The Second Trump Administration

[Mac1958]

From my perspective what makes the trump government distinct is not its clear eyed vision for America but rather the way it has gone about implementing the plan to get there. Which in practice has been to do whatever it wants and dare the opposition to stop it. Not seeking consensus, not using the legislative process, not respecting the wishes of the dissenting majority. But rather acting by way of executive fiat. Not surprisingly, when you "ignore all rules, laws, standards and norms" you can make it appear that you're getting a lot done. You project decisiveness, progress, power, accomplishment. Things The Following are impressed with. They don't seem to mind it's undemocratic, or that much it will be reversed, or the harm it's doing. When you're in the midst of a rage party one rarely considers the consequences.

Yeah, precisely. I believe this general posture was specifically the plan. I would add two things: I noticed right away that they were going to be aggressively combative/pugilistic with the non-MAGA media, and with any Democrat in any kind of committee hearing. That was apparent on Day One.

And second, virtually every time when one of the key players is in front of the camera, they specifically tie everything to what a "great leader" Trump is. Every moment in front of the camera is essentially a campaign stump speech for him. I don't know if that's a mandate from Trump, or an internal plan. But it's consistent.

I don't like this, obviously, but I have to respect what they're doing. This is not, and never has been, about him alone. This has been like watching an individual, carefully-organized battalion in a war.

 

[kyzr]

I don't think that the Biden Administration, or the flaccid, mediocre Biden were anything like it or he are being portrayed. And many of the things for which he is being blamed are simply examples of the stupid PC/Identity Politics crap the Dems had been doing for years.

Ok, blaming Biden and his democrat handlers for pushing the PC/identity politics crap typical of democrats, is warranted, you are what your record says you are.

He's nothing like the evil commie I keep hearing about. Not close. Not within a million miles. He's just a typical, worthless, glad-handing professional politician who mattered in just one way: He provided a four year respite to the chaos.

Biden's 4-years were chaos on steroids. Open borders, 12,000,000 illegals including 166,000 Chinese, 125,000 Russians, 400,000 convicted criminals, and 18,000 terrorists is the biggest national security disaster in history. Not to mention 20% inflation over his disastrous term and accruing a $38T national debt.

This Biden hysteria is only being to done in an attempt to lay cover and provide excuses for what the Trump administration is doing.

Not true. Trump is trying to save America from bankruptcy. The interest on the $38T debt is $1.1T a year. Trump's tariffs gets new revenue of about $400b a year. Trump already has a GDP of 4.3% hoping to grow tax revenue and his $18T in foreign capital commitments will transform the US from a service economy back to more of a manufacturing economy. Trump knows that he has to give US households more spending power or the democrats will win in November.

 

[SaxonJackson]

One full year into Trump's second administration, I think we can see how this is going to look in general. I have no idea what's going to actually happen, or how it's going to play out, or any of that. But I think the tone of this administration is set. To me, it breaks down to two basic parts:

First, regardless of the ideologies, policies or issues involved, I don't think we've had an administration this focused in my lifetime. Yes, Trump's temperament brings a huge element of abject chaos to it, but I get the feeling that there are VERY specific domestic and global goals they want to meet, many of which we haven't even seen yet. It is essentially Project 2025? Yeah, maybe, but whatever it is, this group knows exactly what it wants overall. And I mean "group" specifically. Trump is the hammer, but people like Stephen Miller and the Heritage Foundation are the nails.

Second, I think this group came in with the specific intent to just ignore all rules, laws, standards and norms. They would have some losses along the way, but if all rules just ignored, our administrative system simply would not be able to keep up. We've seen SEVERAL examples of this. But they knew -- and this is pretty smart -- that the running carnage they created would essentially provide cover for their next act. You don't notice individual raindrops in a hurricane. In its own riotous way, there is a centralized focus to this administration that gives it its own kind of clarity.

I have no predictions on how this works. But to me, the overall picture is pretty clear, in its own way.

How Trump upended the federal government in his first year back in Washington

I'm not sure what to expect. But the "Campaign Trump" and the "White House Trump" are two, different birds. In other words, Trump is completely unpredictable and the fact that he can say one thing and do something completely different makes him totally untrustworthy. His promises are empty, meaningless, and lack integrity and believability.

He seems far more interested in doing the bidding of foreign governments like Israel while ignoring or, at least, misreading the needs of the American people. I'm not feeling very optimistic but things can change. I'll give Trump credit for significantly slowing down the illegal invasion over the southern border but then he announces that he's going to import 600,000 Communist Chinese. So the one good action is negated by a very bad action.

He literally stated that American workers are talentless and that we need foreign workers to do the jobs Americans are too stupid to do (paraphrased). He also stated that he no longer needed support from "America First" patriots and called us "weaklings." So his lack of confidence in Americans makes it impossible for me and millions of others to have a lot of confidence in him.

 

[Independent thinker]

One full year into Trump's second administration, I think we can see how this is going to look in general. I have no idea what's going to actually happen, or how it's going to play out, or any of that. But I think the tone of this administration is set. To me, it breaks down to two basic parts:

First, regardless of the ideologies, policies or issues involved, I don't think we've had an administration this focused in my lifetime. Yes, Trump's temperament brings a huge element of abject chaos to it, but I get the feeling that there are VERY specific domestic and global goals they want to meet, many of which we haven't even seen yet. It is essentially Project 2025? Yeah, maybe, but whatever it is, this group knows exactly what it wants overall. And I mean "group" specifically. Trump is the hammer, but people like Stephen Miller and the Heritage Foundation are the nails.

Second, I think this group came in with the specific intent to just ignore all rules, laws, standards and norms. They would have some losses along the way, but if all rules just ignored, our administrative system simply would not be able to keep up. We've seen SEVERAL examples of this. But they knew -- and this is pretty smart -- that the running carnage they created would essentially provide cover for their next act. You don't notice individual raindrops in a hurricane. In its own riotous way, there is a centralized focus to this administration that gives it its own kind of clarity.

I have no predictions on how this works. But to me, the overall picture is pretty clear, in its own way.

How Trump upended the federal government in his first year back in Washington

Looks great, doesn’t it? The US finally has a leader.

 

[jknowgood]

His rule is that I have to prove his is wrong when he makes a false statement but that I have to prove I am right when I make a statement he doesn't believe.
Please, even maga boys can see how absurd that is.

So you cannot prove him wrong, got it.

 

[Mac1958]

Looks great, doesn’t it? The US finally has a leader.

For those who need to be led, sure.

 

[Company 13]

So you cannot prove him wrong, got it.

And he can't prove me wrong.
Why are you speaking in his defense? Is he your boyfriend?

 

[OODA_Loop]

I have no idea what's going to actually happen, or how it's going to play out, or any of that.

Most accurate post of yours EVER.

 

[citygator]

While I'm at it, what the hell:

One of the characteristics I constantly see from both ends of the spectrum is that they don't seem to put much (if any) thought into the possible downsides and consequences of their methods. So the goal may be perfectly righteous, reasonable and defensible. But if your methods in reaching your goal are counter-productive, you could make things worse.

Example? It seems to me that the Left made zero effort to examine the potential downsides to being so aggressive with Political Correctness and Identity Politics. The result? The pushback with Trump. I'm seeing the same thing here. Trump's supporters and enablers look only at the individual act, and not a larger picture, the big picture effects, or an examination of how their methods could backfire on them.

“Political Correctness” which is just social norms doing their thing is nowhere near breaking the functioning laws and ignoring the governmental system that is in place.

I mean, appointing a gay transportation secretary or black Sec of Def doesnt really compare to defunding congressional mandated funding or deploying military soldiers into political opponent cities to intimidate.

I think you “both sides suck” people will be fine watching it all burn down as long as you aren’t encouraged to say “Happy Holidays”. Seems silly to me. Just my opinion.

 

[Crepitus]

For those who need to be led, sure.

Remember that these are the folks who were, just a few short months ago, screeching that we needed tRump because we had to get out of the business of nation building and foreign military interventions.

They not only need to be led but they will follow slavishly wherever tRump goes.

 

[Mac1958]

I'm not sure what to expect. But the "Campaign Trump" and the "White House Trump" are two, different birds. In other words, Trump is completely unpredictable and the fact that he can say one thing and do something completely different makes him totally untrustworthy. His promises are empty, meaningless, and lack integrity and believability.

He seems far more interested in doing the bidding of foreign governments like Israel while ignoring or, at least, misreading the needs of the American people. I'm not feeling very optimistic but things can change. I'll give Trump credit for significantly slowing down the illegal invasion over the southern border but then he announces that he's going to import 600,000 Communist Chinese. So the one good action is negated by a very bad action.

He literally stated that American workers are talentless and that we need foreign workers to do the jobs Americans are too stupid to do (paraphrased). He also stated that he no longer needed support from "America First" patriots and called us "weaklings." So his lack of confidence in Americans makes it impossible for me and millions of others to have a lot of confidence in him.

All true, but he is held to an entirely different set of standards, for whatever reason. What he says in any given moment is evidently supposed to be ignored. It may be real, it may not, and it doesn't matter.

I'm still trying to get better at looking at it that way, and his juvenile behaviors are still tough to take -- I'm not going to apologize for expecting an adult to behave like an adult -- but I guess I've just become numb to most of them.

Just try to ignore the words, the promises, the insults, the insecurities, pretty much everything. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there. Wait for the actions, because there is never a straight line from one to the other.

 

[Mac1958]

Most accurate post of yours EVER.

Yes, I leave that to you folks, those who know everything.

 

[berg80]

This Biden hysteria is only being to done in an attempt to lay cover and provide excuses for what the Trump administration is doing.

It's an intellectual hidey hole. A lazy, misguided, unoriginal collection of fatuous whataboutisms reflexively spewed any time they are challenged to defend trump on his own terms. Which they can not do.

 

[Mac1958]

“Political Correctness” which is just social norms doing their thing is nowhere near breaking the functioning laws and ignoring the governmental system that is in place.

I mean, appointing a gay transportation secretary or black Sec of Def doesnt really compare to defunding congressional mandated funding or deploying military soldiers into political opponent cities to intimidate.

I think you “both sides suck” people will be fine watching it all burn down as long as you aren’t encouraged to say “Happy Holidays”. Seems silly to me. Just my opinion.

I spent a few years here telling the lefties that there would be a pushback to their weaponization of PC/Identity Politics. I had no idea it would be this huge, but I did keep saying it. And for that, of course, they called me every name in the book.

And sure enough, here it is. The Left continues to deny it, but it's pretty plain to see.

 

[IDIOCRACY]

One full year into Trump's second administration, I think we can see how this is going to look in general. I have no idea what's going to actually happen, or how it's going to play out, or any of that. But I think the tone of this administration is set. To me, it breaks down to two basic parts:

First, regardless of the ideologies, policies or issues involved, I don't think we've had an administration this focused in my lifetime. Yes, Trump's temperament brings a huge element of abject chaos to it, but I get the feeling that there are VERY specific domestic and global goals they want to meet, many of which we haven't even seen yet. It is essentially Project 2025? Yeah, maybe, but whatever it is, this group knows exactly what it wants overall. And I mean "group" specifically. Trump is the hammer, but people like Stephen Miller and the Heritage Foundation are the nails.

Second, I think this group came in with the specific intent to just ignore all rules, laws, standards and norms. They would have some losses along the way, but if all rules just ignored, our administrative system simply would not be able to keep up. We've seen SEVERAL examples of this. But they knew -- and this is pretty smart -- that the running carnage they created would essentially provide cover for their next act. You don't notice individual raindrops in a hurricane. In its own riotous way, there is a centralized focus to this administration that gives it its own kind of clarity.

I have no predictions on how this works. But to me, the overall picture is pretty clear, in its own way.

How Trump upended the federal government in his first year back in Washington

Wow, you were doing pretty well right up until what came with your second point....I stopped reading at "norms".

 

[OODA_Loop]

I spent a few years here telling the lefties that there would be a pushback to their weaponization of PC/Identity Politics. I had no idea it would be this huge, but I did keep saying it.

And sure enough, here it is. The Left continues to deny it, but it's pretty plain to see.

So wise, prescient. There are those key words in your post again: "I had no idea"

 

[Mac1958]

So wise, prescient. There are those key words in your post again: "I had no idea"

You sure do seem to think that admitting I don't have all the answers demonstrates some kind of weakness.

I'm so glad I'm not going through life like you are.

 

[OODA_Loop]

You sure do seem to think that admitting I don't have all the answers demonstrates some kind of weakness.

I'm so glad I'm not going through life like you are.

Except you claim you don't have the answers but then give the answer in the same post.

 

[jknowgood]

And he can't prove me wrong.
Why are you speaking in his defense? Is he your boyfriend?

I'm not the one saying what someone is saying is wrong. Next you going to quote an anonymous person as your source. Since that seems to be the source of your allegations lately.

 

[berg80]

I'm not sure what to expect. But the "Campaign Trump" and the "White House Trump" are two, different birds. In other words, Trump is completely unpredictable and the fact that he can say one thing and do something completely different makes him totally untrustworthy. His promises are empty, meaningless, and lack integrity and believability.

HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THAT. Because his personal history has proven to him he can get away with everything with little to no consequence. Integrity, honor, being a person of substance, those things aren't necessary for him so he sees them as being for losers. Like veterans. Like people who play by the rules.

The entire game for him is imposing his will and completely vanquishing the opposition with any and every means at his disposal. They say killer whales are the perfect killing machine. trump is the perfect sociopath.