FMOTUS: F***ing Moron of the United States (Trump) thread continued

[TheClaws]

As aptly dubbed by his own Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.

Old thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3047195-Hello-Don-got-a-new-tax-cut-Trump-continued

And as I love giving you images to haunt your dreams, here’s another one, blasphemously titled ‘Our Lord and Saviour’.

I hadn’t realised this could be an issue; should war break out on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea does not have control over its own military. The US does.

Wall Street Journal‏Verified account @WSJ 33m33 minutes ago
More
South Korea wants the U.S. to allow it to control its own military if war breaks out

^SEOUL—South Korea is pushing the U.S. to allow it to take control of its own military forces should war break out on the Korean Peninsula, but the Americans are concerned that Seoul isn’t ready, according to U.S. officials.

The issue creates a potential fault line between the two allies amid a growing threat from North Korea.

The topic is set to feature prominently in security talks on Friday in Seoul during a visit by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. As part of the trip he is expected to visit the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea, according to U.S. and South Korean officials.

South Korea has day-to-day control of its own military, but under an agreement in place since the Korean War in the 1950s, the U.S. would assume operational control of both the U.S. and South Korean militaries in the event of a major conflict on the peninsula. The U.S. maintains approximately 28,500 forces in South Korea.^

More than that - much more - in the theatre as a whole. (They have some 40.000 troops in Japan alone.)

There seems to be a thing, Across, that being from an ‘old’ family somehow gives you a greater .......understanding of American values, sort of brings you closer in spirit to the Founding Fathers, (But maybe I’m thinking/talking tommyrot. It’s late here.)

It does alter the dynamic - for me, anyway, Cozie. The US really does hold all of the puppet strings in this particular theatre. If Obama was at the helm, it would disturb me as much. But of course, if he was, we probably wouldn’t be at this juncture.

I hasn’t realised that either theclaws and it does make the whole situation more frightening for me as well.

This couldn’t be a clearer illustration of “Russian reversal”

GOP
@GOP
The script has flipped on the Russia investigation. Now Hillary and the DNC have explaining to do. Demand answers: gop.cm/QAPLYw

Jake Tapper
@jaketapper
Trump wanted gag order lifted on FBI informant in uranium investigation

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2017/10/26/politics/donald-trump-gag-order-fbi-informant/index.html

Adam Schiff
@RepAdamSchiff
If President personally intervened w DOJ to advance case against political opponent it’s beyond disturbing; I intend to pursue in new probe.

Matthew Miller
@matthewamiller
More info on Trump interfering with a law enforcement decision to enable attacks on political opponents. Another huge breach of the DOJ wall

POLITICO
POLITICO
@politico
·
14m
Veteran diplomats are alarmed by a leaked document showing how Tillerson is trying to centralize decision making politi.co/2zbXRvk

[...]The chart appears to show a top-down approach in which ideas emanate from the secretary’s inner circle rather than bubbling up from diverse sources, such as foreign service officers in the field. More than half a dozen current and former U.S. officials who have seen the document said it reveals an unusual level of control and oversight by the Policy Planning Staff, which is known in diplomatic circles as S/P.

Several current and former U.S. officials warned that the new approach, called the Policy Planning Process, or “P3,” increases the risk of poor, uninformed policy choices on everything from terrorism in Africa to human rights issues at a perilous time in international relations. It could also further demoralize career State Department staffers who already feel marginalized by Tillerson and President Donald Trump.

“This says to me that they are developing a new foreign policy structure that is designed to largely ignore those who know these regions and who know these issues," said Brett Bruen, a former State Department official who served under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

The chart suggests “a power grab by a small cabal of Tillerson aides,” added a senior Democratic congressional aide. “Making policy with a token effort to engage policy experts is a recipe for disaster and further evidence that the political forces in this administration will do anything they can to dismantle the State Department.”

Also

State Department Scraps Sanctions Office

The Trump administration is three weeks late on Russia sanctions. But it’s killed the office that coordinates them.

foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/26/state-department-scraps-sanctions-office/amp/

Not quite gold plated roussette

Trump has spent $1.75 million on White House redecorations

thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/357291-trump-has-spent-175-million-on-white-house-redecorations?amp

In fairness, beyond the headline (my emphasis):

By the same point in his presidency, former President Barack Obama had spent about $1.5 million, NBC reported, but had paid for some of it himself. NBC reported that it is "unclear" if Trump has paid for the furnishings out of pocket or with government funds and that a White House spokesperson said they were looking into it.

I think we can guess whether he paid for it or foisted it onto the taxpayer, given his immaculate record so far

Anecdotal but worrying:

Jamie Carter #Resist
@JCTheResistance
November 7, 31 states will hold elections!

Verify your registration status and find your polling place here!

www.headcount.org/verify-voter-registration/

Jamie Carter #Resist
@JCTheResistance
Even if you KNOW you are registered,CHECK!

I was purged from voter rolls!

But I had time 2 re-register!

How many others have they purged?

Ken Klippenstein
@kenklippenstein
Boom. Leaked copy of the Puerto Rico / Whitefish contract:

www.documentcloud.org/documents/4113619-Whitefish-Contract-Signed-10-17-Copy.html#document/p1

$300m in taxpayer money includes...
-Chinook helicopte airlift: $20,277
-S61 helicopter airlift: $15,993
-Passenger helicopter: $3,969

$332.41 per person for accommodations each day

$79.82 per person for food each day

Whitefish contract states, "In no event shall [government bodies] have the right to audit or review the cost and profit elements." Wow.

Incredible: Whitefish contract states Puerto Rican govt "waives any claim against Contractor related to delayed completion of work."

Robert Andross
@MrChew3131
So essentially they don't have to finish the work, claim it's just being delayed, and collect that 300 million lol

All going well!

The Associated Press
@AP
Pentagon chief Mattis accuses North Korea of threatening “catastrophe” during DMZ visit

apnews.com/9922afa720974acd8245687c4a20b8fd/Pentagon-chief-accuses-NKorea-of-threatening-'catastrophe?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP

But sadly, it’s not just anecdotal

Kobach’s Voter Fraud Detection Program Is So Flawed That Indiana Created Its Own Software to Fix It

The Crosscheck program has been found to generate false positives that could remove legitimate voters from the rolls.

www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/kobachs-voter-fraud-detection-program-is-so-flawed-that-indiana-created-its-own-software-to-fix-it/

Some good news, despite state department decimation

Administration Begins to Implement Russia Sanctions Under New U.S. Law

Those doing business with Russian intelligence, weapons and aircraft firms face penalties

www.wsj.com/articles/administration-begins-to-implement-russia-sanctions-under-new-u-s-law-1509063291?mod=e2tw

"I can understand a politician not wanting to say proudly "I'm the great great great great grandson of the Earl of Shitshire who polished the boots of Charles II" if he wants to appeal to the masses, but is just being of a 'posh' family really enough to put a politician beyond the pale with the average person?"

Talking about it is. It is something you get accused of being. Being it is, of course, helpful for all the usual reasons.

"There seems to be a thing, Across, that being from an ‘old’ family somehow gives you a greater .......understanding of American values, sort of brings you closer in spirit to the Founding Fathers, (But maybe I’m thinking/talking tommyrot. It’s late here"

Yes, that's how it came across to me. This died out (or became something you could only say in private) by the 1960s here, presumably because of the change in attitude to our own history.

"Just out of curiosity, my dad's family (his grandparents emigrated in the late 1800s) has been traced back to the 1400s in a particular area of Cornwall. They're a line of miners, farmers, small businessmen. Wouldn't it be correct to say that their current descendants living in the UK 'come from an old British Cornish family' or is that description reserved for 'upper class' families? "

In a more homogenous society (as we were till about 70 years ago) it would tautology to say that you came from a British family.
"We are Cornish" yes. "We came from Cornwall" yes. "We came from an old Cornish family" though means you are claiming some kind of more notable/landed background.

I wonder how African Americans feel about the American way of talking about these old families in such an unreconstructed way.

The UK a homogenous society until 70 years ago?

It really wasn't.

Class was an immense gulf between different sectors of society in the UK, going back 100s of years.

So was religion - people's life chances differed considerably depending on whether they were Protestant/Presbyterian or not. There were riots at the suggestion that official discrimination against Catholics be reduced. Non-Protestants still weren't admitted to Oxford until 1854 - and Cambridge I think later.

Regional differences were also large, and often the matter of discrimination eg there was anti-Scottish prejudice in some parts of England.

I don't know what you're thinking of in describing the UK as a homogenous society.

Sorry, that's a bit off-topic for this thread.

Not ignoring, but don’t think I have anything meaningful to add!

Natasha Bertrand
@NatashaBertrand
The Benghazi investigation lasted 4 years. House and Senate R's want to end the Russia probe after 9 months. www.politico.com/story/2017/10/27/gop-russia-probes-trump-244217

Also

David Rennie
@DSORennie
Don't assume that Robert Mueller will provide a neat and tidy criminal justice ending to the Russia saga. My report www.economist.com/news/united-states/21730685-anyone-hoping-neat-conclusion-likely-be-disappointed-how-robert-muellers

Also

Natasha Bertrand
@NatashaBertrand
Republicans trying to hobble Mueller's probe are about to get a new weapon: the special counsel's budget: www.politico.com/story/2017/10/26/robert-mueller-probe-budget-fight-244218

Although on second thoughts it's not completely off-topic, because we know that disruptive forces are attempting to exacerbate divisions in many countries for divide-and-rule.

During the last 70 years in the UK we've got better at according people equal rights as humans, not just handing out privileges or disbenefits based on some group they belong to. I think equal rights tend to decrease division, rather than exacerbate it.

Obviously we're a long way from perfect - there's always more to do. And currently we're being pushed and pulled by interests which are actively trying to create division. So there's absolutely no room for complacency.

I think a discussion of British vs American 'class' system is absolutely fascinating. The intricacies yet the simplicity of 'you belong to X' and 'you can't (or can) become Y by doing Z' is mind boggling. But yes, a topic for another thread AND probably a mine field! Thanks for the little lessons of our digression. I'll end my part by saying I think the term 'Old American Family' also implies 'service to the Country' and that being here 'that long' implies that you 'love' the US more than a newcomer, simply by virtue of your ancestors 'sticking around'. Both premises of which are untrue in most cases.

Anyhoo, from some of the posts and links upthread it appears that 'The Scrotus Gang' is indeed starting to seriously play the "Me? Me?!? But what about HER???!!" card wrt Hillary as a diversionary tactic. I'm hoping it's because they're starting to panic. And hopefully their panic will engender sloppiness (as it sometimes does) as they rush around trying to hide shit and start fires in rubbish bins.

I mean, what do they think would happen if it were true? That it would be a case of 'Oh well, dirty politics. You both did it so we'll forget about it', like two 3 year olds who have hit each other thinking that both being naughty cancels it out so they shouldn't get in trouble for hitting? It doesn't work that way. And if the only way you can make yourself look 'good' is by making your opponent look 'bad', then you really don't have that much to offer, do you?

I think the thing that has me shaking my head so hard is their self righteous accusation that HRC had the actual audacity to compile a dossier of hurtful info on a rival!!! I'm mean it's not like anyone in the Scrotus Gang ever had meetings with anyone for the same purpose, amirite??? Phffffft!

Of course white supremacist gorka would have to take finger pointing to a whole new level

Media Matters
@mmfa
Sebastian Gorka: Hillary Clinton should be convicted of treason like the Rosenbergs; "Those people got the chair" mm4a.org/Zqb

Brendan Nyhan
@BrendanNyhan
Former WH adviser suggesting the president's political opponent should be executed on television. This is deeply dangerous & not normal.

Didn’t Mr O’Donnell write for ‘The West Wing’ ?

Yes, and acted in it. He played Bartlet's father in flashback scenes in the episode Two Cathedrals.

Somewhat random, but just want to drop this grammar nazi (the good kind) video about Ivanka:

A real fortnight!