean people are forced not to work, they would just have more options available to them than they currently do.

The goal is making sure people can do what they want without having to worry about going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt.
04-10-2017 , 10:47 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by otatop
Exactly, just like a UBI doesn't mean people are forced not to work, they would just have more options available to them than they currently do.

The goal is making sure people can do what they want without having to worry about going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt.
Then offer everyone 2 years post grad high school. If they want to continue on to a Bachelors Degree/Master/Doctorate it's on them.
04-10-2017 , 10:47 AM
So, Kushner solved the middle east last week. Whats this wwek?

04-10-2017 , 10:50 AM
Calculelitists

Last edited by yeSpiff; 04-10-2017 at 10:51 AM. Reason: penis
04-10-2017 , 10:53 AM
Russia/Tillerson

By the way, anyone know what we're expecting from this meeting? It seems kind of important given the timing.
04-10-2017 , 10:57 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobman0330
I have a feeling that the left is going to get wrecked pretty hard on this issue. There are plenty of practical arguments against the attacks (pointless, raise tensions/risk of conflict with Russia) and process nerd arguments (lack of congressional authorization), but those seem like political losers. The narrative (CW use leads to missiles striking airfield that launched attack) is pleasingly straightforward and lacks any messy complications (boots on the ground, civilian casualties). It seems like the gutless DemE centrist triangulation move of accepting the strikes but underscoring their pointlessness is the right move politically. Pelosi's statement is fine; Bernie's statement is good too, but should probably be taken as the extreme end of acceptable pacifism.
Definitely agree just painting the strikes as pointless is the right move politically. It has the advantage that it plays into existing narratives about Trump (ie. that he's bluster and showmanship over substance). It also has the advantage that it's true.
04-10-2017 , 10:58 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
Russia/Tillerson

By the way, anyone know what we're expecting from this meeting? It seems kind of important given the timing.
Good News!

Spoiler:
for exxon shareholders
04-10-2017 , 11:03 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobman0330
I have a feeling that the left is going to get wrecked pretty hard on this issue. There are plenty of practical arguments against the attacks (pointless, raise tensions/risk of conflict with Russia) and process nerd arguments (lack of congressional authorization), but those seem like political losers. The narrative (CW use leads to missiles striking airfield that launched attack) is pleasingly straightforward and lacks any messy complications (boots on the ground, civilian casualties). It seems like the gutless DemE centrist triangulation move of accepting the strikes but underscoring their pointlessness is the right move politically. Pelosi's statement is fine; Bernie's statement is good too, but should probably be taken as the extreme end of acceptable pacifism.
Yea I was reading some old Politico articles back when Obama had the Syrian issue you could tell their arguments, that Obama was right to push for Congressional approval because it got buy in from the country, the diplomatic push ended up with a victory of removing large amounts of chemical weapons from the battlefield, were all pushing against the public opinion grain. For whatever reason the center position is "strong decisive action", from the right it gets applause for the normal big d*ck theory of foreign relations and on the center left for the humanitarian intervention is moral crowd.

Last edited by Huehuecoyotl; 04-10-2017 at 11:09 AM.
04-10-2017 , 11:07 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
Russia/Tillerson

By the way, anyone know what we're expecting from this meeting? It seems kind of important given the timing.
Removal of sanctions for taking a harder line on Assad?
04-10-2017 , 11:14 AM
Most likely outcome is a nap for Tillerson while two Russian male models play water sports with his wife.
04-10-2017 , 11:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huehuecoyotl
Yea I was reading some old Politico articles back when Obama had the Syrian issue you could tell their arguments, that Obama was right to push for Congressional approval because it got buy in from the country, the diplomatic push ended up with a victory of removing large amounts of chemical weapons from the battlefield, were all pushing against the public opinion grain. For whatever reason the center position is "strong decisive action", from the right it gets applause for the normal big d*ck theory of foreign relations and on the center left for the humanitarian intervention is moral crowd.
Also the bottom line outcome for the anti-strike camp is that there is no practical sanction for the use of chemical weapons against civilian targets, which is a deeply unpalatable conclusion for everyone. The original sin of Obama's red line fiasco wasn't his judgment that bombing Syria for CW usage was not advisable, it was the gamble of pretending for public consumption that there was a red line on chemical weapons when actually there wasn't. And it's very understandable why he did that, because admitting that big pieces of international humanitarian law are a dead letter is very unpopular because people want to believe that we live in a civilized world.
04-10-2017 , 11:26 AM
Trump at Gorsuch swearing in ceremony: This is one of the most important things a President can do...and I got it done within 100 days.

He just CANNOT help himself, can he?
04-10-2017 , 11:34 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by raradevils
Then offer everyone 2 years post grad high school. If they want to continue on to a Bachelors Degree/Master/Doctorate it's on them.
So we can afford to get everyone an AA but those extra two years would break the bank?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
Trump at Gorsuch swearing in ceremony: This is one of the most important things a President can do...and I got it done within 100 days.

He just CANNOT help himself, can he?
Gotta brag about what few accomplishments you have, even if you only have them because the previous Senate decided to be complete ****heads.
04-10-2017 , 11:38 AM
The accomplishment is McConnell literally broke the Senate. Great job, guys.
04-10-2017 , 11:40 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
The accomplishment is McConnell literally broke the Senate. Great job, guys.
smh, Reid gets a pass here? Both parties have managed to mess this up.

      
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