Shutdowns, military pullouts, and resignations: it’s Christmas and Trump thread 89

[TheClaws]

It’s chaos in Trump’s world, more so than usual, with #TrumpResign trending in Twitter after a number of key debacles: the pull-out of US troops from Syria, the resignation of General Jim Mattis, and the shutdown of the government over Christmas due to bipartisan disagreement over wall funding. (Those are just 3 issues.) The next few weeks will be rocky.

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3442038-But-When-the-president-does-it-that-means-it-is-not-illegal-Trump-thread-LXXXVIII

What a snowflake ...

Last night Tucker Carlson blamed high-earning women for problems men face.

Tonight he doubled-down & went a step further calling modern society the "dark ages" and crediting women with killing science, art & comedy.

"They're drunk on power and looking for new people to hurt." https://twitter.com/JordanUhl/status/1081012250469642240/video/1

But at least:

Scott Dworkin
@funder
BREAKING: Republican Senator Susan Collins just announced her support for the House bill to reopen the government, without any funding for a border wall. She is the second Republican to do so. Senator Cory Gardner is the other.

Emma Kennedy
‏Verified account @EmmaKennedy
2m2 minutes ago

Emma Kennedy Retweeted Bryan Dawson

Another Trump lawyer’s been indicted.

It’s extraordinary how one man has managed to surround himself with wrong’un’s isn’t it?

cough MOB cough

Emma Kennedy added,

Bryan Dawson
‏ @BryanDawsonUSA

The level of corruption and sleaze is “unpresidented.” Another Trump lawyer indicted! This time, a Trump tax attorney, Ed Burke, who helped Trump challenge property tax assessments, was busted with federal extortion charges.

#TrumpResign
chicago.suntimes.com/news/chicago-alderman-ed-burke-federal-court-case/ …

Rep. Don Beyer
‏Verified account @RepDonBeyer
10m10 minutes ago

Senate Minority Leader @SenSchumer just said that Donald Trump threatened to keep the government closed for "months or even years" during his Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders.

forward.com/opinion/416988/nancy-pelosi-is-the-anti-ivanka/

Oh lordy, he's at it again rambling on in the Rose Garden

The threat to keep government closed is exactly what I'd expected from 45.

Does it inconvenience him for it to be closed? Does it glorify Donald Trump to have a functioning government?

If the answer to both those questions is No, then it will stay closed.

This was in the works the instant Pelosi used the phrase in the Oval Office, "a Trump Shutdown".

He loves things with his name on, so from that moment was always going to shut down govt. Also, media are now showing graphs (pictures! Donald understands!) of lengths of previous shutdowns, and the Trump Shutdown isn't yet the longest. He'll want the biggliest shutdown.

Plus the disruptivists and anti-government billionaires will be thrilled – anything to further the principle of No Government...

Methinks now would be a good time to unseal some of those subpoenas.

Ive just started reading Fear. I hope he won’t still be in office by the time I finish it!

He's never sounded more cluelesss! He gets asked a question and gives an answer to some other question. Such rambling on his favourite phrases. He just regurgitates the same phrases again and again and again whatever he's asked.

It reminds me of the comedy sketch with the Two Ronnies where they answered the question before that was being asked.

It will be the greatest shutdown of all time.

The mansplaining is doing my head in!

Why Sarah Badliar is still at the WH:

Sarah Huckabee Sanders Can’t Leave Trump Because No One Else Will Hire Her

I was out and about this morning. Sooo glad I missed the 'excitement' of Scrotus' remarks. Did a quick 'catch up' and am shaking my head.

I really feel for the Fed employees. But if I was still working, I'd tell my legislators to stick to their guns even if I had to take a second job at MaccyD's in the meantime to pay the bills (because I'd be one of the 'essential' people working without pay). If you give in to a bully, you only empower them. It has to stop somewhere.

www.cnbc.com/2019/01/04/federal-judge-extends-mueller-grand-jury-by-another-six-months-report.html

The term of the Mueller grand jury was set to expire tomorrow but has been extended by a further 6months.

Out of interest, if he keeps on threatening to have government shut down, what is the difference between a President and a dictator?

Seems quite dictator-y

Trump admin lawyers working out details of using national emergency to build wall

Administration lawyers are meeting to discuss whether Trump can declare a national emergency to build a border wall with Defense Department resources.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-admin-lawyers-eye-national-emergency-pentagon-resources-build-wall-n954926

A national emergency? Does he even know what words mean?

Maggie Haberman @maggieNYT
Following Following @maggieNYT
More
@realDonaldTrump just confirmed ABC News scoop that he's considering declaring a national emergency to get funding. "I am allowed to do that," he says. Others doubt that he is.

Hundreds of TSA screeners, working without pay, calling out sick at major airports
www.cnn.com/2019/01/04/politics/shutdown-tsa-screening/index.html

Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration officers, who are required to work without paychecks through the partial government shutdown, have called out from work this week from at least four major airports, according to two senior agency officials and three TSA employee union officials.

The mass call outs could inevitably mean air travel is less secure, especially as the shutdown enters its second week with no clear end to the political stalemate in sight.

"This will definitely affect the flying public who we (are) sworn to protect," Hydrick Thomas, president of the national TSA employee union, told CNN.

More winning

Shutdown causing chaos at IRS -- and may delay tax refunds
www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-delay-irs-tax-filing-and-refund-brings-chaos-just-before-tax-filing-season/

Anyone hoping that an IRS shutdown means getting a breather on their taxes will be disappointed. The agency's website says taxpayers "should file and pay their taxes as normal."

The unsettling list of Trump's made-up conversations keeps growing
www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-unsettling-list-trumps-made-conversations-keeps-growing

clueless

'Food stamps for 38 million low-income Americans would face severe reductions and more than $140 billion in tax refunds are at risk of being frozen or delayed if the government shutdown stretches into February, widespread disruptions that threaten to hurt the economy.

The Trump administration, which had not anticipated a long-term shutdown, recognized only this week the breadth of the potential impact, several senior administration officials said. The officials said they were focused now on understanding the scope of the consequences and determining whether there is anything they can do to intervene.'

According to the article, at least Bush, Clinton and Obama say these conversations didn’t occur.

POLITICO @politico
Following Following @politico
More
Trump claimed without evidence on Friday that past presidents have privately confided to him that they regret not building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border

Can USA declare ‘no confidence ‘ and call an election?

DJ
‏ @Djuicey26
3h3 hours ago

#impeachtheMF
Watch the reaction to the guy next to him when he talks about National Emergency twitter.com/Djuicey26

(YouTube link if above doesn't work)

Anyone know who the green tie wearer is?