Politics: 2016 Lame Duck and 2017 New Administration

[SMiLE Brian]

The thing is, that they'll back fill all that work with contractors, driving up the cost. This is an expensive symbolic move that will remove benefits from many employees.

Thank f*** I didn't vote for him like my family wanted me to!

[HeyJude]

Maybe the most palatable way to watch the inauguration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM7B56xok9M

[alf wiedersehen]

Man, Donald gets an early start to his day.

Sean Spicer, the second hardest working con man in the country, has covered up inauguration lies with further lies. Is caught in a lie again.

Donald continues to insist voter fraud robbed him of the popular vote. Paul Ryan, Mike Huckabee, and Lindsey Graham (and perhaps more high-profile Republicans) insist there is no evidence of any such voter fraud.

Donald is using executive action (something once considered unconstitutional when used by Obama) to push forward the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been frozen. Employees are placed under gag orders.

Scientists working for the United States Department of Agriculture have been told to stop releasing their work to the public--the people who pay for their work with their taxes.

Those documents that prove he's divested himself of all business interests and signed over the operations to his sons? No one has seen them, including the Ethics Office. Reporters weren't allowed to view them.

When explaining their reason for the federal hiring freeze, the White House lies to the American public.

A third contributor to Breitbart has been welcomed into Donald's administration.

Not only does Donald decide to remove press from the White House, he also decides that he will personally pick which reporters will be allowed in. This will result in government-sanctioned news, i.e. propaganda.

He has also been given the green light to bring his son into his administration, which is in clear violation of past restrictions in place to prevent nepotism.

[alf wiedersehen]

In other fun news, 1984 has been surging in popularity lately. In 1984, there is the concept of "Doublethink," which means "holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." Let's see how Donald's administration enacts this concept:

Donald's people say it's impossible to quantify crowd sizes.
Donald's people say he had the biggest inauguration ever.

Or the concept of alternative facts. If the government finds a truth inconvenient, they'll simply make their own version of the truth. It's not a lie--it's an "alternative fact."


Perhaps even more concerning is how authoritarian everything is rapidly becoming, which is only exacerbated by having a popular figurehead for this new government. Has anyone seen that Black Mirror episode with the animated bear that does political commentary? Does anyone remember the giant face on the "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" posters from 1984?

Things look bleak.

[Emily]

Here's an interesting soft take on politicking that I don't think is off.
I do have an issue with the framing, that I've seen in various forms, of "the problem with Democrats is they see the world rationally but people don't think rationally so Democrats lose." It takes people who do something, then says 'others don't do that, so people don't do that.' The people who do think rationally are also people. And if they think rationally, others can think rationally. I don't think the answer is to dumb things down for those who don't think rationally, but to improve education so they do. There is a point though that that's not where we ARE - so dumb down to get the power to improve education? It's back to pragmatism vs idealism which is a constant struggle for the left.

http://www.salon.com/2017/01/15/dont-think-of-a-rampaging-elephant-linguist-george-lakoff-explains-how-the-democrats-helped-elect-trump/

Edit: I was being lazy. By "dumb down" I mean present alternative facts that appeal to people's biases and otherwise follow the marketing suggestions in this article. Basically, get votes not by presenting policy but by playing by the right-wing "people are stupid so we're going to manipulate the morons" game, rather than get votes by saying "here are the policies and here's why they're better."

[Emily]

Oh - and declaring his own Inauguration Day the "National Day of Patriotic Devotion"

[Chocolate Shake Man]

CSM, I've been waiting for a calm moment to gather my thoughts and discuss media with you. I hope you're still around in the future when I'm gathered!

I'd be happy to. I am teaching two courses at the moment so forgive me if I am slow in responding or miss something.

[alf wiedersehen]

How long until he calls himself "our fearless leader," do you think

[alf wiedersehen]

Apparently someone decided to lock my Daily Donald thread. I'll continue here.

One last, late-night update.

Apparently all this negative press is keeping Donald from enjoying the White House. I guess the job just isn't as fun as he expected.

Following his other actions to destroy the EPA, Donald has had ordered them to remove their page on climate change.

Donald, in his first few days as president, threatens to enact martial law in Chicago.

Donald is expected to sign several executive actions to stop immigration from mid-Eastern countries--unless he has a hotel located there.

He is also expected to sign an executive order to begin building the wall. I hope you're all ready to pay for it with more taxes.

Lastly, several different intelligence agencies and the Senate committee are investigating Donald's link to Russia. Will they find something? Hopefully.


What's the record for quickest impeachment? Let's beat that, guys.

[LostArt]

Apparently someone decided to lock my Daily Donald thread. I'll continue here.

One last, late-night update.

Apparently all this negative press is keeping Donald from enjoying the White House. I guess the job just isn't as fun as he expected.

Following his other actions to destroy the EPA, Donald has had ordered them to remove their page on climate change.

Donald, in his first few days as president, threatens to enact martial law in Chicago.

Donald is expected to sign several executive actions to stop immigration from mid-Eastern countries--unless he has a hotel located there.

He is also expected to sign an executive order to begin building the wall. I hope you're all ready to pay for it with more taxes.

Lastly, several different intelligence agencies and the Senate committee are investigating Donald's link to Russia. Will they find something? Hopefully.


What's the record for quickest impeachment? Let's beat that, guys.

Why was that thread locked? 

[guitarfool2002]

Apparently someone decided to lock my Daily Donald thread. I'll continue here.

You already have the same thread with the same title and content started and running on the forum you manage. If people want to join in, they can go there.

[the captain]

Yeah, Bubs. Posting duplicative content on this board and the other board with which this board's moderators and membership are obsessed is strictly forbidden. Check the rules. On this board, we only post ad infinitum about that other board, even more ad infinitum (infinity plus one!) about the well being of the board itself, those underhanded forces sneakily trying to take it down--YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, READ MY POSTS!!!!!!!--and sometimes the Beach Boys. But no duplicative content. That's where we draw the line. Get with it, man.

[guitarfool2002]

"The Daily Donald" has now been merged with the Politics thread.

[the captain]

Like many states, Minnesota is looking at healthcare solutions in this strange interim period. Our state-run exchange, MNSure, saw some high-profile insurers exit the market this past enrollment period and thus rates predictably skyrocketed. The legislature is looking at reimbursements, with agreement between the DFL (as the Democratic party is in Minnesota, merged with the old Farmer-Labor party) governor and GOP house and senate that they will do it, and the only question being how: insurance companies themselves giving discounts right off the bat, a state dept providing refunds (presumably through a vendor), etc.

The governor, Mark Dayton, gave his state of the state the other night in which he was going to outline his proposal to add a true public option to MNSure, which he says would keep premiums down if people who don't qualify under current rules could buy in. (In other words, more wealthy and healthy people, as opposed to those in the market now.) However, the GOP house and senate are pretty strongly opposed to that, as you might expect.

It is going to be interesting and more than a little scary watching yet another massive healthcare overhaul in the coming days, weeks, months, and (realistically) years. To me, healthcare is one area where ideology has to compromise with pragmatism ... yet sadly it is one area that seems very rarely to do so, at least in the loudest rhetoric.

EDIT: I meant to add, Gov. Dayton didn't get through his whole proposal because, as you may have seen or heard, he fainted during his speech, hitting his head on the podium while collapsing. He has since also disclosed that he has prostate cancer and will begin treatment soon, after being fully tested at Mayo. Best wishes for the governor, who had a rough session ahead even in the best of health.

[alf wiedersehen]

It's always fun to be censored.

Well, here we are again. One more day into Donny T's reign.

Good news! We've been demoted to a "flawed democracy!"

The ol' Don man is calling for an investigation into voter fraud, despite everyone telling him no voter fraud occurred. His lawyers have said no voter fraud occurred. Studies on voter fraud have found exceedingly minimal evidence of voter fraud. A study cited by the White House to support their voter fraud claims are being misinterpreted, according to the man who organized the study.

But Donald will only be investigating states that voted for the Democratic Party. He'll apparently be rewarding the states that voted for the Republican Party.

Two of Donald's advisors and his daughter are registered to vote in two states.

When Jill Stein attempted to perform a recount in Michigan, her efforts were put to an end by Donald and his people with a court filing that included the following: "All available evidence suggests that the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake."

There is increasing evidence that Donald's actions are in fact reactions to news he sees on TV. He'll skip intelligence meetings because he's already a very smart man, and he doesn't bother to read the really long documents, but he'll sit in front of the TV and get his new filtered to him through the convex lens of Fox News.

Remember when Hillary had those private email servers? Donald's senior White House staff now have private email accounts. Trump is still using his old, unsecured phone.

After being treated like piles of garbage by Donald, scientists have decided to start running for office themselves. They're also having their very own march on Washington. Boy, it's gonna be a while before Donald can really enjoy the White House.

Speaking of which, a 70-foot banner that reads "RESIST" now hangs from a crane adjacent to the White House.

Donald's chief economic advisor will receive a $284,000,000 reward from Goldman Sachs.

South Dakota uses emergency powers to repeal anti-corruption laws and prevents people from having a referendum.

Donald's approval rating is much higher in Russia.

Donald's pick for attorney general continues to support major anti-LGBTQ bill.

Donald is expected to bring back overseas CIA black sites and reinstate torture. He's also denying prisoners' access to Red Cross services, which is a war crime. The White House claims the leaked document is fake, but they've also lied about... everything...

Another leaked document demonstrates Donald's plan to do away with environmental protection programs and reduce the EPA's budget by $800,000,000 in an effort to allow big business to f*** the environment into a poisonous desert.

Happy Wednesday.

[Emily]

I don't get much news by day - but here's a little:
The person expected to be appointed to the civil rights division worked for the Republicans on a redistributing plan that was rejected by a court as race-based and worked on the N Carolina bathroom bill.
Trump's gag order includes scientists at the EPA from publishing in journals for peer-review because the pols want to vet them first to ensure they are on-point with the EPA's messaging.
Tbd on the latter.

[alf wiedersehen]

And it looks like the White House is sending out their own news packets with the title "Praise for President Trump’s Bold Action."

yay government-approved news

[the captain]

Bubs, you know I love you. But because I also love devil's advocacy:

I'm (obviously, so enjoy the understatement) no fan of the new president, but the titles of press releases are always dizzily spun. That's not unique. And Pres. Obama took more control of the image and output of his administration than anyone previously had, such as restricting photographers but then releasing administration-approved shots, etc. Propaganda from the White House (and congresspeople) is not new and it is not partisan.

And to be fair, we are a flawed democracy. Isn't that the basis of all social justice movements?

And writing things like "is expected to" isn't really fair reporting of what is happening. It's taking what someone else has said is expected and banking on it. In the case of bringing back CIA black sites, as I heard on NPR but haven't dug into further, that is based on a draft EO that talked about reconsidering the use of them, and that the draft had an explicit disclaimer and condemnation of torture. Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe this president himself has anything against torture, as he made clear repeatedly. But his Sec. of Defense also has made clear he doesn't believe in torture and seemed at one point to have converted the president on that.

I think getting caught up in opposition is as dangerous as getting caught up in support if it numbs reason or dulls criticism into bland, blunt, blanket opposition. If my mind were more of a thesaurus, I'd have come up with a b-begun synonym of opposition. That would have fucking ruled.

[SMiLE Brian]

Captain, what are your favorite alcoholic beverages these days?

[alf wiedersehen]

For what it's worth, every time something has been "expected to happen," it has happened.

[the captain]

Captain, what are your favorite alcoholic beverages these days?

The ones I'm drinking. At this particular second, New Belgium's Whizbang blonde ale is pretty good (and about six inches from my right hand). This is the first I've had it--well last night was, when I bought the 12-pack. Not bad. And I'm always a sucker for dry red wines, pretty much across the spectrum of varietals and origins.

Why, may I ask, do you ask? My contrarianism got you thinking I'm drunk? (I'm not. Yet.)

[SMiLE Brian]

Wondering how you are numbing the pain of hard times of government insanity.....

[the captain]

For what it's worth, every time something has been "expected to happen," it has happened.

He'll drop out of the primary because he doesn't actually want the job, just the media attention (especially to start his own Trump News Network)? He'll nominate Rudy Giuliani Sec. of State? He'll make fun of Christie's predilection for McDonald's--wait, that one did happen.

[the captain]

Wondering how you are numbing the pain of hard times of government insanity.....

Dissociation and lack of passion and activism. It's not as if I thought Pres. Obama were a savior or something, either. I'm nervous about this administration, but I was pessimistic about the last one, and the other alternative to this one. I'm extremely interested in politics, but I'm rarely convinced to raise my voice in the slightest in support of anyone, and I'm pretty quick to oppose everyone out of sport, if nothing else.

[alf wiedersehen]

For what it's worth, every time something has been "expected to happen," it has happened.

He'll drop out of the primary because he doesn't actually want the job, just the media attention (especially to start his own Trump News Network)? He'll nominate Rudy Giuliani Sec. of State? He'll make fun of Christie's predilection for McDonald's--wait, that one did happen.

I'm referring to what I've posted.