So everyone knows that this budget isn't so much Trump's actual desire or expectation, just his opening bid as a deal maker. Thing is, the federal budget isn't a piece of property where you split the difference and throw in a fridge. It is 4D chess, with sequester thrown in, and if you don't propose something real, you get nothing. You probably get nothing even if you do propose something real.

Best Trump's gonna do is last year's budget plus like 1%. So, his budget is just a bunch of self-inflicted bad optics with no point. Sure, some people will like it, but I suspect he's shaving off parts of his base, and a few more shavings and he's wondering how he got to 30% (lyin media, obv) and everything he touches is radioactive. Welcome to the show, it's been 2 months and you're batting .125.

I know a little about the budget from following politics closely for 30 years, and it makes healthcare look simple. It's complex enough that they need a separate entity, the CBO, to figure out what happens to Thing Q when you pull on Tab 3.

So goodbye Bannonomics and hello continuing budget resolution.

("When Congress and the president fail to agree on and pass one or more of the regular appropriations bills, a continuing resolution can be passed instead. A continuing resolution continues the pre-existing appropriations at the same levels as the previous fiscal year (or with minor modifications) for a set amount of time.[1] Continuing resolutions typically provide funding at a rate or formula based on the previous year's funding.[3] The funding extends until a specific date or regular appropriations bills are passed, whichever comes first. There can be some changes to some of the accounts in a continuing resolution. The continuing resolution takes the form of a joint resolution, and may provide bridging funding for existing federal programs at current, reduced, or expanded levels.[4]." Wikipedia)

And overhaul of the tax system, in August, led by Trump. Why not just perfect faster than light travel instead?

Sort of but not totally:




edit: hol up let me post a map of the slowness of ponies by county

We had the societal debate already. The programs side won. That's why we have the programs.

Your schtick is ****ing tired, man.

I really am trying not to touch on old news as I catch up but I will give my two cents on Rachel Maddow and the taxes. I don't watch cable news and don't have any favorite hosts. She has gained some tertiary credibility from people talking about her here and elsewhere.

I was well aware of the "news" so much so that I made it a point to watch it live and actually had a live text conversation with my conservative sybling. So it was not just some aside it had become pretty big news by the time the show aired and she and her staff have to take ownership of all that.

I also want to take pretty much all media to task as well. I realize they are in the money making business but real journalism has an absolutely higher calling. I mentioned this months ago but the same old cable news style that has been reality for almost thirty years can't survive. It's fine when you are splitting hairs but it is horrible when there is actual legitimate news to report. I take it from some here her rambling fifteen plus minute opening that literally did not discuss the issue at hand is normal for her. Too bad for her, because I can't see me watching her show ever again. Even if she somehow managed to get worthwhile information I would get it filtered through someone else.

If this was really a bombshell story (and I think people who note the use of a COUNTDOWN CLOCK are on point) then I want some freaking journalistic integrity and ethics and I want you to open the gd show with the goods.

Finally if the entirety of the hot scoop exclusive could be entirely contained in a single tweet then they are just screwing with people and harming their own reputation.

Tweet: Donald Trump's 2005 taxes show 150 million dollars earned and 35 million in taxes paid.

That is less than a full tweet and there was pretty much nothing else to it. Even if you want to delve into AMT. My personal takeaway is it just reinforces to me trump sucks as a business man because he pays way too much in taxes.

GCHQ says Spicer's claim that they wiretapped Trump Tower is 'utterly ridiculous'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39300191

In case there are people who don't follow Dan Carlin, he did an episode on health care in USA.
http://www.dancarlin.com/common-sens...-landing-page/

Does Carlin treat the question like an insoluble and unknowable problem, because I'm pretty sure it isn't. Sometimes Carlin's discussions of politics and policy piss me off. I mean-tweeted him and got a response. Made me feel a tiny bit bad for calling him an idiot for not sufficiently recognizing or reacting to Trump's vileness. I now realize, thanks to Dvaut, that I should have given him an atta-boy for at least knowing Trump is bad and being a good American generally.

What would proof or conclusive evidence look like, if not this?

Sim,
No.
He treats it as a scandal that the US spends the most by far and gets outcomes in the middle of the pack. (among group of similar countries)
Fairly obvious practical need for universal basic hc.

I know what you mean Sim but it's a good show. Should also check out his latest Hardcore History about the times the world has come close to Nuclear War. It's about a million hours long but chilling considering its the orange **** with the finger over the red button at the moment.

Looks like Trump's team have now backed down as they have stated that his claims regarding GCHQ will not be repeated.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39300191

This is beyond parody.

Is that what an apology looks like in the brave new world? ie you say "we won't say it again"? Jesus.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/0888c3e...mr.-trump.html

"You wrote it, you own it.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday that President Donald Trump and a Senate committee helped write the House's embattled replacement plan for Obamacare.

And the Wisconsin Republican insisted that "major components" of that bill will stay in place.

Ryan's comments on Fox Business News came as conservatives and other critics of the bill, which would repeal and replace key parts of the Affordable Care Act, clamored for changes."

Trump is just the bigly best at diplomacy by repeating some anonymously sourced talking point from a Fox News talking head moron that jeopardizes the credibility of a key ally and portrays them as willing to violate the law and sovereignty of their fellow allies.

Simply the best people.

Anyway it's good to that like the 6pm-9pm hours on Fox News are now the global intelligence briefing, so that whatever random pundit moron has to say will be filtered and then amplified through Trump. Comforting. THE NUMBER ONE NAME IN NEWS.

Okay I'll start. Feeding seniors and taking care of the vulnerable in general is a great thing for our society. It shows that we have compassion, humanity, and are willing to take responsibility for the less fortunate in our very rich and fortunate community (USA).

Your turn.

Trump is handling the NK situation LOL


https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...24011234791424

This all seems very standard for their jobs long before trump or any travel bans. They pick people out to question for all sorts of reasons and grill the crap out of them to try and trip them up. This happens with suspected drug mules all the time. They will dig into someone's background, call friends, families, associates both in the US and where they came from.

Hearing this second hand story just didn't strike me as anything they haven't been doing for decades and I suspect writer/journalist is a pretty common cover for people who might be involved in illicit activities.

He wants the long form nazi recruitment paperwork.

Apology tour!

NK may be a good situation for Trump, because it's all bad options, so it's hard to do something demonstrably worse than what else is available.

Still, probably the best thing is to do some uber diplomacy with China and SK and get a full buyin for NK 2.0. That's no small lift for even a theoretically competent administration, and it seems like the Donald's people are more into saber rattling even if it alienates China and isn't coordinated with SK. Least bad option may be more waiting. More info and tech is getting into NK and China cut off coal shipments last month, which is a potential killer. Don't know if they've started up again.

top notch

Who needs a State Department???