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“Alternate Facts” — Why Now?
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“Alternate Facts”

The Desolation of Drumpf believes that, like Humpty Dumpty, a word “means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.”

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports that President Donald Trump’s inauguration actually didn’t have the biggest audience ever, and produces evidence to back their assertion.

The British Broadcasting Corporation notes Trump claims media ‘dishonest’ over crowd photos, and produces its own photos taken from the Washington Monument in both Obama’s 2009 inauguration and Trump’s 2017 inauguration, that obviously show that the attendance at Obama’s first inauguration was two or three times larger than Trump’s.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports that:

There were strong signs across the U.S. that the number of people who attended the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday topped those who gathered on Friday to watch U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

But as over a million people around the world protested in solidarity with events in Washington, both the president and his press secretary took aim Saturday at the media for “attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration” and claimed a bigger turnout than the available data suggests.

Take note of “available data suggests”. The ‘available data” are hotel vacancies, transit ridership, photographs of the crowd, empty seats. The data say that the Women’s March was bigger than the Inauguration.

This is why Sean Spicer, the new press secretary introduced “Alternate Facts” [AKA LIES!] to justify his boss’s claims, and refused to take questions.

56 comments

1 Kryten42 { 01.23.17 at 12:02 am }

Well, it certainly proves that a) Trumpet is in total denial, b) Trumpet is a liar (it’s easy to know when, he tweets or speaks), c) he wouldn’t know a fact if it was blond & grabbed his nuts (assuming he has any)!

Actually, I think it was that sack of raving insanity Kellyanne Conway that first used that term. I’d call all 3 of them walking oxymoron’s, but that implies they have some hidden meaning. But being completely superficial and absolute liars, they hide nothing. Though looking at recent pic’s of Conway, she looks pretty anorexic to me, apart from obvious mental health issues.

The US ABC had this:
Kellyanne Conway ‘Didn’t See the Point’ to Women’s March on Washington

Wikileaks & several other groups are pushing for Trumpet to release his tax records as promised. That’s really not going away. 🙂

And this (HuffPo):
The Domestic Conspiracy That Gave Trump The Election Is In Plain Sight

2 Kryten42 { 01.23.17 at 12:22 am }

This was interesting. It’s a copy of a post on a blog (that seems to be offline now, curiously), on DU:

Puzzled by the bizarre “press conference” put on by the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer?

In case that vanishes:

If you are puzzled by the bizarre “press conference” put on by the White House press secretary this evening (angrily claiming that Trump’s inauguration had the largest audience in history, accusing them of faking photos and lying about attendance), let me help explain it. This spectacle served three purposes:

1. Establishing a norm with the press: they will be told things that are obviously wrong and they will have no opportunity to ask questions. That way, they will be grateful if they get anything more at any press conference. This is the PR equivalent of “negging,” the odious pick-up practice of a particular kind of horrible person (e.g., Donald Trump).

2. Increasing the separation between Trump’s base (1/3 of the population) from everybody else (the remaining 2/3). By being told something that is obviously wrong—that there is no evidence for and all evidence against, that anybody with eyes can see is wrong—they are forced to pick whether they are going to believe Trump or their lying eyes. The gamble here—likely to pay off—is that they will believe Trump. This means that they will regard media outlets that report the truth as “fake news” (because otherwise they’d be forced to confront their cognitive dissonance.)

3. Creating a sense of uncertainty about whether facts are knowable, among a certain chunk of the population (which is a taking a page from the Kremlin, for whom this is their preferred disinformation tactic). A third of the population will say “clearly the White House is lying,” a third will say “if Trump says it, it must be true,” and the remaining third will say “gosh, I guess this is unknowable.” The idea isn’t to convince these people of untrue things, it’s to fatigue them, so that they will stay out of the political process entirely, regarding the truth as just too difficult to determine.

This is laying important groundwork for the months ahead. If Trump’s White House is willing to lie about something as obviously, unquestionably fake as this, just imagine what else they’ll lie about. In particular, things that the public cannot possibly verify the truth of. It’s gonna get real bad.

3 Kryten42 { 01.23.17 at 1:23 am }

Oops! Messed up the link above. *sigh* Internet via mobile phone sux!

Puzzled by the bizarre “press conference” put on by the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer?

OT: Did you know Brian that ASUS have decided to create a Pi rival? 😀

Asus Tinker Board is a Raspberry Pi-like mini PC with a RK3288 processor

Send in the clones! 😉 LOL

4 Badtux { 01.23.17 at 11:39 am }

But hey, Trump flack Kellyanne Conway said that the Trump administration was merely presenting “alternative facts”.

Alternative facts.

Like, facts that, uhm, aren’t facts? What’s the name we got for those?

Yeah, LIES.

Yech. Or maybe she meant “alternative” like in “alt-right”, where the “alt” stands for “neo-Nazi” despite all their denials (look, you advocate the same policies as the Nazis, you’re an effin’ Nazi, okay?). Which would make alt-facts be… uhm…. Nazi propaganda.

Alrighty, then!

5 Kryten42 { 01.23.17 at 6:57 pm }

This could be a long thread! So, I’ll keep this short (plus, damned phone!)

CBS Confirms Trump Brought His Own Studio Audience To Clap For Him At CIA Speech

Seems some in the US Military are having a quiet revolution, whilst they can. 😉
US Military Bases ‘Taking Down Obama Portraits, Replacing Them With Trump Memes’

Yeah:
Meet the new FCC chariman, harbinger of doom for net neutrality

6 Kryten42 { 01.23.17 at 7:20 pm }

This took longer than I expected! LMAO

White House Shuts Down Phone Comment Line, Tells Callers to Use Non-Existent Facebook Messenger Account Instead

I have to admit, I did enjoy this comment! 😀 😀

This article is disingenuous. There are now several ways to contact your Dear Leader.

1. By making a generous contribution to the “Trump Family Human Fund”

2. You may contact the Embassy of the Russian Federation. They will direct your praise to the appropriate department. (202) 298-5700

3. If you live outside the United States please contact the Kremlin, Moscow. +7 495 697-03-49

I also admit to being curious to see if anyone actually tries this! LOL

7 Bryan { 01.23.17 at 9:29 pm }

Kommissar ConWay of the Agitprop Bureau has been busy creating ‘alternate facts’ that are designed to support the blithering of the Desolation of Drumpf who is unhappy away from the hoard in his tower.

The Asus board is only 32-bit but it has better multimedia specs.

They are going to attack the media constantly to reduce their credibility. Most media outlets deserve it for the lousy way they covered the campaign. They didn’t take Trump seriously and we are all paying the price.

Of course Kommissar ConWay is denigrating the Women’s March. It was the biggest protest this century, if not ever, and the size approximately match Clinton’s advantage in the popular election.

8 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 10:56 am }

Well, she did achieve one thing! LOL After her performance, sales pushed the classic book “1984”, and it’s become the 6th best-selling book on Amazon! LOL

Sales of George Orwell’s 1984 surge after Kellyanne Conway’s ‘alternative facts’

I suppose it could be said that she unintentionally stimulated the economy, at least in the Book sector. Not that the GOP wants more people to read 1984! LOL

9 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 11:22 am }

And speaking of 1984… Apparently, Der Prez thinks the Environment is out of control! LMAO

“I am, to a large extent, an environmentalist. I believe in it, but — it’s out of control,” President Trump tells automaker CEOs

Just… incredible! LOL

Oh, he’s also ordered the EPA to freeze all grants & contracts. Among many other insane decisions.

10 Bryan { 01.24.17 at 12:26 pm }

He also just approved two pipelines to carry Canadian bitumen/oil sands across the biggest aquifer in the middle of the US so it can be refined and shipped to Asia. He is ignoring the reality that there is a glut in the oil market and oil producers aren’t making any money.

1984, indeed.

11 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 9:12 pm }

The Netherlands are the first to help the World after one of Trumpet’s first disasters. 🙂

The Netherlands ‘counters’ Trump with international abortion fund

And, to a far lesser degree, but an impact on the Insane right extremists in the uSA & elsewhere:
Pope extends Catholic priests’ right to forgive abortion

How long do you think it’ll take before Trumpet has a stroke? 😉 😈

I know, probably wishful thinking. I have the same wish for Turdbull. *sigh*

12 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 9:30 pm }
13 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 10:04 pm }

And now this:

Facing Trump, Mexicans Think the Unthinkable: Leaving Nafta

Hmmm. Maybe Mexico will build their own wall? Or slap trade sanctions on the USA? LOL

I also wonder how he plans to replace the lost produce?

Of course, the moronic 1/3 of Americans are cheering now that Trumpet has ordered the worthless border wall be built & plans to stop Mexican immigration. Then he will have to create forced labor camps within the USA to work the fields etc. Given few Americans want to do that kind of work.

What would happen if Trumpet decides to invade Mexico? And Canada? LMAO

14 Kryten42 { 01.24.17 at 10:16 pm }

Well, that didn’t take long! “1984” Hit the #1 Best Seller spot! Orwell would be pleased, I’m sure. 🙄

15 Bryan { 01.25.17 at 11:05 pm }

Mexico doesn’t want to deal with him, and Canada isn’t sounding real thrilled. What happens if they close their borders to the US? Things the US needs are now sourced in the two countries, and we are in trouble without them. Obviously the produce will go through the roof without Mexico, because California has drought related problems.

There are so many things that Trump obviously just doesn’t know or understand about the way the Federal government works, or the restrictions on Federal power. He has obviously never encountered the concept of checks and balances.

Invading countries requires the permission of Congress.

16 Kryten42 { 01.26.17 at 12:32 am }

Umm… You know he has the nuke launch codes right? And he’s an angry child?. 😐

And you could have just said “There are so many things that Trump obviously just doesn’t know or understand”. LOL

The US citizens should demand Trumpet pay’s for the wall, and security force to man it (what, about… 20+/mi?) out of his own pocket! That would kill it quick.

Anyway, the revolution is off to a good start, and faster than any other I can recall from history! There are (so far) 14 “rogue” Twitter accounts from federal science agencies:

https://twitter.com/StollmeyerEU/lists/twistance/members

It’s expected to grow quickly! 😀

Examples:
Rogue NASA: The unofficial “Resistance” team of NASA. Not an official NASA account. Follow for science and climate news and facts. REAL NEWS, REAL FACTS.

AltFDA: Uncensored FDA

altEPA: The Unofficial “Resistance” team of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Not taxpayer subsidised! Environmental conditions may vary from alternative facts.

Who said scientists & civil servants have no sense of humor, or humanity?! LOL

So, it you want *real* news, follow them on Twitter!

You know… Trumpet may have, completely unintentionally, done a good thing! Pissed off the WRONG people! LMAO

17 Kryten42 { 01.26.17 at 2:55 am }

Ummm… wow! Jake Tapper (MSNBC) takes an axe to Trump’s voter fraud allegations! Via YT:

Jake Tapper Slams Trump Over Belief That Millions Voted Illegally – ‘ Simply Not True ‘

And Brennan & Panetta not happy over Trump’s CIA visit:

Ex CIA Head Leon Panetta – Seemed Like Trump Forgot He Was President When He Spoke at CIA

Hmmm. No. Trumpet has no idea what POTUS is! He’s just an egomaniacle child.

18 Kryten42 { 01.26.17 at 3:16 am }

PMSL

If you don’t watchh the above, watch this! I’m gonna be PMSL for days!

Bad Lip Reading presents: “INAUGURATION DAY”

It’s #2 on YT & trending.

19 Bryan { 01.26.17 at 9:15 pm }

He has a military officer with a briefcase following him around, but we don’t know that the military put the codes in that case, nor that he hasn’t told the officer to only show up if there is a problem, as he has done with his intel briefing.

Until a law is passed authorizing Hrumpfy Drumpfy’s Wall, no one is paying anything. No contractor is going to do any work until there is a definite revenue stream to support hiring all of the undocumented immigrants needed to built this illusion. There is one hell of a lot of paperwork that has to be created before anything happens.

The clown can’t figure out that he can’t just do anything he feels like and get away with it. Civil Service people can get really nasty in a very bureaucratic way and unless you can actually prove they aren’t doing their job, you can’t fire them.

Trump was on the CIA’s ‘hallowed ground’ and gave a political speech. That is really insulting and the lower ranks won’t forget it.

20 Kryten42 { 01.27.17 at 12:15 am }

There was an interview where he was asked how he felt when he was given the codes. He said something like it was very sobering & scary. *shrug*

A whistle blower in the White House posted a bunch of tweets about what was going on behind the scenes. Gone dark now. But a *tweeter* took screenshots of the tweets before they were pulled. Daily Kos have them up (I’m amazed they’re still around! LOL Haven’t been to DKos in years!)

West Wing leaker goes dark after pulling back the curtain: Trump “irrational”, staff “demoralized”

His 1st tweet was: “I’m a mid-level White House staffer and I can’t believe what I signed up for. @realdonaldtrump and most of his staff are nuts! I’m going to chronicle it all!”

Seems many including department heads & organisation bosses (such as the head of border security) are resigning. Diplomats are also resigning.

21 Bryan { 01.27.17 at 7:55 pm }

You have a lot of career civil service people in various departments retiring to avoid working in a Drumpf administration. These are the people who know where the rest rooms are and where the toilet paper is stored. Most of them started during Clinton and have stayed on since. The people leaving the State Department are the core of the institutional memory. Things are going to get really weird.

With a hiring freeze in place and all political appointees leaving the government is going to be very lean and dysfunctional for a while. The head of Agitprop will provide “Alternate Facts”, to show there is no problem.

22 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 4:44 am }

Just got this. Could very well be.

Donald J. Trump: Putin’s Useful Idiot WHY?* (*hint #FollowTheMoney)

Hmmm! That’s 2 on DKos in two days! LOL After… 11 years or so! Hmmm. 😉

It follows an (as yet unsubstantiated) claim by John Helmer: “Intel dossier on Trump said Russians offered him a 19% share in Rosneft to lift sanctions. 19% of Rosneft was just sold to an unknown buyer.”

Helmers website is now offline due to DDOS & possible DB corruption. I hope he had good backups! 🙂

23 Bryan { 01.28.17 at 1:05 pm }

Even if you could prove the transfer which is quid pro quo bribery and a violation of Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the Constitution, the Congressional Republicans won’t impeach him. “Alternate Facts” will be rolled out to counter the “fake news” of the media. His base doesn’t care how illegal his actions are, his Executive Order on immigration is both illegal and unConstitutional, his base will still support him.

24 Badtux { 01.28.17 at 3:51 pm }

I’ll just point out that some of the departments in the Executive Department are more enthusiastic than others. For example, CBP (Customs and Border Protection) jumped all over themselves to not only implement God-Emperor Donald the Trump’s executive order to deny entry to citizens of certain nations that have no Trump hotels but have never committed an act of terrorism in the US (strangely omitting nations that have Trump hotels but whose citizens *have* committed acts of terrorism inside the US), they even took it one step further and are denying entry to *legal residents* of the United States who happen to also have citizenship in those nations. CBP has always attracted people with a fascist mindset, and they gleefully jumped on the President’s orders to do what the wanted to do in the first place — bully brown people.

25 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 6:15 pm }

It’s getting ugly, as expected. protests @ several airports, cab drivers in NYC on strike. Groups have started sending lawyers to airports to get people in (for free). One lawyer tweeted:

“GREAT news, after 2.5 hrs, my client made it out of customs. A green card holder with Iranian passport. Admitted! We beat the villain.”

By early evening, several airports were nearly empty with protesters tweeting photo’s, @ JFK people were stranded with no cab’s.

A British MP traveling to US on official business was detained & sent back because he was born in Iraq even though he is a British citizen with British Gov. Passport. Good timing with that moron PM May’s visit! Oops! LOL

“I’m a British citizen and so proud to have been welcomed to this country. Sad to hear I’m banned from the USA based on my country of birth” British MP Nadhim Zahawi said.

Even Americans & Canadians that have dual citizenship in banned countries are being held in detention, with a State Department official stating:

“State Dept confirms Canadians with dual citizenship from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Yemen are also banned from US entry.”

Also, a senior Justice official tells NBC News that Dept. had no input. Not sure who in WH is writing/reviewing. Standard NSC process is not functioning.

Iran has announced all US citizens are banned from Iran. Others are saying they will do the same.

Not all Congresscritters are insane (but too many are cowards):
Moulton Condemns Trump’s Executive Order on Refugees

Maybe it’ll be a start.

26 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 6:29 pm }

Many employees of several companies (including Google, M$ & Facebook) who were on leave or overseas on business have been barred from (re)entry.

People traveling (who paid in advance for accommodation etc.) for conventions & temporary specialized work (various scientific institutions, bio-chem companies, etc.) have been barred also. Many reservation’s are being cancelled (including Trump hotels!) What’s the bet trump will refuse refunds? 😉 LOL

This will be an epic disaster unlike any seen before! LMAO

Seems JFK is where the detentions are @ the worst:

“At least half the immigration ban is here.” Overheard at JFK terminal 4, where lawyers have taken over the food court, coordinating defense.

27 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 6:46 pm }

And so, it begins:

Texas mosque goes up in flames hours after White House announces Muslim ban

Some of the MSM are finally doing their job! Too bad they didn’t the past year!
‘I want to correct this for our viewers’: CNN host fact checks Trump backer’s Muslim ban lie on air

And yes, all the deluded imbeciles are crawling out of the woodwork!
Anti-choice advocate admits to Joy Reid her ultimate goal is to make birth control illegal

To all of these delusional morons, an unborn fetus has more *right to life* than a living human, even though the mortality rates show many won’t make it anyway. Can’t we just euthanize them all??! The World would be so much saner.

BTW, you know that Iran was opening up it’s borders? And still are, for non-US citizens.

28 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 8:16 pm }

LMAO

“British press corp is locked outside the White House because our birth dates were submitted in UK format and secret service don’t get it.”

Ned Donovan (reporter for ‘Mail on Sunday’) tweeted: “White House press officer just told me off on the phone for laughing when they told me they didn’t know British date format was different! – “Why is that funny? One person put their birthday as 1/8/[year], why would we be expected to think that means August 1st? Why?”

Yeah, why would anyone in the WHouse know that most of the World uses dd/mm/yy (or yyyy)! LOL

Ohhhh… it BURNS!! 😈

29 Bryan { 01.28.17 at 8:53 pm }

Badtux, you are spot on in your post that this order is both illegal and unConstitutional which is probably why the head of the Border Patrol who has cleaning up the mess that was characterized by unjustified shootings and illegal procedures has been asked to resign. Drumpf doesn’t want any people in charge who are concerned with doing things legally.

Hell, even NPR noticed that none of the countries specified has a Trump hotel or has been involved in an attack in the US. Looks suspiciously like a conflict of interest was involved in the choice.

None of these orders has been reviewed by the Justice Department, so there has been no vetting. A Federal judge will probably issue an injunction after the issue is put before him/her, but it was issued Friday afternoon to avoid oversight.

Oh, yes, other nations are going to retaliate, just like they did to the new requirements instituted by the Shrubbery.

30 Kryten42 { 01.28.17 at 9:00 pm }

Yep! Already happened in NY:

Federal judge blocks Trump immigration order

I posted part of the lyrics to Supertramp’s “Dreamer” song from 1979, in reply to a Trump lover moron troll everyone is fed up with & it’s becoming an anthem! LOL

“Dreamer, you know you are a dreamer
Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no!
I said dreamer, you’re nothing but a dreamer
Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no!
I said “Far out, what a day, a year, a laugh it is!”
You know, well you know you had it comin’ to you,
Now there’s not a lot I can do

Dreamer, you stupid little dreamer;
So now you put your head in your hands, oh no!
I said “Far out, – What a day, a year, a laugh it is!”
You know, well you know you had it comin’ to you,
Now there’s not a lot I can do.

Well work it out someday

If I could see something
You can see anything you want boy
If I could be someone
You can be anyone, celebrate boy.
If I could do something
Well you can do something,
If I could do anything
Well can you do something out of this world?

Take a dream on a Sunday
Take a life, take a holiday
Take a lie, take a dreamer
dream, dream, dream, dream, dream along

Dreamer, you know you are a dreamer
Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no!
I said dreamer, you’re nothing but a dreamer
Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no!
Oh no!”

I think it’s appropriate. 😉

Also, apparently “Trump is introducing legislation for US’s withdrawal from UN in early March. So guess UN will relocate from NY? Where to?”

Guess Trump wants a new hotel in NY?!

It just keeps getting more moronic by the minute!

31 Bryan { 01.28.17 at 9:25 pm }

Just saw the news on the BBC. The Desolation of Drumpf is going to do battle in the courts … if he can find enough delusional lawyers

32 Jennifer { 01.28.17 at 9:39 pm }

1. I adore the Seinfeld Human Fund reference.
2. SuperTramp was a great band
3. How will we get through the next four years. 8 days have felt like an eternity.
4. Day 8 and the protests are getting more of an audience than his inauguration.
The Russian Spy who gave the dossier of Trump was found dead in his car. This is getting so weird and surreal

33 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 1:05 am }

Hiya Jennifer! 😀 Yeah… I actually worked on a Supertramp album in the 70’s when I was an apprentice studio tech. 😀 I met a few interesting bands & artists. Others… not so much! LOL

And… The hit’s keep coming!

Bizarre: Trump held Theresa May’s hand because he fears walking downhill

He’s a shrink’s dream come true! Or worst nightmare. *shrug*

34 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 1:59 am }

Time to read Japan Times! 😉 LOL

After Trump’s move to control information, ‘resistance’ movement coalesces on social media

Actually, you American’s have it a bit easier than us poor Aussies! You only need to worry about Trumpet! We have the three nightmares to deal with: Trumpet/Turdbull/Mayhem!

Just trying to find y’all a silver lining! 😉 LOL

Why the hell am I laughing? I wish we had one! Looks like a black hole from here! :'( *SIGH*

35 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 2:16 am }

OK… I have one good, and one… WTF? Hmmm!

John Paul Farmer ‏@johnpaulfarmer

I’m 20 minutes from landing at JFK. Pilot just warned us about delays due to #NoBan protests at T4.

The passengers’ response?

Applause!

And this is a condensation of several tweets:

IMPORTANT. Donald Trump filed with @FEC for 2020 reelection on January 20th, 2017. This is major for several reasons.

First and foremost, it is NOT NORMAL. Obama filed for 2012 reelection in April 2011. Incumbent declaring before midterms is unheard of.

Several MAJOR implications. If officially a candidate, can use candidate status to curry favor with PACs, businesses, other organizations. Because he’s acting as Trump the candidate, not Trump the president. Different rules apply.

Even more importantly – completely changes how non profits can handle him. 501c3’s cannot “campaign” or risk losing nonprofit status. It means they can’t speak negatively about him. Imagine @PPact having to convey risk to #PlannedParenthood w/ limits on how to address.

This throws nonprofits’ strategy for next few years into chaos. They must figure out how to work against Trump w/o “campaigning.” And further muddies the already swampy ethical waters of financial gain, #conflictsofinterest & business transactions.

Filed 5PM #InaugurationDay2017. 5 HOURS after swearing in. This is what #TheResistance is up against. Diabolical maneuvering to skirt all conventional forms of #resistance. Norms don’t matter; it’s all about finding new ways to silence us!

Part of the plan all along no doubt!

36 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 5:56 am }

Bad:
The Government Secrets Trump Is About to Discover

Trouble Brewing:
China military official says war with US under Donald Trump ‘becoming practical reality’

REALLY Bad:
Trump orders ISIS plan, talks with Putin and gives Bannon national security role


Counseling Trump in the effort will be Stephen K. Bannon, the White House chief strategist whose influence inside the administration is expanding far beyond politics. In a separate presidential memo, Trump reorganized the National Security Council to, along with other changes, give Bannon a regular seat on the principals committee — the meetings of the most senior national security officials, including the secretaries of defense and state.

That memo also states that the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will sit on the principals committee only when the issues to be discussed pertain to their “responsibilities and expertise.” In the previous two administrations, both were included as regular attendees.

The changes affirm the ascent of Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart, a conservative website that is popular with white nationalists, who has emerged as Trump’s political consigliere and the keeper of the president’s populist flame.

Bannon has already been playing a major role in directing Trump’s foreign policy, administration officials say, and joined the president in the Oval Office on Saturday for his calls with Putin and several other world leaders.

Oh… shit?!

37 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 7:56 am }

Sorry guy’s… It’s a lot, I know! And you probably know most of it. But just in case, & for those who don’t:
Did Donald Trump just get a U.S. asset in Russia killed to protect his Pee Pee Tape?

When Going To Bed With Dogs Is News, Getting Up With Fleas Is A Scoop – Here’s The One About Trump’S Bed, Putin’S Bed

Airlines globally have finally figured out they have a problem!
Airlines Stunned By Trump Immigration Order

And here’s a pretty good summation of the debacle with the legality strongly questioned:
Trump’S Muslim Ban Triggers Chaos, Heartbreak, And Resistance

Oh!
Trump gives National Security Council seat to ex-Breitbart chief Steve Bannon

That HAS to be illegal! HAs he been vetted??
OK! That’s it. Bed for me. G’night!

38 Badtux { 01.29.17 at 1:43 pm }

Watching a democracy spin apart into possible failed state status or strong-man rule is depressing…

39 Bryan { 01.29.17 at 6:44 pm }

When the Koch Brothers and the ACLU both say you have screwed up, it is hard to claim that everything is proceeding wonderfully. Every hour there are ‘clarifications’ as to what the order means, necessary because the Amateur Hour White House staff didn’t coordinate anything with anyone.

This is what the government looks like when it is run like a business. The National Security Council has an absolute minimum of national security experience and a maximum of wingnut weirdness.

40 Kryten42 { 01.29.17 at 9:13 pm }

Yeah. It’s a real problem simply because it means decisions on use of force could be made without any military input.

Makes Kim Jong-Un seem sane. He tweeted that he was no longer the craziest leader!

I disagree it’s being run like a business. Certainly not a successful business (which Trump has had few, if any, of). It’s being run like a children’s playground complete with child’s *politics*. Example:

“Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway blew up on Fox News Sunday and went on a rant which compared President Trump and his staff to Jesus all because the White House thinks the media is biased against them.”

Yeah, absolutely & completely delusional. Insane in fact.

41 Bryan { 01.30.17 at 4:47 pm }

I’ve done work at multiple corporations and at many of them the CEO was just as big a PITA as Drumpf. Didn’t ask the people who were responsible for input, just handed down commandments from on high and minions had to figure out how to accomplish what was demanded. When things turned to crap, it was always the people at the bottom who got fired.

No input from the Chair of the joint Chiefs or the Director of National Intelligence – oh yeah, that is really going to provide security.

42 Kryten42 { 01.31.17 at 6:41 am }

Oh yeah! Well, I was with HP during the Fiorina insanity, so… *shrug* Others also.

Well, Iraq is seriously pissed! “Iraqis to Trump: We thought we were on the front line with US to fight ISIS, and now you add us to your #MuslimBan!”

Apparently there is also a growing concern that Trumpet will make good on his threat to “take the oil” from Iraq. Given he’s done many of the other stupid things he said he’d do, I think they should be worried.

On the other hand, ISIS & other groups are calling Trump their best recruiter ever! *sigh* They probably worship his picture.

43 Kryten42 { 01.31.17 at 6:55 am }

And this from Spicer (No fukin surprise here from this totally amoral moron)!

Spicer claims five-year-old boy handcuffed & detained at Dulles International airport for over 4 hours “Could have posed a security threat” and “To assume that just because of someone’s age and gender that they don’t pose a threat would be misguided and wrong.”.

“In a press briefing, Mr Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer was unrepentant about the incident.”

The mother declined to speak with reporters, but Senator Chris Van Hollen said the little boy was a US citizen who lives with his mother in Maryland.

Mr Van Hollen, a Democrat, said: “It is “outrageous” that the boy had been held for so long” and that “his mother had given the airport advance notice of his arrival but wasn’t allowed to see her son for over 4 hours!”

So, obviously, common sense & compassion are dead & buried.

44 Bryan { 01.31.17 at 9:57 pm }

You give a five-year-old cookies and juice, not handcuffs. You pray for a parent to show up so you can get the child out of your area. Nothing you learn from a child that young is admissible in any legal proceeding without a parent present. I can believe that this White House is afraid of a 5-year-old.

45 Badtux { 01.31.17 at 10:37 pm }

I know, insane, isn’t it? I have no idea how Spicer could justify to himself getting up there and actually defending handcuffing a five year old. I suppose you have to have no morals and no conscience to hold that job, but still. I don’t think even the Shrubbery’s best liar, Ari Fleischer, was ever that ridiculous, and Ari was pretty damn good at saying the baldest of lies with a straight face.

46 Kryten42 { 02.01.17 at 1:01 am }

That boy wasn’t the only one. A young girl was also handcuffed.

“Yes, this is a refugee family in handcuffs, in America, for being muslim. That little girl? Handcuffed.
History will judge us very harshly”

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C3fk5ZxW8AA4ZZS.jpg

47 Badtux { 02.01.17 at 1:24 am }

That little girl doesn’t look handcuffed. She looks like she’s holding something in one hand (her right hand), and holding her left hand behind her back. The mom and dad are definitely handcuffed though. Because they’re clearly dangerous terrorists, what with travelling with a 5 year old girl and all…

48 Kryten42 { 02.01.17 at 1:27 am }

Still, there were a couple of kids (Jewish boy & Muslim girl) showing something very good, with their family. 🙂

Two children, two faiths, one message

Was all over Twitter yesterday. Now CNN has the story (via Chicago Tribune).

49 Kryten42 { 02.01.17 at 1:29 am }

Not sure about the girl. She has something in her mouth (card maybe) and at least one hand behind her back. Too fuzzy to be certain of anything really.

50 Kryten42 { 02.01.17 at 4:23 am }

Well, my thinking trumpet *& co. could get any more batshit insane didn’t last long! But… this wasn’t exactly unexpected in hindsight!

Jerry Falwell Jr. Asked to Lead Trump Higher Education Task Force

Shouldn’t that be: Lower Education?

PS: So, how does a Creationist moron get a Law degree??!

But, this is good news! 😆
White House spokespeople will no longer appear on CNN because it doesn’t ‘promote’ Trump agenda

Awwww… Poor little anorexic bimbo doesn’t like people asking question or giving facts! LMAO

51 Kryten42 { 02.01.17 at 11:06 am }
52 Bryan { 02.01.17 at 8:24 pm }

Falwell Junior graduated from Liberty University which was founded by his father, Falwell Senior got into politics when his whites only religious school had to admit other races or forfeit their nonprofit status. That was the beginning of the ‘Moral Majority” which was neither.

The Republicans are going to change the rules to push through whatever crackpot the Desolation of Drumpf nominates. The point at which a schism may occur is when it comes time to pay for all of the things being proposed. I can’t see the whackoes in the House going along with big expenditures. They face the voters in 22 months, and a big increase in the National Debt is not going to help win.

There should be someone from a child welfare agency involved whenever a child younger than 10 is involved with law enforcement. Having people in cuffs out in public view is very bad PR This is the sort of thing that gets your budget cut..

53 Kryten42 { 02.02.17 at 5:32 am }

People have been tweeting about Trumpet hanging up on Turdbull over the deal Obama made to take 1,200 refugees. I got a re-tweet earlier & decided to reply, making sure Trumpet got it!

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump
Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!

Kryten42 ‏@Kryten_42
@realDonaldTrump @johndory49 Do you believe it? Morons in the USA elected a Nazi as President! Then Bannon found a looser to be front man!😏 😆

A typical horseshite falsehood followed by truth & accuracy in 140 char’s! (I think so anyway!)

54 Kryten42 { 02.02.17 at 5:39 am }

If anyone wants a running summary:

What The F*ck Just Happened, Today?

55 Kryten42 { 02.02.17 at 7:08 am }

So, these are the people who will keep Amerika safe?

Mystery woman infiltrates high-level Trump talks on Obamacare by posing as Republican’s wife

A MYSTERY woman posed as a senior Republican’s wife to infiltrate high-level government talks on Obamacare and secretly record the conversation.

Donald Trump’s inner circle has been desperately trying to uncover the identity of the intruder, who tricked her way into a meeting on national security at the private GOP retreat in Philadelphia.

She allegedly managed to slip through a heavy Secret Service presence, including metal detector checks, to enter one of the most secure buildings in the country.
The talks were attended by the President, Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and other senior Republican members of Congress.

Damn! She could have been an Islamic radical with an IED! 😮 Wouldn’t that have been a tragedy.