Trump administration 2024-2028

[dapaterson]

Most politicians can say nothing in a lot less time

 

[Kilted]

Its a poll from Fox News - if they ran a poll on Fox News, 'Do you believe Man walked on the earth at the same time as Dinosaurs?', I have little doubt that over 35% of respondents would say 'Yes, I do believe that'.

They have, I've seen a bunch of them...mostly former RSM's.

 

[lenaitch]

Ironic that the US system was purposefully set up to guard against that very thing.

And that's kinda my point. Observers say the US system of checks and balances can be to the point of gridlock, but everybody seems to be sitting on their hands. I read somewhere that he is basing the scope of his EOs on some 'national emergency' legislation the Executive was granted some years ago. If so, be careful what you wish for.

The opposing party doesn't have a veto-proof majority in both bodies. If Democrats won't join Republicans to curb Democratic presidential overreach, no-one should expect Republicans to reciprocate.

Understood, but I'm not hearing about anything about EOs being debated, confirmed or whatever, even if they are ultimately passed. Maybe they are and I'm just not seeing it.

If anyone was wondering about the Presidential Address don't worry you are missing nothing. Going exactly as expected, an old dude rambling and Republicans going absolutely feral over every word.

Unironically this has manifested into reality:

Most at least try to give some appearance or nod to some manner of bipartisan cooperation, even if they don't mean it.

 

[brihard]

And that's kinda my point. Observers say the US system of checks and balances can be to the point of gridlock, but everybody seems to be sitting on their hands. I read somewhere that he is basing the scope of his EOs on some 'national emergency' legislation the Executive was granted some years ago. If so, be careful what you wish for.


Understood, but I'm not hearing about anything about EOs being debated, confirmed or whatever, even if they are ultimately passed. Maybe they are and I'm just not seeing it.


Most at least try to give some appearance or nod to some manner of bipartisan cooperation, even if they don't mean it.

EOs aren’t subject to any debate or legislative review. They’re simply the President, in a formal way, issuing written direction purporting to be based on existing executive authority. The challenge is when EOs exceed that lawful authority, and that’s where we see matters go to the courts. The EO claiming to eliminate birthright citizenship, for instance, s immediately attracted court challenges on 14th amendment grounds.

Congress doesn’t directly enter into it a specific EO. They could conceivably legislate constraints to executive powers in many cases.

 

[HavokFour]

Washington BANS Britain from sharing US intelligence with Ukraine

Donald Trump 's decision to freeze American military aid to Kyiv yesterday brought warnings that Ukraine could run out of weapons in as little as two to three months' time.

www.dailymail.co.uk

China says it is ready for 'any type of war' with US

The comments come in response to US tariffs and as Beijing boosts defence spending by 7.2%.

www.bbc.com

The timeline keeps getting darker. It's insane that it's only been 44 days, only 1342 more to go.

 

[Brad Sallows]

And that's kinda my point. Observers say the US system of checks and balances can be to the point of gridlock, but everybody seems to be sitting on their hands. I read somewhere that he is basing the scope of his EOs on some 'national emergency' legislation the Executive was granted some years ago. If so, be careful what you wish for.

See here. Presidents have been (arguably) misusing emergency declaration powers since the 1976 act was passed. It's a known problem; there are articles out there by people arguing for reform.

Understood, but I'm not hearing about anything about EOs being debated, confirmed or whatever, even if they are ultimately passed. Maybe they are and I'm just not seeing it.

A guest on a news show recently emphasized that all you need to produce an EO is "a piece of paper and a sharpie". That understates the research and preparation done beforehand, but his point was that compared to the legal effort of challenging an EO, producing one is nothing. Then the opposing team goes judge-shopping for stays and nationwide injunctions (another power, this time of the courts, that some reformers want to curb). Eventually matters trickle through courts and are decided on the merits. Another point he made was that these processes explain what we observe: administrations launch a barrage of EOs early knowing that most will take time to resolve, but that they are going to win some - many, if their research is good - of them. A third point was that the stays and injunctive relief mean very little despite the braying of media that the executive is being pwned by the courts. What matters is what eventually happens in the higher courts, particularly the USSC.

 

[The Bread Guy]

If anyone was wondering about the Presidential Address don't worry you are missing nothing. Going exactly as expected, an old dude rambling and Republicans going absolutely feral over every word.

Unironically this has manifested into reality:

In case you're interested, text of The Speech here (also archived here) ....

Transcript of President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — A transcript of President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, as transcribed by The Associated Press: Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, the first lady of the United States, members of the United States Congress, thank you very...

halifax.citynews.ca

... and Chat GPT's assessment of Russian disinfo/misinfo influence in the text

Assessment of Potential Russian Disinformation or Misinformation Influences:

Rating: 7/10

Indicators of Potential Russian Disinformation:

1. Narrative Alignment with Russian Objectives:
   • The text includes claims about the Ukraine war, suggesting massive casualties ("millions of Ukrainians and Russians have been needlessly killed or wounded") and pushing the idea that the U.S. involvement is misguided or manipulated. This aligns with Russian disinformation strategies aimed at reducing Western support for Ukraine and promoting a negotiated settlement favorable to Russia.
2. Undermining Western Leaders and Institutions:
   • The text contains heavy criticism of the Biden administration and European allies, particularly around military and financial support to Ukraine. This aligns with Russian messaging designed to sow discord among NATO and Western countries.
3. Promoting Specific Political Figures as Peace Negotiators:
   • The portrayal of "TRUMP" as the only viable leader to bring peace to Ukraine and to negotiate with Russia could be interpreted as an effort to influence American politics. Russian disinformation has previously aimed to bolster certain political figures perceived as more favorable to Russian interests.
4. Claims of Corruption and Missing Funds:
   • The assertion that half of U.S. funds sent to Ukraine are “MISSING” is a frequent Russian propaganda theme. It reinforces narratives of corruption in Ukraine and seeks to reduce public support for aid.
5. Exaggerated or False Claims:
   • Statements about the "golden age" of America and wildly optimistic claims of economic and political successes could serve to contrast with the alleged failures of current Western policies, a tactic often used in disinformation to create polarized perceptions.

Other Notable Elements:

• Polarizing Language: The text employs divisive language, positioning political opponents as enemies, which is a known strategy to amplify societal divisions.
• Emotional Manipulation: Stories of violence and tragedy are used to appeal to fear and resentment, which is often a tactic in propaganda to shift public opinion.

Overall Conclusion:The text is highly politically charged and contains elements that align with known Russian disinformation strategies. The likelihood of influence or alignment with Russian disinformation narratives is high, though the extensive length and broad range of topics also suggest it is tailored to a specific political agenda beyond just foreign influence.

 

[Mills Bomb]

The speech seemed pretty sketchy to me...

On one side of the room, the crowd mindlessly cheers for Trump, it doesn't matter what he says, the yes men stay in line cheering all the way.

The other side of the room, a bunch of people sit quietly, looking like they are about to cry, but also, doing basically nothing, while being belittled and mocked by Trump. One person speaks up, they are quickly removed, there is clearly little support for them.

It seems like each one of these events the US looks more and more like it's a very serious crisis... If nothing else, the country is completed divided with no common ground, it seems like they are long past compromising and working with each other at this point. Completely different and incompatible visions.