The Donald Trump Score Card

World must ‘wake up to the challenges presented by China,’ says US Defence official

The Trump administration has called on the international community to “wake up to the challenges presented by China”.

Speaking during an address at the 2020 Munich Security Conference in Germany, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said China topped the Pentagon’s list of potential adversaries, followed by Russia and “rogue states” like North Korea and Iran.

It is essential that we — as an international community — wake up to the challenges presented by China’s manipulation of the longstanding international, rules-based order.”

He said China represses its people and threatens its neighbours, accusing the rising superpower of seeking an “advantage by any means and at any cost”.

World must ‘wake up to the challenges presented by China’


Here fuckin here!

 

I feel like that's too vague. It's "rules-based order" that isn't holding up in court for me.

this is a little better, and probably true. I'm barely ready to count them as an adversary because they're lending us money or something. shouldn't we square that away first? hmm..

 

Trump and his handpicked Barr are now trolling each other after numerous competent and law-abiding officials were fired by Trump or resigned in frustration. After trolling Republicans in his post-impeachment avengement campaign, Trump in desperation started trolling a House Democrat who didn't vote against articles of impeachment.

Trump and his associates are similar to forum trolls who troll rooms so aggressively that nearly all of the respectable people quit posting. That leaves nothing but trolls trolling other trolls in rooms that they destroyed, which isn't fun anymore. They resort to migrating to other rooms desperately looking for non-troll posts to troll in a declining forum. The Trump administration has degenerated itself to that state.

Much the same as forums where the people who had authority to discipline the trolls didn't do their job and even got rid of some of the posters who were respectable, the politicians surrounding Trump who could have disciplined him gave him a free ride. The government is ending up much like a troll-wrecked, low-traffic forum dominated by a few repulsive characters of the type found in run-down neighborhoods.

 

The debt thing is a little more complicated as there is an unknown, yet huge amount of under the table lending that happens within China itself, to it's own construction companies etc

Which means an internal collapse may be closer and more prominent than anyone thinks.

 

Mr.Ping said he is going to invade Australia. It's best that you keep your head buried in the sand, and your rear end high, i.e. assume the position.

 

You and he He can exhort all you want, but the Trump administration has given up our moral leadership in the world. Nobody will take him seriously anymore, whether he's right or wrong.

 

The Trump renunion show of recycled, musical chairs personnel, featuring people like Hope Hicks and John McEntee.

The Trump administration is akin to Hollywood endlessly recycling old characters and plots.



Trump unleashed: President moves with a free hand post-impeachment
By Brett Samuels and Morgan Chalfant
02/15/20 05:11 PM ES

Trump unleashed: President moves with a free hand post-impeachment

excerpt:

"Hope Hicks will return next month for a second stint at the White House, where she will serve as a counselor to the president working alongside senior adviser Jared Kushner. Hicks previously worked on the Trump campaign and served as communications director prior to her February 2018 resignation.

John McEntee, who spent about a year as Trump’s personal assistant before being dismissed based on security clearance concerns, has been elevated to oversee the Presidential Personnel Office. The shift gives McEntee significant influence over the vetting and appointment process for scores of executive branch positions.

“All great shows have a reunion episode, and it looks like the reunion is starting a little sooner than maybe expected,” said Bryan Lanza, an official who worked on the president’s transition team.

Taken together, the new roles for Hicks and McEntee show the president’s effort to remake the West Wing into an outfit of loyalists. Trump has long been weary of leakers and “Never Trumpers” undermining his agenda and has steadily jettisoned career officials over the last three years whose views differed from his own."

 

McEntee was quickly escorted out of the White House in May 2018. His security clearance was denied based on what was said to be a gambling habit. That was when Kelly was in charge and trying to clean up issues related to granting of security clearance in the Trump administration and to impart discipline.

Kelly is part of why McEntee was ejected. McEntee is now returning but Kelly isn't. Ironically, reports say that McEntee in his new role will be overseeing the vetting and hiring of all people for the Trump administration.

 

A 29-Year-Old Trump Loyalist Fired in 2018 Is Now In Charge of All White House Hiring
By Benjamin Hart
February 14, 2020

Fired Trump Loyalist Will Now Control White House Hiring

excerpt:

"McEntee’s name may sound familiar to hard-core White House–personnel watchers. He was fired back in May 2018 and suddenly escorted from the White House at the order of then–chief of staff John Kelly, after a federal investigation revealed that McEntee had committed “serious financial crimes.” The Wall Street Journal reported at the time that he had a serious gambling problem and issues with his taxes. McEntee had also been working without a permanent security clearance because he was unable to pass a background check. But those small blemishes on his record were hardly enough for the Trump administration to stay away. Less than a day later, the Trump 2020 campaign hired him as a senior adviser for campaign operations.

The New York Times reported in December that McEntee would be returning to the White House.

Like many Trump loyalists who have amassed considerable power by virtue of their personal ties to the president, McEntee’s background in politics is basically nonexistent. Less than a decade ago, he was the starting quarterback for the University of Connecticut’s football team. From there, he became Trump’s “body man.”"

 

Trump's former personal assistant to oversee White House personnel office
By Brett Samuels
02/13/20 12:40 PM EST

Trump's former personal assistant to oversee White House personnel office

excerpt:

"President Trump's former personal assistant, who was reportedly escorted out of the building in 2018, will oversee the Presidential Personnel Office, a source confirmed to The Hill on Thursday.

John McEntee, the president's longtime body man, is expected to head up the office tasked with vetting presidential appointments and recruiting candidates to work across various White House agencies. The office is responsible for thousands of lower-level appointees, as well."

 

Trump and his love of pageantry.


Trump Wants To Take His 'Beast' Limo For Lap Of Daytona 500
By: Jacob Oliva
Feb 16, 2020 at 12:57am

Trump Wants To Take His 'Beast' Limo For Lap Of Daytona 500

excerpt:

"Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile seems pleased with this piece of news, according to the Washington Examiner's report.

"We’re honored that the President of the United States has chosen to experience the pageantry and excitement of ‘The Great American Race’ by attending Sunday’s 62nd annual Daytona 500," Wile said.

The Daytona 500's Sunday run will start in a few hours, so we'll see if this plan pushes through.

Source: John Roberts (Fox News) via Washington Examiner "

 

Trump ramps up his campaign against sanctuary cities.



Border Patrol Will Deploy Elite Tactical Agents to Sanctuary Cities
Caitlin Dickerson and Zolan Kanno-Youngs
The New York Times
February 15, 2020, 10:19 AM EST

Border Patrol Will Deploy Elite Tactical Agents to Sanctuary Cities

excerpt:

"The Trump administration is deploying law enforcement tactical units from the southern border as part of a supercharged arrest operation in sanctuary cities across the country, an escalation in the president’s battle against localities that refuse to participate in immigration enforcement.

The specially trained officers are being sent to cities including Chicago and New York to boost the enforcement power of local Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, according to two officials who are familiar with the secret operation. Additional agents are expected to be sent to San Francisco; Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, New Orleans, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey.

The move reflects President Donald Trump’s persistence in cracking down on sanctuary cities, localities that have refused to cooperate in handing over immigrants targeted for deportation to federal authorities. It comes soon after the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced a series of measures that will affect both American citizens and immigrants living in those places."

 

Lolz, see, told you, 5 in a row

 

William Barr unveils ‘significant escalation’ of Trump administration battle against ‘sanctuary city’ policies
By Associated Press
Published: Feb 10, 2020 7:07 p.m. ET

William Barr unveils ‘significant escalation’ of Trump administration battle against ‘sanctuary city’ policies

excerpt:

"WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is filing suit against the state of New Jersey and King County, Washington — home to the city of Seattle — over “sanctuary” policies that hinder federal immigration officers, Attorney General William Barr said Monday.

Barr, speaking to a group of law-enforcement officers at the National Sheriffs’ Association conference in Washington, said law-enforcement officers are being “put in harm’s way by these ideologically driven policies.”

The lawsuits were the latest effort by the Trump administration to punish localities with sanctuary policies — municipalities that offer protections to immigrants in the U.S. illegally — as the president heads into a re-election campaign."

 

Is that one a plus or a minus on the scorecard?

Daytona is an important American tradition, but also, bad for climate change

 

Hmmmmm - Does McEntee know where Trump buried the bodies ??? Does McEntee know something about Trump that Trump himself would like to keep very confidential ???

 

Well, looks like all your bets are riding on Bernie now

So....

Ha ha ha ha

 

2020 election is already over and Trump is the winner.

 

The event probably didn't have many downtrodden coal miners with insolvent pensions.


Trump holds lavish fundraiser at Palm Beach billionaire’s home
The event raised $10 million for Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee.
By MERIDITH MCGRAW
02/15/2020 10:20 PM EST

Trump holds lavish fundraiser at Palm Beach billionaire’s home

excerpt:

"Next week, the president will continue his fundraising swing in California, at the Rancho Mirage home of another billionaire, Oracle’s Larry Ellison.

According to the Desert Sun, “Ellison will host supporters on a golf outing at his Porcupine Creek home. For $100,000, supporters can join a golf outing and have their photo taken with the president. For $250,000, contributors get a photo, golf outing and can participate in a round-table discussion.”"

 

round-table discussion = praise-fest for Trump.