Every single day brings some kind of fresh hell with America’s first fascist president. We’re now coming up on one week exactly since Donald Trump surprised every pollster, political reporter and establishment figure by winning the electoral college. Incidentally, as the final vote tallies come in, it’s looking more and more like Hillary Clinton won the popular vote decisively by something like 800,000 votes. She also just won New Hampshire. Ugh. God, this is so depressing. Anyway, what’s on today’s spreadsheet of misery, corruption, nepotism and bigotry? Some assorted stories:
Donald Trump’s kids to get security clearances? Trump’s adult children – mostly Eric, Don Jr. and Ivanka – have all been added as advisers to Trump’s transition team, along with Ivanka’s husband Jared Kushner. What’s weird is that Trump is also trying to put all of his businesses in his kids’ hands too, which is absolutely unethical and a conflict of interest. Now, to top it all off, Trump’s people have been asking if it would be possible for his kids to get high-level security clearances. There’s also the belief that Trump would use some or all of his kids as advisors in his administration, but he just wouldn’t pay them (a loophole to federal law). Baron Trump for Treasury! Ivanka for Homeland Security! Update: Trump has denied this story, which was reported by most major news outlets.
Steve Bannon is a divisive hire, who would have thought. When GLENN BECK is saying the Bannon is a racist nutjob, maybe that’s a sign. Progressives can complain all day long about Bannon being named a chief strategist to President-elect Trump, but it might be conservatives who get Bannon out of there. Even Glenn Beck thinks Bannon’s “ties to white nationalists” are frightening and out-there. In fact, the only people who are actually pleased with Bannon’s position are… white supremacists. Like, the KKK is jazzed about it. No one else.
Rudy Giuliani is the next divisive hire. Forget Steve Bannon (no, don’t forget about him). Rudy Giuliani is the new WTF-hire. Sources think Giuliani is going to end up as Trump’s Secretary of State. Oh, good. A silver lining here is that apparently the tensions within the Trump transition team are so roiling that sources compared the atmosphere to a “knife fight.” Maybe someone should actually give them knives and let them figure it out?
Photos courtesy of Getty, Fame/Flynet.
Even if he doesn’t pay his children, it’s a big conflict of interest if they continue to run his businesses. I read (I think on DM) that they won’t put the businesses into a conservatorship because that would put his children out of jobs. I thought, at least, Ivanka had her own businesses separate from Trump. He truly is delusional.
the people who voted for him are delusional. he’s just grabbing the money freely
Well, when you’re famous, they just let you do what you want. You can grab ’em by the ….
Susanne, thank you for the much-needed laugh!
You’ve got to be kidding. If the kids are so attached to their jobs they need to go back to them and leave the running of the country alone. If they are going to help the orange cheeto, they need to give up their jobs-end of story. This is beyond ridiculous.
I totally agree. I really don’t think he will give up running his businesses and that’s why he wants to stay mainly in NYC. He can keep his eye on his businesses, even help out, without the scrutiny he would have in DC.
I take it the Orange Apocalypse assumes these conflicts of interest are things the deplorables won’t easily comprehend, therefore full speed ahead. He’s not wrong. They got played. While they’re waiting in vain for Tangerine Santa to deliver on that hater’s wish list, he’ s actively and openly serving his own interests first and shamelessly.
*insert Quicksilver “What? You didn’t see that coming?” gif*
I cannot WAIT for all the working class folks to get a wake up call as to who they voted for. Congratulations you played yourself
They won’t.
they are too busy eating paste to realize he appointed the MOST beltway political insider insider republican as his chief of staff, Rancid Penis (reince priebus), chairman of the RNC. the IRONY of this person they hired to ‘shake up washington and drain the swamp’ has in fact appointed the Swamp Thing as his chief of staff is too gigantic to even put into words, but do you see the KKK Koalition getting all huffy about this? no. too much cognitive dissonance for them.
“They are too busy eating paste”
🙂
nepotism at its finest.. and how to people think he won’t take any salary and yet no making any business deal that will benefit him? got played America, got played. ..
They won’t. It’s the same in UK. All the lies have come out and… nothing changed.
With all of his crap about “draining the swamp” and being “anti-establishment” and then he goes and fills his appointments with mostly establishment people, save for nepotism and white nationalists.
He doesn’t even know enough about government, to know enough people who have experience in government, to fill his appointments. He’s recruiting from a very shallow bench.
“Rancid Penis”! Lol that will be stuck in my mind forever, and it suits him perfectly.
The working people who voted for Trump will be in for a shock when all those companies (and the jobs they provide) which he promised to “keep in America” will still continue their relocation to Mexico, China, Vietnam, India etc. Trump knows very well that it’s cheaper for these companies to pay foreign workers a daily wage which is equal to ONE HOUR’S wage that Americans make. He’s done it himself; his daughter continues to do it with her “fashion line.” Look it up.
@Maisie – He’ll probably lower the minimum wage. RV sales will go through the roof. We’re all going to be living in trailer parks.
He has interest (money) in the pipeline! If that’s not a conflict, I don’t know what is. He’s going to get impeached as soon as someone grows some balls.
Great. 240 years as a democratic republic and they want to reinstate the monarchy.
Reinstate?
The us was once part of the British empire and paid taxes to the crown.
In other great news – Paul Ryan just came out and basically said all is okay with Trump’s appointments and upcoming presidency. He and other Rs are united behind Trump and are giving him full-throated support in his ability to surround himself with “good” people and do a bang up job.
Racism? It’s okay.
Antisemitism? No worries.
Misogyny? Eh, stop complaining, must be on your period.
Mass rallies? It worked for Hitler.
Control of the media? It’s working for Erdogan.
The only thing that is seriously helping me is that the Washington machine and Democracy in general is bigger than any one person and his perverted ideas of how things should be. But this will be the test of tests, we cannot let this haircut of a man dismantle our country.
Wonderful post, smith. You nailed it so well.
It may sound silly – but I’ve lived all over the world, and watch a lot of PBS. What is seriously saving me, is the 100th Monkey Theory (check it out). There are so many bright ideas, and compassionate response – this is the Larger Story: and the One that will prevail. Evolution is a great comforter – as well as, the history of say, merely the US? (I remember black people getting hosed down with fire hoses, and asking my dad, if he was racist) Before that, there was a Civil War. We are not done fighting for the freedom of each individual, because folks, it guarantees our own. This is a long war…may the women make it peaceful, full of moral imperative; and outrage. Honestly, we are women, and can feel another’s pain…this is the real strength, because boys and men can feel too. May we be grateful.
First order of action –
http://www.attn.com/stories/12814/people-are-using-this-script-to-call-their-representatives
Call local district office and demand congressmen take a stand on Bannon. This script should work:
https://mobile.twitter.com/foundbysara/status/798224974876184576
Can we please stop using the butthole-face picture as the header? It’s giving me morning sickness and I’m not even pregnant.
Also, can we talk about how he still wants to hold rallies and he wants to continue living in NYC? Can we just talk about the fact that he’s a fascist dictator/ wannabe-monarch for one second?
I think that would be a great conversation. And we could talk about how to resist. Resist this becoming the new normal
And the news media need to be bombarded about their normalizing. On local news last night they showed the 60 Minutes clip of him talking about deporting criminal illegals and they didn’t bother to say that is EXACTLY what President Obama has been doing for YEARS!!
Welcome to our world (the UK) since June 24th.
That thought never leaves my mind, but I’m honestly having trouble talking about any of this.
I’m sorry, BettyRose. I know it sucks.
Same Betty. It’s almost comical until my brain catches up and remembers it’s Really Happening! This is a nightmare.
I can’t fully process it.
FLORC??????? Hey!!!
Were your ears burning last night, FLORC? I was hoping you were okay.
FLORC!!! I can’t wait to hear all your reasoned and well-deliberated responses! Big Hugs! – I’ve missed you.
🙁
I can’t imagine the other residents that live in the same building/area in NYC would be pleased with Trump wanting to continue living there. The security and traffic issues would be a nightmare. Did he honestly think that he would not have to move to Washington?
He has absolutely no comprehension of what the job entails. None. And now I think he’ll back out but only after he’s sworn in. If he did it now, the electoral college could vote for Clinton but he won’t do it now because his cronies want to hang onto the White House so they can destroy this country.
I don’t think he honestly thought about what the job entailed. I think he was just focused on winning.
I read that NYC nixed the idea of closing down Fifth Avenue while he was in his Tower like Saruman. The thing is, the article was not satire!
“Rallies” are so Hitlerian. He needs adulation.
And Pence is WORSE!!!
I want to know who would pay for the security upgrade and constant security at his NYC home. Also, wouldn’t Trump Towers have to be a no fly zone for the next 4 years if he lived there the majority of the time?
We would pay. Just like we’ll be paying for the scum guiliani, carson, bannon, priebus, kellyanne, and any other lowlfe he brings in with him.
If he’s at Trump Towers on a weekly basis it would cost NYC hundreds of millions of dollars.
And lets not forget his daily round trip helicopter ride to DC, we will be paying that gas bill.
We can. Let’s. Because people over here (Germany) already seem over it. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Listen, I get that the most pressing issue seems to be Erdogan and his fascist sideshow and we should pay close attention. BUT can we not forget that other fool across the Atlantic?
This morning I had yet another argument with my boss who is not the least bit worried. He looks at Turkey and goes “This is not good. He is acting like Hitler in 1933.” Me: “Well, Trump … ” Him: “Oh PLEASE. They will keep him under control. There is no way he can deport all those people and do whatever it was he promised.” I almost had a stroke. “WHO is going to keep him from doing that? Did you SEE who he appointed? Republicans will most likely not set up camps but they WILL start chipping away at people’s rights. That’s no better.”
He did NOT get it. I then told him that with all due respect, as a white man who has had a highly successful career, there is no way he can truly understand why people are afraid. The man is smart, highly educated, successful and I respect him a lot because he respects me. He is twice my age and listens to my opinions. He doesn’t care that I’m a woman with half his life experiences, he has never pushed my arguments aside like so many guys my age. But he simply does not understand.
I pray that if Trump continues to hold rallies (why?), his opponents will do the same. This is not the time to give up and go home.
To be fair, Erdongan is nearer and a more immediate menace. He also already began. So..
” Listen, I get that the most pressing issue seems to be Erdogan and his fascist sideshow and we should pay close attention.”
Fascist sideshow will creep from the south (Italy and France are next on the list) and Erdogan will be normalised because everybody will live in that climate.
Better be worried and the moment is NOW.
I say this as an Italian (even though I’ve not lived in Italy for nearly one decade) and can read the whole crapfest around the now-usual populist, take-it-all referendum. We’re paving the way for the new Trumpolini.
Littlemissnaughty, I’ve daily fights with my husband because he thinks that Maytlerin will be kept in check.. by whom? Boris Johnson and David Davis? Bwahahaha
(meanwhile, we can say hello to several Russian jets surveying this area these days… yeaaah nothing’s changed)
You should tell your boss to read what American women are saying on sites that aren’t about politics, like this one. He’ll find out far more about what a Trump win might mean for the vital but everyday aspects of people’s lives – far more so than he’d understand from reading think pieces by the commentariat and political journos.
That said, Erdogan’s attacks on the judiciary and academia should panic us all.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I think Erdogan is dangerous. For his own people and the rest of Europe. I don’t understand why the EU hasn’t ended membership negotiations already. As if the death penalty is the nail in the coffin but imprisoning countless political opponents and jounalists is fine. STFU. We’re giving him money, too. I just … can’t these days. And our political leaders are so f*cking weak, it’s ridiculous.
I simply think that there can be more than one lunatic to frighten us at any given time. The U.S. is THE major player on the world stage. How can you just wave that away because there is an ocean between us? How can someone NOT see that there are a million things this man and his cronies and fugly children can do to women and minorities that will make people’s lives miserable at best, hell at worst? We are one week in and I’m tired.
Sixer, I might do that. I know I sound like giving up but last week I actually became a member of a party.
You don’t sound like you’re giving up! I’m doing whatever I can here in this backwoods corner of Britland, too.
I’m trying to do my bit too, littlemiss, mainly online though. As an immigrant in UK I’ve to be careful to openly become too political, I risk to be the first they will chose as an example to hang…….
Great. Giuliani is going to fly around the world and talk to world leaders about 9/11.
MTE. What the hell qualifies Giuliani for diplomacy? This is so so bad.
Nothing qualifies him for the post, just like nothing qualifies Carson or Palin. That’s the new normal–completely unqualified persons in charge of highly complex and important agencies.
Not only does nothing qualify him, but he is legitimately one of the WORST possible people for the job of SoS.
He does not have the temperament nor the skills for a position in diplomacy.
This is so horrifying to watch. Every day just gets worse. Please make it stop!
WTH qualified Orange Hitler for the post???
The job posting must indicate ‘relevant experience not required’.
We have Boris Johnson, a man who once colluded with a friend to beat up a journalist. It’s like we are in an alternative reality, where you have to be a moronic sociopath to get into office,
” The job posting must indicate ‘relevant experience not required’. ”
Entry level job: POTUS!
can I just put it out there that under the UK date system, 9 November is……. you guessed it, 9/11.
I still can’t fathom what America is in for in the next four years.
Not coincidental, IMO.
the racists anti Obama were always complaining about how much it cost the taxpayers for security of the family even when they were traveling which is actually not a choice from the president but it’s in the rule and responsibilities to protect any US president. and now they comment “well he’s our next president and it’s his right”. pathetic hypocrisy. In this case i don’t see why his married grown up kids need it. they have their own life and won’t be traveling with him unless they have a position in the cabinet. Even if it’ s the case it’s not an obligation. But hey 4 bodyguards per family more tax paying.. and the guy wants to live 1/2 time in his tower which will disrupt the neighborhood and its business. But hey, pro Trump wanted someone who wasn’t into politic, they got a guy who knows nothing about politic but wants the security of an emperor doing business as usual when it fits his pockets and his family.
His family is going to get Secret Service protection regardless of security clearance levels. He want them to have access to intelligence information. Not good.
Just a question because I don’t know, but why would his grown children, who no longer live under his roof, get Secret Service protection?
When George H W Bush was president his adult children, including W and Jeb, did not get secret service protection. There is zero reason for anyone but Barron to get it and only because he lives with them full time and is a minor.
Reagan’s adult kids didn’t get protection either and Reagan was shot during his presidency.
Trump is going to milk as much money from the US govt as possible. Enjoy Cheeto supporters.
Thanks, Nic919. I have no problem with Barron having the protection. I’m surprised he hasn’t asked for SS protection for his ex-wives, the mother of his children.
@lightpurple It is so ridiculous there are no words.
Surely even the staunchest Trump supporters will see that as a security risk?
We all know history repeats itself. I can only hope that with this new rise of fascism that there will be more opposition. That people won’t just stand back and let it happen.
This is really outrageous, and I hope people are contacting, calling and writing, their Congress critters. He is trying to redefine what normal governance looks like and we can’t let him do that.
Yes, this is OTT but who, really, can we call that will make a difference? Minority Dems? Tea Party Republicans? Old school conservatives who are just waiting for that jackboot to hit ’em the throat if they speak out, make waves? He’s already got Paul Ryan over the desk so to speak. And, the Senate? Well, that’s truly a worthless lot. Trump bish-slapped McCain and a few of the other Senate royalty during the campaign without much of a backlash. They won’t be able to stomach the public humiliation and manipulation he’ll lay on them if they fail to cooperate or keep their mouths shut. If they do speak out, it’ll be well past the time of “waiting to see how he governs” to have any impact.
The more he thinks he can get away with, the more into the rabbit hole he will go. I think calling, marching, making a fuss to our media are all essential if we ever want a chance to recover from him.
*Waiting to see how he governs* is a dangerous game. Why should people trust him to play by the book? He already shown that he is a liar and that if there is a loophole in the system he is going to use it for personal gain. For example, there is no law that a president *must* hand over his businesses in blind trust, it is just a tradition. There is no law that says a president *isn´t* allowed to install his children in political key positions. There is no law that forbids a president to give out security clearances to his kids like it were candy; he only has to ask for it now because Obama is still in charge. Basically, democracy is more fragile than US folks realize it is. Take a good look at Russia, Turkey etc. and pay attention how quickly and easily it can be overturned.
Complacency led to this, and we’ll now see if complacency continues.
I truly believe he will check out of this, once he and his kids understand the scrutuny, expectations and business implications. Junior was asked about blind trusts several weeks ago, and was obviously stubbornly clueless about the subject.
As a terrified Canadian, may I make a suggestion? After a week of crying and sadness I decided that just donating time and money to groups that will offer protection to minority groups and threatened rights during this horrible presidency is not enough. Based on comments to Drumpf articles in Canadian media, our own conservatives are licking their chops at the opportunity provided by the mass return of discrimination and fascism.
I decided I won’t let them get to power in Canada and I suggest you guys start working NOW to make sure you remove them from power in the US. Register as a Dem (or third party if that’s your speed) and get INVOLVED – not wait until the election. We need a grassroots movement to oppose their racism and hatred, we can only do so by coming together now. Folks are worried about their jobs? Maybe they need to hear from people who are unionized and understand the benefits – why unions matter and how the Reps have been destroying them forever. People are afraid for their retirement? Maybe they should hear from local bank branch employees and understand how regulation is a good thing, or we go back to the time you needed to bury your gold coins in a sock under the tree. Seeing powerful senators in tv ads doesn’t cut it, seeing HW stars support a candidate makes them even more alienated.
That doesn’t mean cut them slack for bad behaviour. And never relax your vigilance on what the idiot and his party are doing – they will enrich themselves many times over – after all this is Drumpf’s chance to really be a billionaire and he has proven he’ll cheat and steal his way to money, no reason to change now. Boycott all his businesses, ask your local news channel to provide real info – on his taxes, on his trials, on his ties to Putin etc.
It will be a long and exhausting fight. It will be depressing. But then I think back to the times when people fought against slavery, when women fought for the vote, when my dad defected from behind the Iron Curtain in his late fifties – alone, with one suitcase, his family all behind. He made it, and so did we, and I sincerely hope we can do it together, because otherwise what else is left for our kids?
@vauvert
“We need a grassroots movement to oppose their racism and hatred, we can only do so by coming together now”
That’s what Sanders was actually saying on Colbert (last night, I think?).
“our own conservatives are licking their chops at the opportunity provided by the mass return of discrimination and fascism.”
All conservatives/racists/fascists (you choose) are licking their chops, EVERYWHERE. In this climate, it’s very terrifying I’ve the chance to read stuff in 3-4 languages.
Domino effect doesn’t cover it.
Hey fellow Canadian – since our Conservatives are running a leadership race, the equivalent of the primaries – now is a GREAT time to get involved. If you join the Conservative Party you can vote for one of the non-racist candidates to be their leader. It costs a $15 donation to join. I cancelled my entry fee out by donating to an opposing party as well, one that more closely aligns with my politics. I figured it was money well spent to try and keep Canada safe and sane.
Breitbart is currently hiring in Germany and France. Jus’ sayin’.
And not yet in South America where hundreds of Nazis fled?
Quite.
But it’s worrying me that this is turning into an international movement financed by some very wealthy men, acting to tie far-right insurgencies from different countries together.
@Sixer
Fascism 2.0
@Sixer
I also know of Italy. They poured money into December 4th referendum. Ha. If the No wins, another score for Putin/Trump/Farage-May/LePen.
List is long…….
WW2 really is repeating itself isn’t it. I’ve just read that interview from Farage that makes me want to bring my very nice lunch back up – who does that odious toad think he is. Just because you were the first moron to rush to see Trump to suck on his d!3k, doesn’t make you important it makes you a twit.
Sorry mate, we already have someone who does that he’s called the Ambassador. But you know what they say, birds of a feather flock together.
“WW2 really is repeating itself isn’t it.”
I’m afraid that’s the direction we’re heading.
For once, I’m nearly 200% happy I’ve no children. If I die, I lived a nicer life than many others.
If someone fires nukes at the US, my hometown will be among the first targets due to our role in missile defense. I won’t be around to see the rest of the shIt show, so that’s the silver lining I’m looking at. 🙁
I am still – just about! – trusting that nobody is foolish enough to start a nuclear war.
But y’know. This why all this voting to “shake things up” like Brexit and Trump is so stupid. Wars start because countries are unstable and unpredictable. We need stability more than we need anything else. Always.
@Bonzo
You’re in good company ((HUGS))
I’m very close to everything nuclear already (biggest nuclear dump in Europe), a nuclear submarine base, Trident and a RAF base.
Basically, if the UK is attacked I’m the one disintegrating first. Maybe it’s even better….. :-/
@Sixer
“This why all this voting to “shake things up” like Brexit and Trump is so stupid.”
This! It annoys me so much. A small missile launched by mistake in an unstable political climate at world level will be enough to start the whole cr@pfest!
@Bonzo
Your comment brought me to tears. To think we even have to consider this as a possibility. I have considered it, too, from the moment he was elected. I’m just north of the border, so there’s a lot of us Canadians who aren’t safe either.
Silver – this is for you. Hope it makes you feel that there are plenty of people left in Britain who want you.
http://twitter.com/doctor_oxford/status/798523007371276288
@Sixer
Thanks for posting that tweet. It cheers me up that… we are all basically on the same side now, Britons and non-British, even Americans… 🙂
Unfortunately it’s British politicians who hate us all.
Did you see McDonnell/Corbyn coming out of the closet as Brexiteers… we didn’t have much of an opposition even before now every hope of representation in Parliament is lost
Sixer, I’m trusting that everyone with nuclear codes realizes that once one gets launched, the rest will get launched in defense/retaliation and there will be nothing left to rebuild and recover from.
Silver, I’d rather be vaporized than come under the thumb of someone evil like Putin, so that’s the small comfort of living near NORAD.
As upset as I am about the state of US government (and others around the world that seem to be going to the extreme right), I do have faith that the American people and politicians as a whole will fight for democracy and railroad Trump toward more centrist policies. One good thing that his election has done is mobilize the left to fight for the things that we’ve come to value. No more complacency.
@Sixer,
Perhaps the possibility for nuclear war is a deterrent. But here is my thought- that perhaps, unlike past history, this time what’s happening is not just an iteration, but a mutation, an evolution. Perhaps there is a bit more consciousness and goodness and ferocity than in the past. It does not have to be a repetition. It’s clear that those in power are complicit. But perhaps, this time, the rest of us will resist en masse.
There’s already a popular website with fake news (compact-online.de) about refugees / foreigners and the government to feed the hate of German racists and other idiots. I’m wondering if Breitbart News will be even more extreme.
My father said this to me over the weekend.
Also – Argentina got all the Nazis. I’m so sad their effing grandchildren live here, and share my citizenship. You wouldn’t believe how many Holocaust survivors actually ran into Nazis in Argentina. That’s how bad it was.
It’s all very frightening.
I was in France during election week (just for the record I filled out an absentee ballot) and a waitress told me Wednesday morning they were next to go down this path in 6 months when their election comes. I’m scared for the planet.
@Luca
List of countries following the Orange-Nazi path from December up until 2017:
-Germany
-France
-Italy
-The Netherlands
-Austria.
I think Spain and Hungary already have right-wing governments and far-right is leading in UK too (although May is not ‘considered’ one but her policies are extremely on the right).
I would like to move to Australia or New Zealand, even if they have earthquakes (hugs to all kiwis, by the way. I followed your news in the last 2 days).
As you were saying above a World War seems inevitable it’s the slow moving train that we can’t get off of.
Theresa May’s party brought in same-sex marriage and supports universal health care. I know we’re all given to hyperbole at the moment, but it’s simply not true that May’s Conservative government is “extremely on the right,” especially by US standards.
@Tina
Not really, for 2 reasons… Trump said he is not going back on gay marriage so no change from May; secondly, NHS is starting to be dismantled already here in northern England so whatever May said was a lie and a lot of Bs…. Plus 700 millions of pounds to Branson to do the transition into his care.
It is called privatisation. Get used to it. 5 years and only the emergency care will be free.
@Silver, your first contention means that you believe what Trump says on gay marriage, which I definitely don’t. And even if you accept that, there’s a big difference between not getting rid of something, especially something that the Supreme Court has ruled on (when it still had Scalia), and being part of the party that actually brought same-sex marriage in. Pink News honoured David Cameron as its “ally of the year.” There’s a big difference between the Conservatives and Trump on LGBTQ issues.
And NHS privatisation, I’ll believe it when I see it. The Branson deal was done by the Bath & NE Somerset council, not central government. Privatisation is not Conservative policy and the people of this country will not stand for it. To paraphrase something Sorkinesque about Social Security – the NHS is the third rail of UK politics. You step on it, and you die. Theresa May is not going down as the PM who ended universal health care.
I just … feel like lying down. For a long nap. As Luca 76 said above, France might be next. Then Germany. I keep saying this and nobody will listen. There is a REAL danger that people will vote out of anger next year. If it isn’t Brexit negotiations that will do it, it’ll be another wave of refugees in the spring/summer. Why am I talking into a black hole about this??? I really feel like screaming all day long.
Can I just say, any publication that refers to Edmund Stoiber as an ELDER STATESMAN is ridiculous. Sorry, I just went to their site and had a good laugh that almost turned into crying. What a load of propaganda. With headlines like “Gender-Equal Snow Ploughing’ Plunges Stockholm into Chaos” I MEAN COME ON!!!
@littlemissnaughty
“I keep saying this and nobody will listen.”
Do you get what I get, i.e. “oh stop with doom/gloom predictions and relax”? Because when I hear that I turn into a dragon………
I just had an almighty row elsewhere online because I said that Brexit isn’t about Brexit any more. Not since Trump got the White House and Marine le Pen cheerfully went on the BBC to say that she was looking forward to an international coalition with Trump America and Brexit Britain.
Apparently, fascism is a price well worth paying for Brexit in the minds of some idiots.
“I just had an almighty row elsewhere online because I said that Brexit isn’t about Brexit any more.”
I guess we might have even met with other IDs online, Sixer. Because I’m basically grilling Brexiteers and Kippers on a daily basis, I agree it’s not even about Brexit anymore… Brexit will be seen as a token for the rise of fascism (in an old interview, LePen said actually that, so it’s not an imaginary connection!)
@SilverUnicorn: I get that, yes. A week after everyone sh*t themselves, I am, again, the alarmist. HOW do people just relax within a f*cking WEEK? He hasn’t even started yet and people are already dismissing all his promises as blustering. I just … have no words. And I’m turning into an assh*le because I keep reminding people that a few weeks ago, they all said with absolute certainty that Hillary would win. And I said probably not. Because Brexit. Which they had already forgotten about as well. I was right goddamn it. Now I’m saying don’t be naive, Merkel isn’t untouchable. She is weakened and it won’t take much for her to lose BIGLY. A few attacks over NYE like that nightmare last year, another refugee wave, a few billions for Greece and the woman is toast. Noooo nothing will happen. I’m losing my mind.
Imm pretty sure that Germany will not get a far-right government next year, 45 % for them (or so) seems a bit far-fetched.
2021… Who knows. Wouldn’t rule it out.
I’m so scared.
@Sixer: I’m German and couldn’t find anything about them hiring. Where did you see that? But I read their websoite for the first time, and it gave me the creeps. Dark times are looming.
Reuters has the story, Nilo:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-strategy-idUSKBN1342TP
The fact that Breitbart is expanding their “business” to France and Germany is sickening. On the other hand, there are already these sorts of online outlets in both countries and I assume some of them already have heavy financing. I don’t exactly know what Breitbart has published on their US site (I only see what they write through other outlets such as Celebitchy), but they will have to stick to local laws (i.e. there are things that can be said in the US under free speech but are punishable by law in Germany).
@SilverUnicorn
As frightening as the general direction things are going in is – not just in the US but several European countries – it must be noted that election procedures can vary quite a bit.
Hungary and Poland probably have the most right wing governing bodies at the moment. France and Austria have had strong and very active right wing parties for many years, the whole drift is not so new there (so far governments have been in the hands of middle/moderate parties though). The Netherlands is worrying, because it used to be very liberal overall, however, the right wing movement has been gaining there for quite a while as well.
Most seats in Spain’s parliament currently lie with PP, but while they are conversative they are not a fascist right wing party as far as I know?
And in Germany the current percentage for the right wing party AFD is projected at anything between 15-20% in our next election in 2017. Unless this goes up to more than double that, none of these guys will become part of the government. Germany has a longstanding tradition of coalitions, which is different than the basically two party systems such as the US or even the UK. So unless AFD gets 50% plus, the rest of the parties can stand against them.
Not that I put it past voters in Europe that all sorts of shit might happen next year. After Brexit and Trump as President Elect I wouldn’t count on the masses being rational and decent anywhere. Not that I really ever have (looking at history), but the US and the UK especially were the two countries I’ve always looked upon as having a somewhat steadfast grip on their democracies and the good they entail (in spite of all the shortcomings they come with). As someone who loves Britain and has been there often Brexit was a kick in the gut and now the outcome of this US election has left me drained and alternating somewhere between being utterly speechless, very angry, frightened of what may come, being positive and hoping people will rally for what’s good – all the way to still being somewhat in denial, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.
Yesterday I happened to across a travel documentary on telly about California, must have been from a few years ago, and when they showed San Francisco and the coast drive and towns to Los Angeles I sat there with tears in my eyes, having been there several times and just feeling so devastated thinking about the political landscape and climate ahead of everyone in the US now.
Just a quick note on the AfD though. Let me repeat what I said above, Merkel is pretty weak right now. She needs to do something before the election to encourage trust. And sadly, that something needs to reek of conservative values. There is no trust right now. She made a massive mistake – politically – letting hundreds of thousands of refugees into the country. It’s winter, we’re about to bake Christmas cookies, we’re all wrapped in blankets and distracted. But she just got rid of Steinmeier and let’s face it, there is nobody else who can challenge her. So what if people don’t want her? They’ll go right. There is nobody there except the AfD. And I wouldn’t say that it’s impossible for them to go well over 20% but the issue isn’t whether they become part of the government now. It’s that if this trend to the right continues, they will get stronger in state parliaments and people will feel encouraged in their anger. That’s pretty frightening.
Fucking hell my whole post just got deleted when the browser moaned about the email address not being correct. Damn. So I have to write it again. Let’s see if I can get my braincells to recount:
Yes, Merkel is weaker than she was and her party is pushed to the right unfortunately. Catering to the right in order to get back voters from the fringe does not necessarily work though, because extremists and those too stupid to look at the facts, those who go for pure emotion and posbile harbour anything from xenophobia to racism, that lot will go for the “original” regardless. Still, right now I can’t see AfD getting more than 20 percent on a German nationwide scale.
But who knows what will happen in the next few months, I give you that. Where we stand now in the UK and USA, who would have thought this one year ago? In Germany there are hardly any refugees coming in right now, but maybe the treaty with Turkey will fall apart (not that it should ever happened), but even then most refugees will get stranded along the borders or in Southern Europe, the Balkan route is closed and will stay closed. But quite some damage was done on a political level, you’re absolutely right there. On the other hand, Merkel has been chancellor since 2005, so a decrease in popularity was always about to come at one point, the refugee situation probably only accelerated that.
I do feel the need to say that myself, I don’t think letting the refugees in was a mistake. What was supposed to happen – let those people rot in the wilderness somewhere? The overwhelming majority were people in dire need of help fleeing from a country torn apart by war and not getting enough help elsewhere. I guess if one (not saying you do!) puts political maneuvering ahead of – in this case an unplanned act of – humanity, then she made a “political mistake”. But for me her mistake was not explaining things better (never one of her strong suits and it cost her in this case). And, most of all, not having a better plan from the get go. This goes for all the main politicians everywhere in Europe and most other countries. Not having a plan or not wanting to have one. Because all these refugees did not just materialise out of nowhere from one minute to the next. Overall Europe still underestimates the refugee problem. Sometimes I wonder why not more people from Africa try to get here; seeing the state some of their homelands are in and the conditions of living they have to endure (something for which Europe is in part jointly responsible). For centuries Europeans have travelled the globe and exploited others and it still happens. Until we solve this it will create problems. But I can’t see that closing borders, closing economies, shutting others out, will be the solution and the way to go forward in the 21st century. Unless one count wars and revolutions as solutions, cause that’s what lies somewhere down that road (not that there wouldn’t be ‘winners’; players like the arms industry sure would rejoice).
Ah well, even more depressed thinking, exactly what we all need right now – sorry! So I will take this opportunity and thank everyone on here for their posts and thoughts especially this past week. I have been a lurker on Celebitchy for ages and often found many a celeb thread got some really good discussion going, with experiences and opinions by posters I either shared or not, but that were always interesting and often educating. And right now this is a place I can come to that gives me hope for humanity and does not make me utterly sick and mad and sad all at the same time, thinking have we not learned anything and seeing there are way too many idiots – or those letting themselves be influenced by idiots – around. Thinking maybe it’ll be best if we wipe ourselves off this planet and be done with it, the universe might be a better place without us. BUT: hope! We’ve actually come quite a way, so let’s fight to go further and make things better for all. And at least for now make sure that we do not take steps backwards. So a smile and a biiiiiiiiiiiiig hug goes out to you all on here!
Eugenics. Pure and simple. Trump believes that your genes are what make you qualified. These are dark days, my friends.
Looking at Trump’s eldest sons, his “genes” are not the best. Eric and Donald JR look like they just woke up from a nap in their crypt
Excellent description.Lol
Someone pointed out that they resemble Patrick Bateman from ‘American Psychopath’. No doubt the Trump spawn (excepting Tiffany?) are sociopaths. The entire family is sociopathic a la the Mafia.
I mentioned this yesterday. How can that possibly happen? Remember all the sh1t about HRC’s unsecured email and how that was a security risk? Geez – the hubris. And geez – the morons who voted for this delusional monster.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/mike-pence-wants-to-hide-his-government-emails-from-the-public-a7417926.html
f***ing hypocrites
Yeah, I saw that yesterday, but do any of the deplors give a flying fvck? Hell, no.
+123
They didn’t just vote but are on a path towards full empowerment. We need to seriously pay attention to the Obamas, Powell, Rice, Romney, McCain and other leaders that spoke up against Trump. If they start spending more time out of the US then it’s time for the rest of us to head to the hills.
I suspect he’ll put up Rudy for Secretary of State, knowing he won’t get Senate approval, and he’ll then put Bolton up with a “well, he does have international experience” and he’ll get Bolton approved. Bolton will be a nightmare. Rudy would be the 9th circle of Hell unleashed.
Bolton wanted to completely destroy the UN. What a diplomat. Of course, to trumpists it’s “my way or the highway.”
All the conflicts of interest aside, if Trump refuses a salary from the taxpayers, how soon until he decides it’s perfectly legit that he doesn’t have to listen or work in the best interests of the people?
The salary refusal is cracking me up – laugh or cry, you know. As if he’s not going to rake in piles of cash from all the new tax laws he wants to pass.
You know him better as the crack-smoking Mayor of Toronto but when he was still a city Councillor, Rob Ford made a show of not using his office expenses budget and decried such extravagant spending of the “taxpayers’ money.” Like Trump, he was the son of a millionaire and inherited an already-successful family business with absolutely zero understanding of how things work outside their little bubble of privilege.
I’m officially declaring Godwin’s Law dead and putting it out there that Hitler refused his state salary in 1933.
Yes and Hitler was also a mysoginist who, if the stories are true, molested his niece which is what drove her to suicide.
The parallels with him and Trump are quite frightening.
Yes, I read an in-depth article about Hitler’s full-blown obsession with his half-niece, Angela Raubal, the daughter of his older half-sister. From the time she was 14, when Hitler first met her, she was the most important person in his personal life.
His obsession with very well documented, with first-person descriptions like “mooning over”, “other than the death of his beloved mother, no other single death has so affected Hitler”.
At 23, she died of a bullet fired from Hitler’s gun.
Did he? That’s comforting she said just before she fainted.
What was hitlers rationale behind his doing so sixer?
Hitler’s rationale was that he was serving Germany and the German people out of duty and whatnot. No pay needed. His whole existence and actions was aimed at “making Germany great again” (that’s me paraphrasing). That was also why Eva Braun was kept a secret for over a decade (they met when she was 17). Officially he said he was married to Germany, so no chance for any woman wanting a relationship with him. Braun and Hitler only got married a mere few hours before committing suicide in April 1945
Same as Trump Hitler actually had quite a bit of money before he came into power, although he never admitted to it. This is one thing that is different. The reasoning might be that Trump says “look, I am a successful businessman, I know how to get the economy going” while Hitler was more like “my ideology is serving Germany 100% and weeding out all that is bad for it, and so I will get the economy going”.
Hitler also cheated on taxes and later got a get out of tax free card, so he never (re)paid taxes again. He preached common welfare above personal gain (look, I don’t want to be paid for doing the job!), but really acted the opposite if you look at his personal state of business and money affairs. His wealth grew all the time.
This.
Huge problem. I was screaming at Lesley Stahl to pursue that line of thought, but we cannot depend on the media at all.
Make him take the salary. Make him. The savings are non existantin the scheme of things, and paying him a salary holds him accountable as a public servant.
He can throw the cash into Treasury bonds to show his confidence in the fiduciary future of the country he serves.
He can contribute it to SPLC/PP/ACLU, etc.
That family picture is so devoid of warmth and love. It makes me wonder what they all sit and talk about when they meet for dinner. Do they meet for dinner? Do they share genuine love and interest for eachothers wellbeing? Does Melania even talk to Donald in day to day life, or is she living in a seperate quarter of their house? I just stare and wonder…
and yes, I know these are not the important questions right now, lol.
They talk about money, slaughtering endangered animals, ivanka’s breasts, how stupid the gullibles are – just normal trump family talk.
Probably
Do any of them even talk to Tiffany? She always looks like the odd man out in that family.
I wish I could post a photo into a comment because I saw a funny one the other day- a Chris Christie standing behind Trump looking dejected with the caption,
“Always a Tiffany, never an Ivanka.”
I need to laugh or else I will cry.
…tone it down…you sound crazy…doesnt Jackie Chan getting an Oscar cheer you up…
What about Tiffany?!!!! She gets no love!
At this point nothing he does surprises me. His campaign WILL be his presidency including all his basket of deplorable campaign runners. I have no more outrage to give-I’m numb. Our country is screwed for the next four years thanks to everyone who didn’t show up to vote for the grown up in the room because e-mails and Bill Clinton had affairs.
Only 25% of the country bothered to show up to vote. And all the white men and women who voted for him can enjoy the horror show while blaming all his failures on Blacks, Hispanics, immigrants, Muslims, feminists, and the disabled….or and Obama.
Something tells me that Tiffany will be the one to watch. She has not really been that involved with the rest of the family. I can easily see her writing a no holds barred book about having Donald as a father.
Tiffany in my book has the best chance for being sane and normal because she grew up far from the “Trump Organization” , raised by her mother Marla Maples in California. It is clear to me from the things Marla has said that Trump was an absolute crap father to Tiffany other than paying child support which by the way Marla had to fight him tooth and nail for every step of the way.
Since Tiffany is likely the most normal of this crew, of course she is not going to be in the “inner circle” like her half-siblings.
Don’t give them knives to fight it out. Let them 2nd Amendment each other.
If they go through with their plan to allow concealed carry throughout states like NY and CA – I am never visiting the US again. I’m not kidding. I visit 3-4 times a year.
If I have to risk concealed weapons, I will not visit the US. I will stay in the UK, I will go to Canada, I will go to Paris and buy bespoke Chanel. I will not risk being shot to visit the US.
I can’t believe there are that many mopes out there who voted for this worthless excuse for a human being! Karma’s gonna get them when he renigs on every promise he made. Shame, shame, shame on you all! You have no idea what you have done! Great examples for your children, sisters, nieces, etc…! Hope you’re proud of yourselves!
I wish Tiffany would snap and call out her miserable excuse for a father. But that won’t happen.
I’m sure she’s happy just to be included in the photos.
Like we need our deepest secrets in the hands of his dimwit son. People will be longing for the days of hillarys email server.
The divisiveness…is this the beginning of another civil war? I shudder…
This is shaping up to be a despicable administration. Steve Bannon? I have been on that site several times and it is for the far far right wing nutjubs.
Sane Republicans always say they don’t listen to Rush nor go on sites like Breitbart. So this is what you want in your party’s administration? Because you voted for Trump. These are the people he aligned himself with. You knew what you were getting. Horrific, and so many steps back for our country. Rudy Guiliani? Come on.
He wants his kids to have security clearances and run his businesses? Well, I never thought Donald was ethical nor ever bothered to really understand government. So no surprise here.
I’m so incredibly saddened by the state of our country and how backwards we are going. The bigotry and racism is coming out full force because Donald brought it out and they feel emboldened by Trump’s own behavior. What a legacy..
Bottomline: where are the voices of resistance in government? Everyone is awfully quiet. *Everyone*.
Only you can make me cry, hmmm.
As everyone is saying the entire Trump administration will be one huge conflict of interest.
To top it all off, Trump has zero government and foreign policy experience. His two top aides, Preibus and Bannon have zero government and foreign policy experience. His three kids and Kushner have zero government and foreign policy experience.
Corruption is being promoted as business as usual. The new Trumpist lexicon of doublespeak.
That white jumpsuit Melania is wearing is very nice but it looks like it may trip her up.
Random Thought: Rudy Giuliani is a name that I picture a hot Italian man having but then you actually see him and hear his nonsense and it’s so disappointing (I’m not American so I didn’t know who he was).
All I think of is “ghoul” (as in “ghouliani”).
I really thought we were done with him after his term in NYC ended.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed he would be in the White House a few years later…
Well, it kind of depends. If they are going to be involved (and trust me, as Democrat – I say this grudgingly), but if they are going to be involved, they probably need some sort of clearance, but ugh no…I thought they were running the business!!! WTF?
They have no business getting access to top secret information. They actually have no business being involved in the administration. Does anyone other than me remember the outrage that ensued when Bill Clinton, while campaigning, said “You’ll get two for one”? And Hillary was actually capable of being co-president, unlike any of the trump spawn.
Let’s hope this article is correct: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-didnt-ask-for-top-secret-clearance-for-his-kids-official/ar-AAkiPRP?li=BBnb7Kz
@mellie
OR, it could be disinformation. Why should we any longer trust any media considering they have been and continue to be complicit in the elevation of Drumpf and his agenda.
Consider the article from the NY times during the height of the Comey debacle asserting that there was no evidence that Trump had ties to Russia, in direct contradiction to what was reported about FBI investigating just exactly that.
I don’t trust this report.
Well, that is true, it’s just hard to know what to trust right now. I typically trust the NY Times but yep you make a good point, and I would hope that MSNBC could be trusted as well. Sigh…who the heck knows, I just want to go watch sitcoms and forget this whole thing happened.
Does Melania’s white dress from election night remind anyone else of a Georgia O’Keeffe painting? Unfortunate.
Not to me. I love Georgia O’Keefe’s beautiful paintings. That’s an ugly dress imo.
Agreed, and I’m sorry to mix the two! But I was being snarky about the folds in the bottom half.
If it resembles a vagina, then cheeto undoubtedly picked it out for her.
Lol! I honestly hadn’t noticed, but now that you’ve pointed it out … I can’t UNsee it.
Only sort of related to kids but I must get it off my chest somewhere and CB is my somewhere:
I have a FB acquaintance who came out as a rabid Trump supporter during the campaign. He was previously married to a Korean-American woman and they had a daughter who is now 8. He has primary custody of her. While living in the Philippines for work, he met and summarily married a much younger woman who already had a young son from her prior relationship with a different American man. When his job transferred his back to the US, he sponsored his new Filipina wife for a green card – a process that went exceptionally smoothly since he was able to direct file everything at the US consulate in Manila.
Still with me? Good. The background is critical.
Anyway, this morning he posts a video of his daughter explaining why she voted for Trump in her school’s mock election and how to explain the election to kids. It was one of the most traumatic things I have ever seen, and his proud comment on the video was even worse. She was clearly parroting things she heard without really understanding their meanings! Although he swears he never mentioned immigration to her, he claims she saw what he went through to bring her stepmother to the US and his daughter likes the idea of a wall, which she must have picked up from the news or at school. She also supposedly never heard any of Trump’s comments about women and sexual assault and obviously has no clue that Trump just appointed a known white supremacist as his chief strategist.
It took all the strength I had to not comment on this video. The snarky side of me really wanted to write, “Oh good, now can she do a video explaining how to explain Trump’s ties to white supremacists to kids? Especially kids like her and her stepbrother who, after all, are utterly repugnant to many of Trump’s alt-Reich advisors and supporters?” The more mature side of me wanted to comment, “Children learn what they live. This is how fascism and tyranny win out – by convincing the youth.” But I said nothing. I am not going to change his mind, and he will never understand how he is warping his daughter’s mind.
Thanks for letting me vent. I just am so $&@” appalled already this morning, and the day is still young!
Go for it! I have several friends that are die hard Trump supporters and it takes all of my strength not to comment either. BTW, BearcatLawyer, thanks for all your expert legal opinions on the many stories here on CB. They are always very informative!
You are very kind. I did not like all the politics that came with being a law professor, but I enjoyed the teaching. This is just teaching in a different forum!
I probably will not comment, only because he will either delete it from his post or call me a butt hurt loser blah blah blah. No point in wasting my time and giving him and his alt-Reich buddies something to mock. We are not close friends (I did some immigration work for his employer). But I would love to see his reaction when some Trump supporter calls for deporting kids like his!
The wheel of karma turns slowly, but it always turns.
@Bearcat – that’s why I don’t confront my friends. One of them had her own children try to explain to her where her thoughts were off and that didn’t effect her one iota.
As for the teaching part – get it! I taught high school for 30 years. I umpire softball and baseball during the spring and summer. I like doing 3rd & 4th grade games because I get to teach the players, coaches and parents about the game. Once a teacher always a teacher!
@Bearcat
I always read your posts with great interest (I’m an immigrant too and I’ve had my share of lawyers here in UK!), I’m just posting this here… (try to find the whole original article on NY post books, I cannot post the link. The title is Ur Fascism, by Umberto Eco, 1995).
“Italian fascism was the first right-wing dictatorship that took over a European country, and all similar movements later found a sort of archetype in Mussolini’s regime. Italian fascism was the first to establish a military liturgy, a folklore, even a way of dressing—far more influential, with its black shirts, than Armani, Benetton, or Versace would ever be. It was only in the Thirties that fascist movements appeared, with Mosley, in Great Britain, and in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, Norway, and even in South America. It was Italian fascism that convinced many European liberal leaders that the new regime was carrying out interesting social reform, and that it was providing a mildly revolutionary alternative to the Communist threat.”
@SilverUnicorn – I have to say it, if only to bring a little levity to such a gloomy post:
Make American Great Again trucker hats are nowhere near as fashionable as Armani, Benetton, or Versace.
But here we are…a fascist regime about to enter the White House.
@Bearcat
A bit of levity is overdue! I’m really grateful we have this space to discuss about it. When I’m online elsewhere, it seems war already started, I’m blocking tons of accounts.
I think Trump will find a way to place an order of those hats to Gucci or Armani “Make America Great and Fashionable Again” – made in Italy. As a token of gratitude the far right future Italian government will reward Drumpf with a few bunga bunga parties hosted by his mentor Silvio Berlusconi. Dress code: rigorously black.
The more mature side of me wanted to comment, “Children learn what they live. This is how fascism and tyranny win out – by convincing the youth.” But I said nothing. I am not going to change his mind, and he will never understand how he is warping his daughter’s mind. –
Honestly, I think you should say something. Tell people why they are wrong. It’s so easy and tempting to try and distance yourself from these types of people but if you don’t challenge them on their repugnant ways we have no hope of ending bigotry.
I really do believe one of the reasons Trump won was because people (especially white people) knew family/friends who were voting for Trump and instead of trying to dissuade them and show the facts they just stayed silent in order to keep the “peace”. But in doing so, misinformation and hypocrisy kept spreading like wildfire.
So I beg everyone, if you know Trump supporters within your family/circle of friends please please talk to them. Even if they won’t believe you at the very least TRY. So many innocent people (even small children) are getting harassed and hurt by neo-nazis, having these hard conversations are ESSENTIAL.
You are right, but he is not a close friend. It is hard to stay silent, but I pick my battles.
I understand what you are saying @jude. But talking to people, gently trying to change their mind, to listen to reason, is extremely unlikely to work with MANY people. People are WEDDED to their beliefs in ways that defy persuasion and reason. And many of those who support Trump are notably resistant to logic, facts, and reason. To give just one small example: An amazing number accept the notion that events such as the horrific Sandy Hook elementary school massacre was a false flag operation designed to take away gun rights. Try telling these people they are wrong….it is futile as they are operating on another level and it is far from logic, facts, reason, and human compassion.
That is just…..chilling.
Obviously she is very young and does not know or understand that Trump and his supporters harass and demean people like her and her stepbrother all the time. I just wonder how her father will react when his Trump bros turn on him and his family for having two interracial marriages and mixed race children. If he starts whining on FB about how he never saw that coming and he does not understand how Trump supporters could do this to him, etc., etc., then I will simply say, “They showed you what they were. You did not believe them. You brought this on yourself and your family.”
If I am reading this right the daughter is half Korean, so she will never be accepted in the alt right group and is likely to have racial epithets used against her soon enough. That’s probably going to change her mind about Trump supporters.
I’m not sure I could be as big of a person as you are. I’d probably have to block him.
Do you listen to This American Life? The most recent episode made me think of you. They interviewed a few immigration lawyers and they were all in a relative state of panic over Trump’s presidency.
@Nic919 – it should have already changed her ignorant father’s mind about supporting Trump, but it has not. I will just never understand the mental and logical gymnastics people like him (and sadly now his daughter) must perform in order to support Trump and his ilk.
@Kitten, I heard that piece. Too depressing for words.
Yesterday I had a new Muslim client consult with me – the first since the election. He wants to apply for a work visa and asked me bluntly if I can get it approved before the inauguration. While I think I can do it, his wife and kids do not want to relocate in the middle of the school year (they live in Jordan). I advised them to at least get their visas issued before Inauguration Day but that I could not guarantee that they would be allowed into the US in the future. It was painful. So are all the calls from freaked out clients because I cannot reassure them that this will all be okay.
What is also very, very frightening is the brainwashing of the youngest generations and we’re seeing it begin.
“I will just never understand the mental and logical gymnastics people like him (and sadly now his daughter) must perform in order to support Trump and his ilk.”
Well, his daughter is a child, so her mental gymnastics are probably saying “do and say everything that is necessary to pretend that you are safe — this is how you survive” … It´s going to be much later that she’ll be reading articles on ‘how to spend the holidays with your toxic family’ and ‘how to cope with your racist/homophobic/misogynist/ableist/etc. shitlord of a father’. Right now she probably doesn’t fully understand the ways in which she is different from her dad.
I’m with some of the other posters here, I think you should say something. Of course don’t be rude, be as kind as you can because that’s how we lead by example. But I think the time for not saying things is over. I’m completely with you, for the longest time I just didn’t say anything because I knew it wouldn’t make a difference and/or I didn’t want the headache of an argument that I knew would ensue. But I think now the stakes are higher. Of course we don’t want to be immature, we don’t want to pick fights. And we want to litter our arguments with as many verifiable facts as we possibly can. But now, I just don’t think we have a choice but to say anything. We have this tool of social media that so often is used for distraction/vanity/negativity, and I think we might as well use it for some good now that we can.
@Shambles, it is the rudeness that is the problem. I am so pissed off that I literally cannot draft a comment that will not come across as unkind and outraged.
Now if you would like to give it a shot and write a draft for me…that would be awesome. And I would likely post it if only to present an opposing view.
Bearcat, I hope you see this. I’ll write something for you. Feel free to use whatever you want. Just give me a bit. ❤️
Here’s what I might say:
Friend, when I look at your daughter, I see a bright and beautiful girl who can do anything she decides to do. I see a vast future full of possibility ahead of her.
But you have to know that when Donald Trump, those he is appointing to his White House staff, and many of those who support him look at your daughter, they see someone who is “other.” They see someone who is less than because of how she looks and who she is. They see someone who deserves to be called “chink” and told to “go back to her country,” because “white power.”
When Donald Trump sees your daughter, he sees a count down to the minute she turns 18, thereby making it legal for him to touch her whenever and however he would like to. Donald Trump, his running mate, those he is appointing to his staff, and many who support him do not think your daughter has ownership over her own body. They do not think she is as worthy or capable because she is not a man. These beliefs are well-documented.
If you’re teaching your daughter to support Donald Trump, I implore you: think hard about the lessons you are truly teaching her. If these are lessons she’s picking up via the news or her peers or her teachers, please protect her from these harmful ideas by doing everything you can to reassure her she is not “other,” she is not a “chink,” she owns her body, she is not unworthy– and that anyone who supports those ideas is wrong.
Your daughter is the future, and the future Donald Trump would create for us is not a bright one.
Ah, Shambles, how dare you make me cry at work! This is stellar. Brilliant. Just perfect.
Now all I must do is summon up the courage to post it. Maybe one more cup of coffee will do it!
Thank you, friend. Thank you so very much.
xoxo
I wonder if he thinks that people of Asian heritage are somehow protected against racism. If that’s it, he is so wrong. But there are those who think model minority status somehow helps. Through the eyes of white racism, it does not, they are still “other.”
And they really get riled up over interracial marriages and their progeny. “Racially pure” minorities are bad enough, but in their evil little minds voluntary miscegenation is a worse crime.
I troll Breibart occasionally, when my stomach can stand it, and in general Asian wives (compliant!) And the resulting half Asian children are all right by those folks. But only if they learn properly.
@suze – you are a stronger woman than I am. I have been looking at various Bannon quotes online to try to write a neutral comment to him about his daughter’s video, and I can barely keep down my breakfast!
Aw, Bearcat. He is dooming the future of his daughter and all little girls. What kind of world does he imagine she will inherit? He must be a misogynist.
The real dilemma is how to get through to people emotionally stoked on Trump’s fart fumes. This is something we all are struggling with no doubt, along with when and how to make a stand. Sometimes it’s not about being effective. Sometimes it’s about showing resistance, showing solidarity. But what does one say?
I just want to support you in your venting by saying something, but in truth I have no idea what to say aside from echo the horror everyone else is talking about. Whatever you do or don’t do, I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.
@Sixer – soooo…know of any UK companies that might be interested in sponsoring an over-educated US immigration lawyer for a work visa? Or any decent single British men looking for a wife? 😉 Thanks in advance!
P.S. – You are very supportive, and I appreciate it.
I could ask Mr Sixer to divorce me and get you your green card? I’d need him back once you’d got it though! 😉
What’s a little marriage fraud between friends??? How much do I have to pay him though? I mean, what is the going rate for UK permanent residence these days?
UPDATE: I just posted Shambles’ exceptionally well-written comment (with only a few minor edits) on his post. Now we wait.
No response from him yet, but he has not deleted my comment. His mother – who does not appear to be a Trump supporter and has called him out on FB a few times before – liked it though!
Any update? Fellow lawyers (and insomniacs) in the UK would love to know.
My comment is still visible to me, but no reply from him or his alt-Reich buddies.
A white male (surprise) commented about an hour ago:
“I think it is amazing a 9 year old girl can see the truth and all these other people are fooled by the media tell her great job”
Nice run on sentence without punctuation. Grammar must be a liberal ideology!
Being non-American, I have a question!
Everywhere I read, I see words like “final votes”, “counting of absentee votes” etc. Does that mean votes are STILL being counted as of now?
If that’s the case, wouldn’t Hillary stand a chance if she didn’t concede? Or she still wouldn’t win cos of all that electoral college thing?
And another thing, if votes ARE still being tallied, why do they announce the “winner” on 11/9? Instead of waiting for ALL the votes to be counted first?
*scratches head
Because the absentee ballots are concentrated in states that had large wins one way or the other, and won’t affect the outcome. But all votes need to be counted, just to confirm and get the final popular vote tally.
To add, conceding is not legally binding. Clinton does not presently have a chance, but if she did she could renege on the concession.
Networks call the election when it’s clear where the majority of the state votes will go, because by tradition the electoral votes will follow the popular vote (with two exceptions, Nebraska and Maine, where the electoral vote are spread proportionally to the popular vote each candidate received).
bobo, the votes are still being counted in some places, but even though it looks like Clinton handily won the popular vote, she lost in the electoral college, which is what matters.
DO NOT NORMALIZE TRUMP, AMERICA!!!! He used to preface Hillary’s name with the word “crooked” all the time and it worked. There has to be a word that suits him that can be used as a preface to his name but I can’t think of what it would be. Racist Trump, sexist Trump would be true but these wouldn’t work because people who voted for him deny that’s what they are. It has to be something more homogenized but extremely demeaning. I hope someone comes up with something good and that it will stick.
Crookedtrump. Crookedtrump. Crookedtrump.
Crookedpenistrump? See my comment below. If only we could troll this narcissist into exposing himself and getting arrested.
While working on good policy at the same time of course!
But it makes my blood boil when people say they voted for trump because he wasn’t politically correct. Two can play that game.
ToxicTrump.
ToxicTrump is a really good one. 🙂
I dreamed twitter mocked him as #smallPenistrump and he exposed himself to prove us wrong, rendering him impeachable. Thoughts? Anyone? I am not on Twitter but this seems a worthy cause.
I have been following Michael Moore and he made the point that many Crookedpenistrump supporters voted Obama in 2008 and 2012. He says We can’t call all Crookedpenistrump supporters 100% racist, and we need to understand those reasonable people who changed from Obama to Crookedpenistrump.
I would feel a lot more comfortable if it was someone else than a white dude saying that Bc from where I stand it still looks like a lot of racism, internalized misogyny and a denial of constitutional rights to non white people.
It is not reasonable to vote for hate. His argument is merely a parsing distraction. Moore is wrong. Nothing justifies voting for hate; it makes you complicit. The motives don’t matter because they are really excuses. And ignorance is no excuse, either.
I had hoped that The Donald would surround himself with experienced political staff but sadly not. Every day gets worse and worse. I only hope the novelty of being president wears off soon and he decides to move on. However from reading posts from others I don’t think Mike Pence is much better. It is going to be a long 4 years.
On a separate note, if they ever decide to do a Catwoman movie, Melania would be perfect for the main part. She looks more feline every time we see her. Enough with the plastic surgery.
Oh and he wants to stay in Trump Towers every weekend effectively shutting down one of the busiest shopping districts in New York City just so he can sleep in his bed on weekends.
My solace is that these are not smart people which gives me hope they will not accomplish much. My thought is Trump is going to be spending much of his time seeking petty retribution and not much else. I’m also hoping his overinflated ego prevents him from giving Pence much control.
But Paul Ryan can pass whatever he wants and Trump will sign it.
Rudy Giuliani lost his mind a long time ago. He has no business being in or near the White House. Not even on a tour. SMH
Giuliani should be in jail for colluding with the FBI to hurt Hillary. Lock him up!!!! Lock him up!!!!!
Yes lock him up! lock him up! Giuliani and Crookedpenistrump (TM) can share a cell.
The Israeli government is quite pleased with Trump’s victory. He’s promised them something even Hillary couldn’t promise, and they see this rare opportunity to finally end the Palestinians’ hopes for their own state. Perhaps it wasn’t Putin who finagled this election:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/israel-right-trump-victory/index.html
thank you for this post.
That is not what the article says and your anti-Semitic innuendo is obvious.
hmmm, noting anti-semtic about it. i don’t trust Netanyahoo, anymore than I trust any other war mongering world “leader”. try to think through the difference before posting nonsense. and yes, the article does state that Trump has promised something no one else has been able to give:
Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party, said Trump’s election allows Israel to fully dismiss the notion of a Palestinian state. “This is the position of the President-elect, as written in his platform, and it should be our policy, plain and simple. The era of a Palestinian state is over.”
It is an often repeated — and never fulfilled — promise made by both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 requires the US government to move the embassy to Jerusalem, but the move has been waived every six months since the law was passed. Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama all declined to relocate the embassy after being elected, citing national security.
The point still stands- your comments are misleading and you’ve just added to that.
It’s all so horrific. Even though we all saw this coming, it still feels so surreal.
How do people who voted for this guy live with themselves? smdh
Ugh this family is reaching Borgia levels of craziness.
Silly move about the intelligence briefings to the kids. Not only for the conflict of business interests but it makes them bigger targets for an enemy of the US. “Ok look new ways to get US secrets” and the president would be compromised: the security of the nation or the safety of the kids. Rethink this and fast.
even if we were only picking a white supremacist president, we could have found a more competent one
this is a mess on every level
I feel so full of rage in this upsidedown world. Megyn Kelly is getting lauded as brave and courageous as she is out and about selling her book. Yes, Trump threatened her and tried to buy her off with gifts and Roger Ailes had made unwanted sexual advances. Trump knew in advance about some questions during a debate. Why did she not mention all this when it mattered. Now she smiles and calls him President Trump and corrects herself coyly, oh, I mean President elect Trump. The world is insane and I want to gag ………………….. SHE is the enabler!!!!
She’s such a snake. She played us all.
Craven.
I stated years ago that America was becoming like Rome and now we are just watching together its inevitable fall perpetuated by Trump. the question is which country will be the next super power in its wake? China? Russia?
You are not alone.
The Fact that Glenn ” I Cry for Merica” Beck is out here decrying Bannon is just…. IDEK what to say anymore, I’m dead sure im living in the Upside down
Losing Bowie, Prince, Cohen & Rickman along with Brexit & Trump… it DOES feel like we’re living in the Upside Down this year.
Beck is a super weird phenom…he loved Michelle Obama’s speech (the one where she expressed being shaken to her core on the sexual violence and misogyny of Trump’s platform) giving the highest praise his heart could muster–comparing her to Ronald Reagan, which 1) gross but 2) that is his equivalent of saying Michelle Obama is god which is true. this IS bizarro land.
If the man can see sense more power to him.
Fascist? Really? Do you even know what facism is??
I happen to see some parallels with both Mussolini’s and Hitler’s trajectory to power and rhetoric. Plus, some other movements n the 30’s Eastern Europe. Maybe you can share why the term is out of place.
I know what fascism is.
Here are 14 handy characteristics, just in case you don’t:
http://www.rense.com/general37/char.htm
Sixer, thank you for sharing. Holy balls I knew Drumpf had many of those characteristics but to see him , his election team and current appointees reflect each and everyone of those descriptions to a T is gut wrenching terrifying and insightful. We can’t normalize this and it has already been normalized to a large degree.
It’s not pleasant to read and apply it, is it?
Just shared on social media, Sixer, thanks.
If that sh*t doesn’t send a chill down your spine…….
Right now you all are my therapy group, thank you for your comments and insight. Sorry for my lack of posts been dealing with migraine sinus issues all week and a primary care physician who isn’t listening and not really addressing the problem Not being heard and understood is such a devaluing feeling and message. I keep telling myself this is eye opening, and what others deal with every day in every aspect of their lives. I honestly believe a great deal of my physical illness was directly caused by the stress brought on by this election. Yet others live with constant stress and threats and no, no protections? Bullish, not my president!
So let’s eat, and sleep well. We need our strength for This.
My parents and grandparents all come from Mussolini’s government. As first generation in this country, my family followed the law and the immigration rules. They, as well as myself, do not feel threaten. They always talked about how safe their lives were, there were no gangs, no mafia, & how families grew larger because of the government’s ability to protect the poor and provide for the poor. Unfortunately because Mussolini stupidity of siding with Hitler, people assumed he was cruel like Hitler, when in fact it was the complete opposite.
Lucy that’s interesting, thank you for sharing.
My friends are from Italy and they have darker skinned children, and their children have had bricks thrown at their head because people in Italy and the us both think they are Mexican or Muslim. Racial profiling , which Donald trump stands for, affects all of us – even if we are not from that group.
You are lucky right now and maybe you always will be. But some Italians or other people are not so lucky, under Mussolini or trump.
Just because you don’t feel threatened doesn’t mean there is no threat.
What a s*%t show!!
Sixer, what frightens me the most is how much has already happened that list details. We have got to turn this train around now!
I just heard on the radio that the Secret Service has blocked off two square blocks around Trump Tower. Can you imagine the traffic issues caused by that? And the fact that he doesn’t want to live in the White House??
I wonder how both the residents and retail businesses IN the Tower feel about this mess?
Read a really interesting Michael Moore essay earlier today, tracking (pre-win) the Toxic Orange’s path to the WH. It’s left me thinking there’s a strong possibility he will bail sooner rather than later.
Here, for anyone interested – http://michaelmoore.com/trumpsabotage/
Friends, look at pictures of Jared Kushner. The guy’s face literally begs to be slapped. Before he inserted himself into the Trump family his main claim to fame (besides his father going to prison) was his father paying millions of dollars to get him admitted to Harvard. Now he is setting policy for our country and world. Shudders.
He also looks about 14. Can he even grow facial hair?
Agreed! And research what his father went to prison for. It’s horrifying.
OMG @lisa I knew it was some kind of financial crime but I did not know about the ‘hiring a prostitute to seduce his sister’s husband and then sending her a videotape of it’ part.
Good article about the Ivanka/Jared Axis of Evil here http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-house-of-cards
In the last photo, doesn’t it seem like Ivanka is in the front and center instead of Melania? 6 people total, and she and DT (I refuse to say his name) are in the center positions. I can’t be the only one seeing that, right?
I think she’s always been front and center. Google donald and ivanka trump photos and you’ll see pics of them with his hand on her stomach, her butt, just barely below her breasts, teenage ivanka sitting on his lap, etc. Rather creepy.
Those photos are REVOLTING. The one of them on a bed when she’s like 14 years old? Nauseating.
And yes, she is definitely standing where Melania should be. WTF
I thought the same thing. Ivanka is in the typical “spouse position”. Their relationship is very creepy. Does Melania notice and not care?
She is rich and had a lot of plastic surgery to look good and she is white so I guess like her dad she can get away with anything.
Until the “like her dad” part I didn’t know to which person you were referring.
For the first time in my life, the future looks cloudy. It’s as if a heavy fog has settled and everything looks hazy. The uncertainty of not knowing what direction our country….our world…is going is terribly depressing.
We cannot let these people and the media “normalize” him and what’s happening. We have to continue to raise our voices and amplify them. I want my children and their children to grow up in a world where they know that with hard work and effort, they can achieve their dreams….and always be judged by “the content of their character, and not their skin.”
You raise such a good point I wish more people would pick up on. The great Martin Luther King said judged by “the content of their character” not the content of their skin. We are living in bleak times when white people elected someone of low abhorrent character with light skin. Dark times indeed.
“…and always be judged by “the content of their character, and not their skin.”.. or religion (or lack thereof) or gender…
IMPEACH,IMPEACH,IMPEACH ,
B4 it’s too late & our beloved USA is gone
Can’t if he isn’t president yet…and the Republican Senate isn’t likely to do it unless they want think Pence is easier to manipulate.
I am praying for early impeachment.
I know why it all went wrong. Hillary and I had faith that common decency would prevail in America and we were both wrong. Now I am twisting in the wind in fear of stupidity. Thanks to Trump, pro Assad Russia today attacked the people against him just as they are again making headway. Trump not only emboldened Russia he normalized and emboldened White Supremacists lurking in Canada. Hey, White Person a recent poster in Toronto said, “Sick of being blamed for all the world’s problems” join the alt-right
I shouldn’t have used the word “miracle” because #2 is Pence. UGH!
It is going to be a long four years.
(My comments are showing up in the wrong order)
Perhaps a miracle will happen once DT in office (shudder to thinking about him as President):
The man dubbed “Prediction Professor” for accurately calling every presidential election since 1984, including the 2016 election, now forecasts the impeachment of President-elect Donald Trump.
How to effectively lobby congressperson:
http://theslot.jezebel.com/how-to-effectively-lobby-your-congressperson-1788958124
There are still 3-4 million votes to be counted in California. Hillary won California by almost 65%. She may end up having 2 million more votes than Trump and overall winning the popular vote by 2%. Can you imagine how Trump and his supporters would have dealt with this scenario? This will be the second democratic nominee to win popular vote and lose electoral college in the last 20 years. Unacceptable.
It is disturbing how much he has already worked to reward his own family members. I know this isn’t unheard of but to make even your ex-wife an Ambassador? This may just be a rumor but it’s very on par with his actions/motives. JFK appointed Bobby as Attorney General but Bobby actually had experience where as Trump’s children haven’t a clue. Granted, neither does he but at what point does it become a problem?
His kids are just as clueless and greedy as he is:
http://theslot.jezebel.com/ivanka-trumps-company-is-sorry-it-used-her-60-minutes-a-1789010393
They’re in this role less than a week and are already stepping in it all over the place.
I also wonder what all of the “working class” Trump voters thought of her hawking a $9000+ bangle (or $11K+, depending on which journalist it was sent to!).
She sits there – with a straight face – talking about how much she’s “connecting” to all of the people throughout America who “shared their struggles” with them during the campaign…and then sends an email blast for an $11K bracelet. 🙄
She did the same fvcking thing at the Rethuglican Convention. Immediately listed for sale the dress style she was wearing. Shameless, moral-free sh1ts.
Watching the news and my Alabama’s Massive Turd Senator Jeff Sessions is leading contender for AG. Folks, he’s a RACIST! Google him. POS.
Trump’s one son looks like a vampire.
The GOP will either impeach him in the first year or threaten to take him and his children down for abuse of power (using his/their position to enrich themselves, policies to aid their businesses, etc.) so he resigns for some trumped up (pardon the pun) reason. This is a win/win for the religious right as they will have Mike Pence (who is remaining Gov or IN while transitioning?!) who will gladly work with the GOP to implement his Christian dominionist platform
Just here to say, what all of you said. That being said. I am still in the fetal position and crying.
Thinking about Trump and Russia and all his business holdings. There is something incestuous about it. Trump never released his taxes and I wonder if, in order for him to get full security access, the FBI will finally look into those. But then, the FBI seems to be on Trump’s payroll. It is all so scary and undignified. Trump and his family cannot be trusted but with this big Republican House and Senate all the safeguards seem to be torn down. We need good journalism more than ever that can withstand Trump trying to clamp them down. Can’t sleep. Very worried.