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$18 billion for Trump's Wall?

Donald Trump wants $18 billion for his border wall.

Guess Mexico told the truth when they said they wouldn't pay for it.

Trump supporters get snookered again. They will now have to pay for the wall if Republicans go along with this stupid wall. And maybe face a government shutdown if their infantile leader throws a tantrum when Dems say no.

I've also seen some moronic articles telling people not to waste their time hating Trump in 2018, he's been at his desk for a year and we're still here. As if that's the test. I will continue to bemoan this country's lack of a leader until the media stops making everything about him. Ignore him or criticize him, those are the only two choices. I go for days with the first option, but then there's one headline too many and I'm done with staying quiet. He's ruining our way of life, why should we not complain?

If your Congressperson even hints at voting to fund this wall using the government shutdown as an excuse, call them out on it. Better a shutdown than our money goes to a stupid wall.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Hi don't think we can afford to ignore him (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by Molly Bloom on Fri Jan 05, 2018 at 09:18:03 PM EST
    And you are correct the fact he had been in the Oval Office for a yea and we are still here is not the test

    Agreed (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 08:00:17 AM EST
    Definitely not the test.  It's coming to a head.  He is, as the Yale psychologist predicted recently, unraveling.

    the danger grows by the day.

    I take issue with the press making everything about him.  He makes everything about him.  The press, particularly print press, IMO in the age of Trump has been stellar.

    Seriously when the president tweets this -

    Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....
    6:27 AM - Jan 6, 2018

    ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!
    6:30 AM - Jan 6, 2018

    How do you, like, not report it?

    Parent

    I think the press has been negligent (none / 0) (#5)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:15:07 AM EST
    And three fact checkers checked the Wolff book, but before that was discussed Trump access reporters immediately smeared Wolff.

    Parent
    Who are Trump access reporters? (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:34:21 AM EST
    Whatever smear they attempted does not seem to be working very well.

    Wolff is being treated like royalty.

    I think it's pretty unfair to say "the press" has been negligent.

    IMO if there is one thing they absolutely have not been it's negligent.

    Parent

    Just start with Haberman and Thrush (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 10:52:28 AM EST
    Then check out who defended their crappy beat sweetener reporting on Twitter. Almost to a one, every journalist who defended softballing for access has been planted squarely on their faces and arses by the Wolff book.

    As the excerpts were being shared many of them chimed in on Twitter they all knew this stuff. But they chose to not write about or focus on how savagely insane the Trump White House is because.....

    Parent

    Ok (none / 0) (#16)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:18:31 AM EST
    Trump is at this moment using that as cover.

    Point taken.

    However, I consume a lot of news and while had heard about this stuff about "mistakes" I actually did not know the names of the reporters.

    I think they are massively out numbered.  Book sellers can't get enough copies of this book.  

    Plus, seriously, Trump PERSONALLY singling g them out, as he just did, will do wonders for their credibility.  That was snark.

    It's unraveling.  Trump is unraveling.  A couple of craven reporters will not stop that.

    This is not the end.   It's the beginning of the end.


    Parent

    They are outnumbered today...yes (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:27:05 AM EST
    What I am pointing to specifically was when the book began to break, there was an initial rush to Wolff's throat that has now been squashed on Twitter by commenters.

    I do understand this President is so crazy that it can be somewhat difficult to write about the crazy in a way that can resonate with the rest of us, but that's why they are hired journalists and I'm not.

    They were woefully unprepared to report on the lawlessness of this presidency. And too many journalists quipping who seem to have little understanding of the rule of law crisis we face this minute too since Trump seems to have stocked NY courts we are relying on to hold him accountable. Where is that story?

    Parent

    Honestly (none / 0) (#18)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:36:58 AM EST
    It's on MSNBC.

    :)

    I get it.  But the papers those people work for are doing great work.  

    But I am, like, an optimist.

    Parent

    Lawrence Tribe says getting rid of Trump (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 12:22:34 PM EST
    Will become easier as soon as his unfitness is separated from the buyers remorse. The press couldn't stop focusing on buyer's remorse. Their favorite stories though were the lack of buyer's remorse.

    Charlie Pierce commented on a piece where the journalist didn't even bother to let the readers know the subject was a GOP operative. The piece shopped that particular subject out as just an ordinary Joe. He called what the writer did malpractice.

    Parent

    No shortage of malpractice (none / 0) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 06:57:41 PM EST
    And then there is Charles Pierce.
    Or Jack Shafer writing in what we used to call REPUBLICO

    POLITICO Magazine

    SWAMP DIARY
    Week 33: Trump Blistered by Bannon's Inside Job
    The president still hasn't found a lawyer who can protect him from his enemies and himself.
    By JACK SHAFER January 06, 2018
    Facebook Twitter Google + Email Comment Print
    As cunning as a raccoon, author Michael Wolff walked in the front door of the White House early last year and has returned with a book, Fire and Fury, that cements Donald Trump's image as a shallow, narcissistic, dim, post-literate, impulsive, temperamental and doddering buffoon who blusters and lurches from crisis to crisis. For most of a holiday-shortened week, excerpts from the book published in New York and the Hollywood Reporter predicted that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III would "crack Don Junior like an egg," that Trump thought he would lose the 2016 election, that the Constitution was more difficult for him to understand than quantum physics.

    These hot licks temporarily elbowed Mueller's Russia investigation out of the spotlight until Thursday evening when the New York Times delivered a report that added a layer of patina to the obstruction of justice case Mueller is thought to be building. According to the Times' Michael Schmidt, last March Trump had his top White House lawyer lobby Attorney General Jeff Sessions to keep him from recusing himself in the growing Russia investigation.

    The most striking quotation collected by Schmidt appeared before the jump. Frustrated by the fact that Session had gone wobbly on him, Trump asked, "Where's my Roy Cohn?" Cohn, who was once described as a "legal executioner" by journalist Ken Auletta, represented Trump from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s until the one-time Joe McCarthy henchman died of AIDS. "All I can tell you is he's been vicious to others in his protection of me," Trump once told Vanity Fair's Marie Brenner about the lawyer. It's here that Wolff's unrestrained depiction of the incompetent Trump dovetails with the scandal that has vexed his presidency from its first days: Trump is surrounded by people who do his bidding, even as they mock him, but what he has prayed for in vain is a ruthless lawyer who would defend him from his enemies and save him from himself, just the way Cohn always did.

    I would be more worried if the all stars of conservative political journalism from Kristol to Poderetz to Will to Rubin to Charen to on and on and on were not with us.

    It's really not left against right.  It's elected republicans against the world.  And we can fix that if we can survive 10 months.

    Parent

    Pretty (none / 0) (#36)
    by FlJoe on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 08:11:30 PM EST
    ominous "if" in your last sentence, Howdy. I agree with you about the elected Republicans, unfortunately they control all the levers of power and they play dirty.

    Parent
    Truly, a big whatever (none / 0) (#38)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 07, 2018 at 09:12:27 AM EST
    On the partisanship you hope to enter into the discussion.

    The judiciary has begun to fail, the Congress and Presidency already touching on fascism a year into this presidency. All you have is the 4th estate until November. And journalists can turn everything into a both siderism horse race again then.

    Parent

    I am so long as we stay on them (none / 0) (#21)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:46:32 AM EST
    Point out where they are phucking the masses.

    The Presidency is failed and lawless and fascist, the ruling Congress is failed and lawless and fascist (Where are Democrats right now also?), the judiciary is beginning to fail, that leaves the 4th estate.

    This can make lifetime journalism careers the same way the Nixon administration did and the Vietnam War did, but nobody is going to give it to them.

    Parent

    What to do? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:12:34 AM EST
    Ignoring him is dangerous. Everyone paying attention is exhausted. I used to joke we all needed to start survivor support groups, not sure that can be a joke anymore.

    Wasn't a good joke to begin with, he was bringing up all sorts of abuse issues for people from day #1. But now even those who had some calluses protecting them are catatonic with exhaustion.

    And the press has been complicit in covering up exactly how nuts the Trump White House is.

    I ordered "the book". I wasn't going to buy the horrible damn thing but my husband raised the issue about whether or not not buying "the book" when you could afford the book was being a negligent American citizen.

    Parent

    Have read the Wolff book (5.00 / 3) (#9)
    by Coral on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:49:05 AM EST
    It's a fast, juicy read. Depiction of Trump's cognitive state and chaotic behavior is vivid. What I find most terrifying is the number of people willing to cover up for him, given his clear instability. Put together with news reports and his twitter history, it is completely plausible.

    Why leaders of GOP allow this to go on is mystifying. My only explanation is that they may be treating this as a type of regency, where they stand in for the mad monarch.

    Yesterday (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:53:53 AM EST
    I was watching a movie that involved a Chinese child emperor

    I thought wow, that's exactly where we are

    Parent

    He'll hold the Dreamers hostage for the wall. (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Fri Jan 05, 2018 at 09:39:17 PM EST


    He's not getting a wall though (none / 0) (#6)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:19:34 AM EST
    The topography of our Southern border makes a wall impossible.

    Parent
    It will be an interesting (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 09:42:19 AM EST
    Nexus for Chuck and Nancy

    Parent
    We're not just here, we're doing well (none / 0) (#11)
    by McBain on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 10:47:53 AM EST
    Markets are up, unemployment down.  If building some kind of border wall changes that, criticism of Trump will have more meaning.  Right now it sounds obsessive and unproductive.  Best to ignore all the little things you don't like about him and focus on promoting a candidate you do like for 2020.

    Well he has destroyed tourism (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 10:55:58 AM EST
    This summer is going to be a challenge for that industry thanks to Trump.

    Parent
    Wait a minute (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Repack Rider on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:14:41 AM EST
    Are you suggesting that Mr. Trump is anything but a national embarrassment?

    Are you suggesting that there is a worthwhile aspect of Mr. Trump's presidency?

    Please give me a defense of Mr. Trump's mental acuity.  Is there anything in his demeanor that strikes you as being a responsible adult?

    Parent

    It's all rumors and lies Repack (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:18:05 AM EST
    This President is a genius.

    Parent
    The defense (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:39:12 AM EST
    Is in comment #3

    Parent
    Republicans, (none / 0) (#22)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 12:08:07 PM EST
    essentially, all of them, have decided that character is not relevant to the president. Nor, is evidence of diminished mental capabilities.  They have selected, as stated in Wolff's book, not a person, but a collection of bad traits.   He is rich, but you can't help but wonder, as a comparison,  whatever happened to those normal billionaires, like Howard Hughes.

    Parent
    The investor class is doing great, for sure, (5.00 / 3) (#20)
    by Anne on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 11:45:47 AM EST
    but I'm not sure that "markets" being at record levels is an accurate measure of how well the lives of ordinary people are doing.

    I mean, can you tell me how the Dow being up over 25,000 has improved your life?  Are your costs going down?  Are your wages up?  If you're drawing on a retirement plan, I'm sure you're RMD is up, so that is a positive, but if you're still working for a living, if you don't have an individual portfolio of stocks, how is a booming stock market improving your life?

    As for the border wall, no doubt the plan all along was to hold the DACA kids hostage, and then blame the Dems for not surrendering to save them - when Trump never had to put the program on a path to end to begin with.

    In my opinion, if there's going to be $18 billion appropriated for something, it sure should not be for a ridiculous wall that isn't going to change anything.  There are far more meaningful ways to improve people's lives with that money.

    Parent

    "We're doing well" (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by jondee on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 02:35:11 PM EST
    On September 3, 1929, the Dow swelled to a then-record high of 381.17. And a starry-eyed Yale economist crowed that "stock prices have reached what looks a Permanently high plateau."

    Then, few years later, we had the Dust Bowl and fathers riding the rods and families living out of a truck and scrambling for a pittance anywhere they could find it.

    What makes you think the people driving the Wall St casino are thinking in terms of whats best for America, McBain?

    Were they in 1929 and 2007?

    Parent

    There's going to be a crash at some point (none / 0) (#30)
    by McBain on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 04:32:55 PM EST
    where I live things are crazy.  Apple and Google buying up land left and right. Home prices are ridiculous. This tech bubble won't last forever.  

    Parent
    1992, 2008 and (none / 0) (#31)
    by MKS on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 04:45:03 PM EST
    one more time now?

    Could be.  Real estate getting out control seems a precursor to a bubble bursting.

    Parent

    18 billion? (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by MKS on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 04:46:34 PM EST
    Isn't SCHIP about that?

    Parent
    Trump's model for his wall fantasy (none / 0) (#28)
    by jondee on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 03:05:02 PM EST
    is probably Israel's wall. Forgetting that Israel never had to deal with the incentive and resourcefulness that comes along with hundreds of billions in illegal drug profits and Wall St's insatiable, never-ending demand for cheap, disposable workers.

    The wall is just MAGA-porn; a symbolic gesture aimed at exciting and validating the feelings of the embittered and angry "anti-pc" crowd.

    How did this country ever get so f*ckin' stupid?

    Parent

    My wages are up slightly (none / 0) (#29)
    by McBain on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 04:29:32 PM EST
    I'm not rich but I'm well diversified in the stock market.  My costs are going down a bit thanks to Obama (ACA).  2017 was a good year for me and 2018 is starting off well.  

    If my job was guaranteed (it's not), I wouldn't mind seeing a "correction" to the stock market but, like many people, my ability to earn depends on big business doing well.

    Parent

    An economic indicia (none / 0) (#33)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 05:48:13 PM EST
    to watch is automobile sales.  In 2017 sales slowed, and would have all the more if not for involuntary replacement sales due to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

    Parent
    The LITTLE things??? (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by Yman on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 01:34:32 PM EST
    You mean the fact that he has the temperment of a child?  Or the fact that he lies multiple time every day?  The fact that he pushed tinfoil conspiracy theories?  The fact that he smears war heroes and disabled people?  Or perhaps his self-confessed $exual assault of wome?

    You have a very strange idea of what's "little".  But hey ... as long as Wall St. s doing well ...

    Oy.

    Parent

    Someone has to pay (none / 0) (#34)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 06:36:33 PM EST
    Yes, not only the (5.00 / 2) (#25)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 02:03:23 PM EST
    high stock market, low employment, but also,
    Trump stopped airline crashes.

    Parent
    Like Superman (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 02:12:22 PM EST
    Job growth in 2017 was less than 2016. (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by ruffian on Sat Jan 06, 2018 at 08:40:43 PM EST
    December numbers were ~146,000 new jobs, which is barely enough for new people entering the market, usually estimated at about 125,000 in a month. It's not a rosy jobs picture. We're entering the Trump economy folks. For better or worse, he can neither blame nor coast on Obama's policies any longer.

    The stock market and tax cuts do not create jobs. Trumps white working class supporters are in for a surprise if they truly thought they would.

    Ignore him? I wish I could. Every day is a fresh storm of idiocy and graft - fleecing of the taxpayer. Every day he is in office is one too many.

    Parent

    "Snookered"? (none / 0) (#39)
    by thomas rogan on Fri Jan 12, 2018 at 12:15:22 PM EST
    Trump supporters would GLADLY have paid 18 billion to have a wall.  Mexico paying for it was a bonus.  Trump supporters voted for someone who agreed with the idea of having a wall as opposed to open borders.  

    "As opposed to open borders" - heh (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by Yman on Fri Jan 12, 2018 at 04:47:41 PM EST
    That was funny.

    BTW - Since you've decided you speak for Trump supporters, why not speak for the оранжевый шут himself and tell us why he made the promise if it didn't matter?  Why make an obvious lie when there is no need?  You suppose it's just a pathological impulse?

    Parent

    The lies are like (none / 0) (#41)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jan 12, 2018 at 04:56:57 PM EST
    Onion layers.

    Not mentioned, more Mexican are now and for a while leaving than coming.

    Parent