Misadventures of a minority-elect President 52

Today’s misadventurous chronicles of our minority-elect President begin with his signing your Internet privacy away, another Trump promise goes down in flames, LA Times highlights Trump’s authoritarian vision, ruminations on how Trump has become part of the establishment he pretended to deplore, Trump’s idiotic tweets will be forever preserved in the US National Archives, looking at the growing list of groups lined up against him reveals how much trouble Trump is really in, Trump’s agenda is based on lies and most Americans hate it, comparing Trump to Nixon isn’t fair to Nixon, still trying to repeal Obamacare with his fraudulent TrumpCare replacement, ignorance still running rampant in Trump’s land of delusion, Trump panicking about his Russia scandal, ISIS claims U.S. ‘being run by an idiot,’ Trump kleptocracy watch updated, Trump’s claims of not having ties to Russia seem to be unraveling, Trump lied about no more factories closing as more jobs get exported to other countries, theaters nationwide inspired by Trump’s dystopian dipshittery enough to screen 1984 as a tribute, the White House swamp and more.

Trump signs bill blocking online privacy regulation article from the AP on Yahoo! News. –
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/trump-signs-bill-blocking-online-privacy-regulation-234326109–finance.html

As U.S. Jobs Flee the Country, One of Trump’s Biggest Campaign Promises Is Already Going Down in Flames article from AlterNet. –
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/us-jobs-flee-country-one-trumps-biggest-campaign-promises-already-going-down

Trump’s Authoritarian Vision article from the Los Angeles Times. –
http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-trumps-authoritarian-vision/

“Standing before the cheering throngs at the Republican National Convention last summer, Donald Trump bemoaned how special interests had rigged the country’s politics and its economy, leaving Americans victimized by unfair trade deals, incompetent bureaucrats and spineless leaders.

He swooped into politics, he declared, to subvert the powerful and rescue those who cannot defend themselves. “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”

To Trump’s faithful, those words were a rallying cry. But his critics heard something far more menacing in them: a dangerously authoritarian vision of the presidency — one that would crop up time and again as he talked about overruling generals, disregarding international law, ordering soldiers to commit war crimes, jailing his opponent.

Trump has no experience in politics; he’s never previously run for office or held a government position. So perhaps he was unaware that one of the hallmarks of the American system of government is that the president’s power to “fix” things unilaterally is constrained by an array of strong institutions — including the courts, the media, the permanent federal bureaucracy and Congress. Combined, they provide an essential defense against an imperial presidency…”

Is Trump now part of the establishment? article from BBC News. –
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39483715

Trump’s tweets will be preserved by the US National Archives article from the Verge. –
http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/3/15168956/donald-trump-twitter-white-house-archives-tweets

For the rest of time Trump’s idiotic tweets will be forever preserved.

Six Degrees Of Trump Opposition article from FiveThirtyEight. –
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-trump-opposition-meter/

Looking at all the groups lined up against him reveals how much trouble Trump is in.

Why is Trump flailing? Because Americans hate his agenda, and it’s based on lies article from the Washington Post. –
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/04/03/why-is-trump-flailing-because-americans-hate-his-agenda-and-its-based-on-lies/

Trump isn’t Nixon article from Slate. –
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/interrogation/2017/04/trump_isn_t_nixon.html

“Nixon read books, for one thing.

The ghost of Richard Nixon seems to be hovering over our political moment, with paranoia once again gripping the West Wing and talk of wiretapping commanding column inches. But for all the comparisons between Nixon and Donald Trump—a fondness for ranting about perceived enemies, a distaste for norms and niceties, a collection of morally grotesque top advisers—Nixon and Trump are also different in crucial ways. In his new book on the 37th president of the United States, Richard Nixon: The Life, John A. Farrell tells Nixon’s life story in a single volume. The book is full of harsh assessments of—and fresh reporting on—Nixon’s dirty tricks. But Farrell also does his best to humanize Nixon for readers and explain the origins of the former president’s inner demons.

I spoke by phone with Farrell, who has also written books about Clarence Darrow and Tip O’Neill. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed the two warring sides of Nixon, his strange relationship with JFK, and the similarities between the Nixon tapes and a certain person’s late-night tweets…”

White House spokesman called a news site a ‘left-wing blog’ – and the news site fired back article from Business Insider on Yahoo! News. –
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/white-house-spokesman-called-news-001847135.html

Pro Publica is not a ‘left-wing blog’ and Spicer is still an idiot…and always will be.

Cities sick of Trump kleptocracy push for impeachment article from Think Progress. –
https://thinkprogress.org/cities-sick-of-trump-kleptocracy-push-for-impeachment-4199e21e78af

White House, Republicans trying to revive Obamacare repeal in new talks article from GMA on Yahoo! News. –
https://gma.yahoo.com/white-house-republicans-trying-revive-obamacare-repeal-talks-022804589–abc-news-topstories.html

Still trying to implement his fraudulent Obamacare repeal.

Trumpcare is back from the dead and it is even worse article from Think Progress. –
https://thinkprogress.org/republicans-revive-failed-health-bill-c7bc856988c3

“Republican leaders are determined to schedule another vote on health care.

House Republicans aren’t giving up on their failed health care bill.

Vice President Mike Pence, Budget Director Mike Mulvaney, and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus met with with House Freedom Caucus Republicans on Monday night to find out what changes would be acceptable to the caucus, Politico reported. The caucus chairman, Rep. Mike Meadows (R-NC) said GOP lawmakers would see the text of a new health care bill within 24 hours. The White House also met with a few House Republicans from the more moderate Tuesday Group on Monday to see what changes they would be comfortable with.

Republican leaders failed to gather the necessary votes on their original health care bill last month because it didn’t go far enough for far-right conservatives?—?removing things like the provision requiring insurers to cover preexisting conditions?—?and went too far for moderate Republicans, who weren’t as anxious to slash Medicaid…”

White House faces questions about Syria policy after suspected chemical attack article from Yahoo! News. –
https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-faces-questions-about-syria-policy-after-suspected-chemical-attack-180639121.html

Still deflecting blame for Trump’s ignorance…

ProPublica Just Absolutely Owned Sean Spicer on Twitter article from Esquire. –
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a54280/propublica/

Trump’s stooges in the White House will never learn.

TRUMP KLEPTOCRACY WATCH: AN UPDATE article from the New Yorker. –
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/trump-kleptocracy-watch-an-update

Trump is Panicking About Russia video from GQ on Yahoo! News. –
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-panicking-russia-221500196.html

“And it’s only gonna get worse”

Islamic State says U.S. ‘being run by an idiot’ article from Reuters on Yahoo! News. –
https://www.yahoo.com/news/islamic-state-says-u-being-run-idiot-162745864.html

Ouch.

A birthday video call captures a telling moment in Trump’s Russia connections article from McClatchy News. –
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article142584709.html

Oops…Trump’s claims about not having ties to Russia seem to be unraveling.

Trump Signs Bill Making It Easier For Employers To Hide Workplace Injuries article from the Huffington Post. –
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-signs-bill-making-it-easier-for-employers-to-hide-worker-injuries_us_58e3efa6e4b0f4a923b2cad9

Good thing he’s making America great again.

In Trump’s Dystopia, Movie Theaters Nationwide Screening ‘1984’ article from Common Dreams. –
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/04/04/trumps-dystopia-movie-theaters-nationwide-screening-1984

“Orwell’s portrait of a government that manufactures their own facts, demands total obedience, and demonizes foreign enemies, has never been timelier”

Against the backdrop of an increasingly right-wing Donald Trump presidency, movie theaters around the world will screen 1984 on Tuesday, April 4, marking the date George Orwell’s protagonist, Winston Smith, begins keeping a secret diary in his first act of rebellion against a totalitarian state.

Roughly 180 theaters nationwide are taking part in the evening of cultural resistance, plus a handful in Canada, the U.K., Sweden, New Zealand, and Croatia. Find a complete listing here.

A statement from participating venues, published earlier this year, reads in part:

Orwell’s novel begins with the sentence, “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” Less than one month into the new presidential administration, theater owners collectively believe the clock is already striking thirteen. Orwell’s portrait of a government that manufactures their own facts, demands total obedience, and demonizes foreign enemies, has never been timelier. The endeavor encourages theaters to take a stand for our most basic values: freedom of speech, respect for our fellow human beings, and the simple truth that there are no such things as ‘alternative facts.’ By doing what they do best—showing a movie—the goal is that cinemas can initiate a much-needed community conversation at a time when the existence of facts, and basic human rights are under attack. Through nationwide participation and strength in numbers, these screenings are intended to galvanize people at the crossroads of cinema and community, and bring us together to foster communication and resistance against current efforts to undermine the most basic tenets of our society…”

Trump Has a Thing for Despots: The President Can’t Hide His Admiration for the Likes of Putin and el-Sisi article from AlterNet. –
http://www.alternet.org/trump-has-thing-despots-president-cant-hide-his-admiration-likes-putin-and-el-sisi

The Unvarnished Cruelty of Donald Trump’s GOP article from the Nation. –
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-unvarnished-cruelty-of-donald-trumps-gop/

His Job Went To Mexico And All He Got Was This Lousy Severance article from the Huffington Post. –
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/batesville-casket-factory-layoffs_us_58e261fae4b0ba359596a5cc

Trump lied about no more factories closing so next time you meet someone who was laid off make sure you let them know they’re fake news…

Abbreviated pundit roundup: The White House swamp, Trump’s lies and more article from the Daily Kos. –
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/4/4/1650013/-Abbreviated-pundit-roundup-The-White-House-swamp-Trump-s-lies-and-more

If there is something you’d like to see added or would like more information you can contact me here.

Email or Share this post

Back to Bill’s Links and More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.