WTF Community

What The Fuck Happened Over The Weekend?

General Discussion
#418

Trump tariffs are set to cost U.S. households $2,000 in 2020

Aarthi Swaminathan
Finance Writer
Yahoo Finance
September 7, 2019

Tariffs are expected to cost American households more than $2,000 per year in 2020, according to a recent report from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).

The Arlington-based nonprofit — which looked at the effect of tariffs on the overall economy and consumers — estimated that by the end of 2019, the trade duties imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump “will have cost the average household $1,315 over a two-year period.”

And “when adding the tariffs in effect and the tariffs set to go into effect by the end of 2019, the costs of the tariffs to consumers will be $259.2 billion,” the report stated. “That is, the tariffs will cost the average household $2,031 per year, and will be recurring so long as the tariffs stay in effect.” …

Yet nearly every time Trump talks about his tariff war, he claims that China is paying for it. NOT. American consumers are paying…bigly. This recent NBC News report explains why.

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#419

Wtf, Trump invited the Taliban to Camp David?

The president’s announcement was startling for multiple reasons. A surprise summit at Camp David with leaders of an insurgent group that has killed thousands of Americans since the October 2001 invasion of Afghanistan would have been a sensational diplomatic gambit, on par with Mr. Trump’s meetings with the once-reclusive North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. A senior administration official said the meeting had been planned for Monday, just two days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which were plotted from Afghanistan and led to the United States’ invasion of the country.

Mr. Trump’s statement also appears to scuttle — for now — his longstanding hope to deliver on a campaign promise to withdraw American troops from an 18-year conflict that he has called an aimless boondoggle.

It comes amid stubborn resistance within Afghanistan’s government about the peace agreement that had been under discussion, not only for security reasons but also because Mr. Ghani has been determined to preserve a planned Sept. 28 election, which he is favored to win. The Taliban have insisted on postponing the election before proceeding with negotiations with the Afghan government.

Several people familiar with the diplomacy between the Trump administration and the Taliban puzzled over Mr. Trump’s stated decision to cancel peace negotiations entirely in response to one American casualty, however tragic. The Taliban had not agreed to halt their attacks on Americans in advance of a formal agreement. That raised the question of whether Mr. Trump might have been looking for a pretext because the talks had run into trouble.

Where we were before these insane tweets,

Fucking bat-shit crazy pants idea. I’m going to have trouble getting over this one. :exploding_head:

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#420

All for show. :tv:

and yes wtf are they doing this at all…at Camp David, Week of 9-11.

About 17 Americans had been killed by Afghanistan throughout this ‘negotiation.’

#TinDemoModeToActPowerfulAsNegotiator.

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#421

Yes WTF?! :exploding_head::exploding_head::exploding_head:

Afghanistan has been a disaster but now he’s giving up on peace talks?! :exploding_head::exploding_head::exploding_head:

What are we even doing anymore? Where’s the direction, where’s the leadership? It’s just so appalling that this is where we are in our foreign policy efforts. :woman_facepalming:t2:

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#422

Yes to all above. @Pet_Proletariat
AND Bolton and Pompeo are not speaking to one another. How’s that for a total abomination? :astonished:

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#423

Ran out of spots to post on Portait of President…so posting here.

Chief Media critic of NYT has written this Opinion. Piece and a book.“Audience of One.” About T.

And a lot of this description of T rings true, and especially how he plays out this all on TV.

Looking for a quote about how T wanted each day at WH to be like a Reality TV episode…(mentioned on Reliable Resources CNN this morning)

The Real Donald Trump Is a Character on TV

Understand that, and you’ll understand what he’s doing in the White House.

By James Poniewozik

Mr. Poniewozik is the chief television critic of The Times and the author of “Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America.”

Mr. Trump has been playing himself instinctually as a character since the 1980s; it’s allowed him to maintain a profile even through bankruptcies and humiliations. But it’s also why, on the rare occasions he’s had to publicly attempt a role contrary to his nature — calling for healing from a script after a mass shooting, for instance — he sounds as stagey and inauthentic as an unrehearsed amateur doing a sitcom cameo.

His character shorthand is “Donald Trump, Fighter Guy Who Wins.” Plop him in front of a camera with an infant orphaned in a mass murder, and **he does not have it in his performer’s tool kit to do anything other than smile unnervingly and give a fat thumbs-up**.

This is what was lost on commentators who kept hoping wanly that this State of the Union or that tragedy would be the moment he finally became “presidential.” It was lost on journalists who felt obligated to act as though every modulated speech from a teleprompter might, this time, be sincere.

The institution of the office is not changing Donald Trump, because he is already in the sway of another institution. He is governed not by the truisms of past politics but by the imperative of reality TV: Never de-escalate and never turn the volume down.

This conveniently echoes the mantra he learned from his early mentor, Roy Cohn: Always attack and never apologize. He serves up one “most shocking episode ever” after another, mining uglier pieces of his core each time: progressing from profanity about Haiti and Africa in private to publicly telling four minority American congresswomen, only one of whom was born outside the United States, to “go back” to the countries they came from.

The taunting. The insults. The dog whistles. The dog bullhorns. The “Lock her up” and “Send her back.” All of it follows reality-TV rules. Every season has to top the last. Every fight is necessary, be it against Ilhan Omar or Debra Messing. Every twist must be more shocking, every conflict more vicious, lest the red light grow bored and wink off. The only difference: Now there’s no Mark Burnett to impose retroactive logic on the chaos, only press secretaries, pundits and Mike Pence.

To ask whether any of this is “instinct” or “strategy” is a parlor game. If you think like a TV camera — if thinking in those reflexive microbursts of adrenaline and testosterone has served you your whole life — then the instinct is the strategy.

And to ask who the “real” Donald Trump is, is to ignore the obvious. You already know who Donald Trump is. All the evidence you need is right there on your screen. He’s half-man, half-TV, with a camera for an eye that is constantly focused on itself. The red light is pulsing, 24/7, and it does not appear to have an off switch.

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Humor, memes, funny internet stuff etc
#424

More tariff news,

The Trump administration has proposed a tariff of up to 100% on $25 billion in European items. Romano, Parmesan, provolone and Gouda are all on the list. But it’s not just cheese. The tariff is proposed to hit a variety of items that pair well with cheese, as well – like wines and meats, olive oil, olives and pasta.

Shit, a 100% tax on imported foods and wines from Europe? How does this help us? How is this winning? I better buy a crate of my favorite aged vinegar before this goes into effect. :worried:

Also I think we need a Trade War or Economic thread, anyone up for maintaining it? @Keaton_James would you be available?

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#425

I’m trying to think what Trump would consider pairs well with a fine tariff; maybe an aromatic Medicare reduction.

Sure, I can maintain a Trade War or Economic thread. Just PM me the details. :smile:

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#426

@Keaton_James

Great, I’ll come up with some ideas for the scope and message you with more information. We can hash it out front there. Honestly the idea for the thread just came to me. :slight_smile:

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#427

Ok…even if Air Force didn’t initially raise an eyebrow on this finding, they are stepping up to double check as to the costs and potential mishandling of government funds.

The Air Force did not immediately respond to questions about that September stay, but Air Force Brig. Gen. Ed Thomas, the chief spokesman, told POLITICO in a statement that “initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures."

He acknowledged, however, that U.S. service members “lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable. Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance."

He added: “Even when USAF aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations."

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#428

Trumpian malevolence continues, as Bahamian refugees are harassed, and conflict is sought elsewhere

‘I’m watching my daughter cry’: Bahamas hurricane survivors are kicked off ferry over U.S. visa demands

The official CBP statement,

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#429

The Taliban harbored al-Qaeda after 9/11.

So what could be more natural than inviting them to Camp David, where the U.S. planned its response to 9/11, days before the anniversary of that infamous date?

Wait, WHAT?

Republican reps cite 9/11 anniversary in criticizing Trump decision to invite Taliban to US for peace talks

Trump Wanted to Boast About His Own ‘Camp David Accords’ Before Taliban Deal Collapsed

Trump reportedly wanted to show off his negotiation skills by inviting the Taliban to Camp David

‘More losses to US’, says Taliban as Trump cancels Afghan talks

Afghan group says US President Donald Trump’s abrupt cancellation of peace talks will harm Washington more.

Trump cancels secret US meeting with Afghan Taliban

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#430

Trump’s infantile, reckless behavior has deprived our intelligence community of what sounds like one of its most valuable assets. Yes, he is a threat to our national security and, yes, he does have the nuclear codes.

In a previously undisclosed secret mission in 2017, the United States successfully extracted from Russia one of its highest-level covert sources inside the Russian government, multiple Trump administration officials with direct knowledge told CNN.

A person directly involved in the discussions said that the removal of the Russian was driven, in part, by concerns that President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly mishandled classified intelligence and could contribute to exposing the covert source as a spy.

The decision to carry out the extraction occurred soon after a May 2017 meeting in the Oval Office in which Trump discussed highly classified intelligence with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. The intelligence, concerning ISIS in Syria, had been provided by Israel.

The disclosure to the Russians by the President, though not about the Russian spy specifically, prompted intelligence officials to renew earlier discussions about the potential risk of exposure, according to the source directly involved in the matter.
The removal happened at a time of wide concern in the intelligence community about mishandling of intelligence by Trump and his administration. Those concerns were described to CNN by five sources who served in the Trump administration, intelligence agencies and Congress.

Those concerns continued to grow in the period after Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Kislyak and Lavrov. Weeks after the decision to extract the spy, in July 2017, Trump met privately with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg and took the unusual step of confiscating the interpreter’s notes. Afterward, intelligence officials again expressed concern that the President may have improperly discussed classified intelligence with Russia, according to an intelligence source with knowledge of the intelligence community’s response to the Trump-Putin meeting.

Knowledge of the Russian covert source’s existence was highly restricted within the US government and intelligence agencies. According to one source, there was “no equal alternative” inside the Russian government, providing both insight and information on Putin.
…
The secret removal of the high-level Russian asset has left the US without one of its key sources on the inner workings of the Kremlin and the plans and thinking of the Russian president at a time when tensions between the two nations have been growing.

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#431

U.S. restricts visas for Cuban officials involved in sending doctors abroad

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#432

:eyes:

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#433

The Secretary of Commerce threatened to fire top employees at NOAA on Friday after the agency’s Birmingham office contradicted President Trump’s claim that Hurricane Dorian might hit Alabama, according to three people familiar with the discussion.

That threat led to an unusual, unsigned statement later that Friday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration disavowing the office’s own position that Alabama was not at risk. The reversal caused widespread anger within the agency and drew criticism from the scientific community that NOAA, a division of the Commerce Department, had been bent to political purposes.


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#434

FFS.

Trump has doubled down on blocking Bahamian refugees, stating that the Bahamas is full of “very bad gang members”.

The people Trump’s lying, racist CBP tossed off a boat from the Bahamas to Florida literally had their police records with them. And were still turned away:

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#435

WTF WTF WTF WTF

The US and Brazil have agreed to promote private-sector development in the > Amazon, during a meeting in Washington on Friday.

They also pledged a $100m (£80m) biodiversity conservation fund for the Amazon led by the private sector.

Brazil’s foreign minister said opening the rainforest to economic development was the only way to protect it.

Environmentalists will be sceptical

By Roger Harrabin, BBC Environment Analyst

Environmentalists will say this scheme is a ruse to open up the Amazon for mining, logging and farming.

When roads are driven into the forest it attracts more settlers, who clear land and hunt wildlife.

The land clearance - even on a quite small basis - leads to changed weather patterns, which harm the forest.

Environmentalists will argue the best way of saving the rainforest is to leave it in the hands of indigenous people.

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#436

Typical Collins move. For the past week she’s been drumming up media attention to bolster her “moderate” image by vociferously opposing Trump’s military money grab to fund his wall. Then, when it comes down to the wire on a crucial amendment vote, she becomes the deciding vote supporting Trump’s plan.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine took heat from Democrats on Thursday for voting against an amendment to a broad defense spending bill that was intended to block President Trump from diverting military funds for the construction of a wall on the southern border.

The amendment, offered by Senate Democrats, was defeated by one vote during a series of votes on spending packages before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
…
The 15-14 vote against the spending bill amendment split along party lines, with Republicans opposing the measure and Democrats backing it. The underlying spending bill totals $695 billion, a $20 billion increase over 2019 levels, and includes a 3.1 percent pay hike for members of the U.S. military.

Maine Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathleen Marra blasted Collins for the vote in a statement Thursday.

“If Sen. Collins were serious about preventing the president from raiding funds Congress had already set aside for military bases across the country, she would have voted to support this measure,” Marra said in the statement. “Instead she was the deciding vote against it.”

This pattern of duplicitous behavior has not gone unnoticed by Maine voters. A few weeks ago, a respected poll showed that support for Collins in the state is plummeting. Her most recent turncoat vote will only serve to further reinforce this trend.

A new poll from a respected online survey research company indicates that Sen. Susan Collins’ once-strong approval rating in Maine has plummeted in recent months.

The poll by Morning Consult, which was conducted online with nearly 2,000 Maine voters between April and June, found Collins had the second-lowest approval rating of any U.S. senator, besting only Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader from Kentucky. Meanwhile, Maine’s other senator, Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, was ranked as the most liked senator in the nation.

Collins’ approval rating dropped 16 points from the first quarter of 2019, the most of any senator in the survey.

The Morning Consult poll numbers for Collins, which show that 45 percent approved of her while 48 percent disapproved, prompted an onslaught of crowing by Collins’ opponents.

“This new polling reflects the fact that we can’t count on Sen. Collins to be an independent advocate, she has chosen her party and special interests in Washington over the people of Maine,” Maine Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathleen Marra said in a prepared statement Thursday. “She turned her back on all but the wealthy for a tax bill that rewarded corporations while threatening health care for everybody else. Mainers are fed up and ready for change.”
…
The new polling numbers come just a day after another national political action committee, NextGen America, announced it would spend $1 million in Maine trying to unseat Collins. The PAC focuses on turning out young voters in support of liberal or progressive candidates and causes.

The PAC plans to organize students on 11 different college campuses in Maine over the next year with the focus on defeating Collins. Collins’ seat is one of several being targeted by national groups in hopes that Democrats can recapture the majority in the upper chamber of Congress.

And there’s this:

The non-partisan Cook Report, which analyzes political contests across the nation has changed its take on the 2020 Maine U.S. Senate election from “leaning Republican” to a “toss-up.”

The report cites several polls in the last few months that indicate incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins has lost ground with Maine voters. Collins has won by double digit margins in past Senate elections, except for her first race in 1996 when she won by just five points over former Democratic Gov. Joe Brennan.

Collins has lost support from some women because of her vote to confirm conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. She also has been scrutinized for not being forceful enough in her criticism of President Trump.

The Cook Report also says that Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon is raising the money needed to challenge Collins…

We can win the Senate and we will win the Senate. :muscle:

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#437

Glad to hear the Judges state their impartiality or non-alignment as being T chosen appointees. It puts some ‘air in the room’ so to speak.

Judges Say They Aren’t Extensions of Presidents Who Appointed Them - WSJ

In the November 2018 statement issued by the court, Chief Justice Roberts said: “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”

Mr. Trump then rejected the chief justice’s position, tweeting “Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges.’ ”

…

Mr. Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) have made a priority of filing the federal bench with conservative appointees, and Mr. Trump has embraced the issue as a central point of his re-election bid. On the Supreme Court, Mr. Trump’s two conservative picks have tilted the balance to the right, highlighting the importance of the president in determining the federal courts’ makeup and the future course of the law.

“Historic Milestone indeed!” the president tweeted Friday, along with an article noting he has filled 150 judgeships.

Three other federal circuit judges on the panel Saturday, all either Trump or Obama appointees, joined Judge Barrett in rejecting partisan characterizations of the judiciary, also criticizing news reports that emphasize which president picked a judge for the bench.

“We certainly are not viewing ourselves as members of teams or camps or parties. It’s a very frustrating thing about the way the media portray us,” said Judge Stephanos Bibas, a Trump appointee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia. “My boss is not my chief judge. My boss is not my appointing president, my boss is the Constitution and the laws,” he said.

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