Trump Presidency

[matthewfarmery]

And if the money isn't paid, that will put the country into a constitutional crisis.

But we all know that Trump loves to pay his bills RIGHT????

Also, that party that Trump has thrown, its probably costs at least 100 million. And the American tax payer is the one who will be forced to cough that up.

And don't forgot Observe, Trump gladly handed over $40 billion to Argentina. for someone who claims to be putting America first, don't you think that is wrong? Yet, the government is unwilling to pay for SNAP. I mean come on, you still think Trump cares about America when he willing to give away money to a rival country. Or that he still building this ballroom, and putting up the price of it. I mean, during the government shutdown, you would have thought that, that would have ceased until the government has reopened? RIGHT? wrong, that still continues.

What more evidence do you need, that Trump only cares about himself and his family. that everything he does is to enrich his himself and his rich buddies.

If Trump cared about the poor Americans, why isn't he in DC? or driving around going to the front line and seeing for himself the damage that the lack of SNAP funding is doing? I tell you why, he doesn't give a damn. He is a coward. Same as MAGA Mike who is again only serving Trump and not the will of the people.

[fiksal]

well let's get all the ducks in a row then

The Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress. But in the Senate - or upper chamber - they are short of the 60 votes needed to pass the spending bill, which gives opposition Democrats some negotiating power.

Democrats want the bill to include an extension of expiring tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and a reversal of Trump's cuts to Medicaid, a government healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income people.

Democrats also oppose spending cuts to government health agencies.

A stopgap bill designed to avoid the shutdown was passed in the House, or lower chamber, but did not clear the Senate.

And so, at 00:01 EDT on 1 October (04:01 GMT), the US government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years.

Ending the shutdown requires the two parties in the Senate to find a compromise that Trump will sign. Several votes aimed at reopening the government have failed.

Republicans say they want to negotiate the health insurance subsidies separately, and only pass what they call a "clean resolution". The Trump administration has been unwilling to offer substantive concessions and believes the Democrats will bear the brunt of the public's blame.

On the other side, Democrats believe their efforts to secure cheaper healthcare are popular with voters. There is also pressure on congressional leaders to hold firm from the party's left wing, which believes they folded too quickly during the budget dispute in March 2025.,

do I need to search back in this thread when Republicans said they will never cut Medicaid? Surely it was said that Democrats are spreading fake news.


what is White House doing except golfing?

How has the White House responded to the shutdown?
In the past, lengthy government shutdowns were seen as politically dangerous to lawmakers and the current occupant of the White House, as they disrupted voters' everyday lives.

However this time, the White House appears more than happy to shutter large parts of the US government for an extended period. Trump has threatened to break with the past practice of returning government operations to normal, bringing spending back to previous levels, and paying workers retroactively for the shutdown.

Since January, his administration has already slashed government spending and sacked many federal workers, testing the boundaries of presidential power. Now he is seeking to permanently fire "non-essential" workers during the shutdown.

"We'll be laying off a lot of people," Trump said on 30 September, the day before the shutdown began.

The administration has also warned that furloughed "non-essential" workers may not receive their unpaid salary after the shutdown finishes.

On 7 October, Trump told reporters that back pay "depends on who we're talking about" and that some workers "don't deserve to be taken care of".

Many lawmakers insist this is wrong, including the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, who said: "The law is clear - every single furloughed federal employee is entitled to back pay, period."

Earlier in October, the administration's attempt to to lay off about 4,000 workers was temporarily blocked by a federal judge, but the White House is appealing against the ruling.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrj1znp0pyo

what's left to add?

[Mailo]

Stop blaming the democrats, this is Trump and co playing politics with people's lives.

Democrats have voted 13 times and counting to keep the government shut down. It's as simple as that. I don't know how else it can be spun.

Are you saying that no matter what the Republicans demand in their bill, it is the Democrats fault, because they did not accept it? No responsibility at all falls on the Republicans for signing the bill in the House, knowing very well it contains parts that would force the Democrats to reject it, instead of seeking a compromise?
Hey, if that's true, why not sign a bill that includes "The Democratic party will dissolve itself and refrain from running for office in the future"? According to you, it still would be the Democrats fault if they did not sign it ...

[matthewfarmery]

And to top that off, Trump is gloating about his new remodelled Bathroom,

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/preside ... =127067413

I mean, come on, how much damage he is doing the people's house? Trump is tone deaf, While he happily spending other people's money, and destroying the people's house, and now doing golfing in Florida. This is again a president who doesn't give a damn.

[Observe]

Are you saying that no matter what the Republicans demand in their bill, it is the Democrats fault, because they did not accept it? No responsibility at all falls on the Republicans for signing the bill in the House, knowing very well it contains parts that would force the Democrats to reject it, instead of seeking a compromise?
Hey, if that's true, why not sign a bill that includes "The Democratic party will dissolve itself and refrain from running for office in the future"? According to you, it still would be the Democrats fault if they did not sign it ...

How does a continuing resolution to keep funding the government at pre-shutdown levels contain parts that would force Democrats to reject it? It's a very simple 24-page bill.

@matthewfarmery: As I mentioned previously, I rarely watch YT links, because it is too hard and time consuming to get through the vitriol and one-sided bias that such videos usually present. Who wants to spend hours fact-checking a 10-minute video?

@everyone: I can't and won't try to defend everything that Trump and the republicans are doing. Most of it is reprehensible to the extreme. Right now, we have an impasse with the government shut down. Bringing up past or future transgressions is not bringing us any closer to resolution. Regarding health care, it is true that republicans have offered precisely zero plans to fix it. Their rabid focus on hatred for Obamacare has consumed the republican party for years.

The point is, how do we (Congress) get the government past this impasse. Sure, the House could try to come up with a bill that Democrats might pass in the Senate, but that could take weeks, if not months of back-and-forth political wrangling. Remember, Congress tends to do things at glacial speed.

I agree that the Big Beautiful Bill is as ugly as hell, but that has nothing to do with the current shutdown, because legislation has already passed it into law. If Democrats want to repeal or change things, they need to have an active Congress. Instead, they (Dems) are chopping of their nose to spite their face. Talk about ineffective!

[Mailo]

Are you saying that no matter what the Republicans demand in their bill, it is the Democrats fault, because they did not accept it? No responsibility at all falls on the Republicans for signing the bill in the House, knowing very well it contains parts that would force the Democrats to reject it, instead of seeking a compromise?
Hey, if that's true, why not sign a bill that includes "The Democratic party will dissolve itself and refrain from running for office in the future"? According to you, it still would be the Democrats fault if they did not sign it ...

How does a continuing resolution to keep funding the government at pre-shutdown levels contain parts that would force Democrats to reject it? It's a very simple 24-page bill.

Because it is the only leverage they have at all, e.g., to get continued funding for health care. As soon as they sign, Trump is going to tell the Democrats to go pound sand. If the Republicans were willing to compromise and were intent on keeping the government functioning, they would have added at least something the Democrats want to get them to sign it. They did not do that, that was their choice, which is why they are also responsible for the shutdown.

[Observe]

Are you saying that no matter what the Republicans demand in their bill, it is the Democrats fault, because they did not accept it? No responsibility at all falls on the Republicans for signing the bill in the House, knowing very well it contains parts that would force the Democrats to reject it, instead of seeking a compromise?
Hey, if that's true, why not sign a bill that includes "The Democratic party will dissolve itself and refrain from running for office in the future"? According to you, it still would be the Democrats fault if they did not sign it ...

How does a continuing resolution to keep funding the government at pre-shutdown levels contain parts that would force Democrats to reject it? It's a very simple 24-page bill.

Because it is the only leverage they have at all, e.g., to get continued funding for health care. As soon as they sign, Trump is going to tell the Democrats to go pound sand. If the Republicans were willing to compromise and were intent on keeping the government functioning, they would have added at least something the Democrats want to get them to sign it. They did not do that, that was their choice, which is why they are also responsible for the shutdown.

That’s not quite accurate. A continuing resolution (CR) by definition is meant to keep government funding at existing levels temporarily while negotiations continue. It’s not supposed to include new policy demands or partisan wish lists — that’s why a “clean CR” is considered neutral.

CRs have been passed many times under both Republican and Democratic majorities precisely to avoid shutdowns while talks continue. Adding “something Democrats want” or “something Republicans want” defeats the entire purpose of a CR, because that turns it into a negotiation bill, not a stopgap funding bill.

If the goal is to keep the government open, passing a clean CR is the most responsible and historically normal approach. The real negotiations can happen afterward, without federal workers and services being used as leverage.

[matthewfarmery]

@Observe

Well, maybe you should look at some youtube links, like the one I posted about Trumps dinner party. You really should take a look at the images. And that comes from within Trump home.

As for the rest, Its interesting how you claim that yourtube channels need fact checking, when state based media is allowing the like of MAGA Mike on their channels, and while there is some fact checking. Not all seem to push back. OR that there is no fact checking when state media shows anything from the WH. and that lying bitch that covers for Trump all the time.

If there any fact checking needed, its the main stream media who is terrified. of Trump and his lawsuits.

The link about the party is genuine, the link about the bathroom is also genuine.

Anyway, it looks like America is going to war, while some GOP have been briefed yesterday, Even they have stated that they weren't happy with the intel that they got. Which means, either Trump is lying to those people, or Trump himself is being lied too, especailly when there still no evidence that the boats were carrying anything illegal.

But, it does seem, war is now very likely. And it may involved a regime change. And America hasn't learnt its last lesson on regime changes, and how they can backfire.

[Observe]

Well, maybe you should look at some youtube links, like the one I posted about Trumps dinner party. You really should take a look at the images. And that comes from within Trump home...The link about the party is genuine, the link about the bathroom is also genuine.

I'm not interested in Trump's dinner parties, golfing schedule, bathroom, his conversion of the East Wing into a hideous ballroom, or whatever the latest outrage or absurdity is. There is no need to inform me about the growing list of obscenities that this administration is perpetrating.

Anyway, it looks like America is going to war, while some GOP have been briefed yesterday...But, it does seem, war is now very likely. And it may involved a regime change. And America hasn't learnt its last lesson on regime changes, and how they can backfire.

Believe it or not, there is increasing opposition among Republicans on this subject. Many of them don't want America getting involved in foreign wars or regime changes. We've got enough to do with cleaning our own side of the street, so that we can put our own house in order.

[matthewfarmery]

The reason I brought up those topics is to prove, that Trump doesn't care about the people. Plus the 40 billion to Argentina. While millions are going to starve. You claimed its the dems fault, for this, for that, and another. And claimed that Trump is doing all that he can to reopen the SNAP funding. While I'm trying to say is, he doesn't give a damn.

All your doing is turning a blind eye to Trump's wrong doing. You keep thinking he doing great for the American people. Same with MAGA Mike and that lying bich press conference bitch. They all saying, that Trump is working night and day for the American people.

While everything I posted proves otherwise. From the SNAP funding, to the judges that had to step in, to the states suing Trump to get the government to release the funds.

And also, the red states are more dependent on SNAP funding then blue states. So by withholding that money, he spitting in the face of his own voters. Which again, proves, he doesn't give a damn. Instead he had this lavish party.

Then maybe its time you come to the realisation, that Trump doesn't care less about you, or any of those that voted for the monster. I was trying to prove my point. But if you don't care about all his wrong doing, then you are just turning a blind eye to all of his BS and wrong doing. To me, that just makes you complicit to his wrong doing. Because your ignoring the facts. Your ignoring the evidence presented to you.

By tomorrow, millions will begin to starve. don't say that Trump cares about the people of America, when that simply isn't true, and I have the evidence which you ignore to prove that.

Like I said, if Trump cared about ending this shutdown, he would have been in DC, he would have been negotiating with the democrats to end the shutdown, like previous presidents have done in the past. But he isn't, and he doesn't care less. If your not interested in the evidence to prove otherwise, that's fine. then stop with the pro Trump speech, and the support of Trump and his corrupt regime,

But regarding the war. I think that is going to happen, even if some of the GOP and the dems are against it. Which would make the war illegal right? From what I have heard, only a few senators have even been briefed about this up coming war. And they have stated like I posted above, they werent happy with what they got. So again, who is fooling who?

Also remember that a 4 star admiral resigned recently, over the boat strikes and what been happening in the region. Clearly he knew there was something very wrong going down. So if there is a war, then it will be illegal. As it won't have FULL congress approval. But that could be another reason why Trump wants congress shutdown, as he can do as he pleases, and going to war without approval would be something that he could very well do. And the first strikes could be anytime now. It's going to happen, Despite Trump saying there won't be a war, but all sources say otherwise. And if there is a war, who will be able to stop it?

[Chips]

Also, that party that Trump has thrown, its probably costs at least 100 million. And the American tax payer is the one who will be forced to cough that up.

Source? Not a single news article has stated that the party either:
1) Cost $100 million.
2) Is paid for by the tax payer.

Your sources (or own hatred) is as bad as the republican press machine... you can dislike the guy without using the same tactics as him you know. Of course if you produce reputable sources that say it's costing $100,000,000 to host a single night Haloween party (no matter how distasteful) *and* that it's on the public budget, then fair dos. What a misappropriation of Govt finances for private entertainment. Otherwise...

As for any reference regarding the White House and it's "remodelling" (Demolition). I think the Daily Show said it best - people should NOT care about parts of it being demolished; it's just noise. What they *should* take from this is that Trump said he *would NOT* touch the WhiteHouse in building the ballroom. But is. Just like he said he would *NOT* touch... at this point insert nearly anything his regime is "touching" --- but he is.

Who *really* cares about the White House? Care about the simple fact he is demonstrably lying each and every time instead? You don't lose an election because "oh no you tore down a wall of one of the most exclusive residences in the world that's been remodelled and rebuilt as required for the administrations at the time to provide more space". You *should* lose because everything you say is utter BS and there's evidence out the door to prove it.

But instead it's a rallying cry... "look what he's doing to the poor white house, the thing that's been changed, with various parts remodelled with every president omg it's so bad". It's just bricks. *THAT'S* the hill to focus upon? Hand wringing at its finest. Do people *really* care about the building? Is *that* what's important to them? The opposition haven't a clue how to deal with Trump still, and it's been a year. They're pathetic and the public deserve better opposition. It's embarrassing.

[matthewfarmery]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/8137828 ... 404425014/

Maybe not 100 million, but at least 60 million,

A 3.4 Million dollar Halloween party for the dictator and his oligarchs. 60 Million dollars for flying to Mar-A-Largo 13 times!! While his unqualified appointed minions are keeping food from hard working citizens. Tell me again how is America Great???? They live like Royalty, while everyday people are struggling to make ends meet!!!

That counts all his trips, but then again, if 60 million is 13 trips to his home, how much will it cost to ferry all those people to that place? a lot, I can't even count how many people are there. They would all could have come by plane. and if those are private jets, that would cost, right?

I read somewhere it might cost that. as it will also have to factor in private jet costs. Remember the Kash Patel outrage I posted a bit ago?

Besides, everything Trump does now is on the tax payers dime. Also lets not forget about the secret service detail and the extra security if any is needed, again the tax payer pays for that too.

[Chips]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/8137828 ... 404425014/

Maybe not 100 million, but at least 60 million,

Yeah, time to re-read your source. It isn't saying what you think.

This is embarrassing. Do better.

[matthewfarmery]

I just corrected it, you still not factored in the private jets used. And like I said, if it cost 60 million for 13 trips, how much will it cost for all those people to be ferried there?

There at least 100 people there, probably more. Trump's inner circle, and others. They would all have come from up and down the country, which meant jets of one sort or another.

[Chips]

Seriously, you claimed it cost the public purse $100m. I don't actually care, but when you're trying to change people's opinion, then it helps to not make ridiculous statements that are demonstrably false.

E.g Flying an entire 737 from NY to LA is somewhere from $100,000 to $400,000

That's a 135-200 seat commericial jet. As a private Jet. For 1 person.
Smaller planes, seating 5-20 people cost less than $30,000. To reach that figure you'd assume the public are paying for every single guest to be flown via 200+ seat jet plane, on their own.

Lets put some perspective on it.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... n-revealed

You're saying it cost more for Trump to have a Halloween party (no matter how mis-... well, I would say misjudged but seriously, none of us believe he cares whatsoever so it can't be categorised as misjudged!! - no matter how tone deaf) then it cost to host the Royal Coronation, featuring the heads of states of half the world, policing and shutting down swathes of a capital city, military fanfare and more.

It just seems so so so so so unlikely that it calls into question any assertion whatsover. Never going to persuade anyone to listen if we start with things that are so bonkers that they're no longer listening within the first minute. Now, that doesn't mean it didn't... but without evidence it seems extremely extremely unlikely. What could it? We know private enterprise RINSES public purses at any opportunity without guilt. It's not *entirely* beyond belief given America. Someone who got hit in the face on a cruise ship by a sliding glass door won $30m dollar payout after all!

The private Halloween bash, as a leader of a nation with a shutdown and people struggling (who aren't being paid but still working) is just horrifically tone deaf. Who wants a leader like that.
Admittedly, they're probably all like that

But personally it really feels like we keep focussing on the wrong stuff; the haloween bash? the white house? I am sat on the UK side though so maybe all this really is apparent in the US press. Just we don't hear it as much over here, so hard to guage. They should be linking it t the person "who is just like them" - not the rich elite who isn't. They've nothing to really grab onto (sympathise) with.

This also isn't to say don't stop posting each thing you find disagreeable either. I'll look up and make my mind up, but this one sounded so fricken implausible that it needs examining.

[matthewfarmery]

Then I stand corrected.

However I did find this when googling, to run Air force one to DC to Florida roughly costs one $ million per trip, not sure if that factors in two way or one way?

that includes a few factors, like operation cost of the plane and so on.

The hourly cost of Air Force One.
An additional cargo flight carrying the presidential motorcade and equipment.
Secret Service costs for securing the location and personnel.
The use of Marine One helicopter to transport the President from the White House to Joint Base Andrews.

But still, the tax payer does pay for this, Not Trump himself.

So, with Trump's inner circle there, then the cost of ferring them to Florida would also increase? private security, and so on.

But I raise my hand to admit I made a mistake. Yet even so, a lot of people including the GOP and the dems are condemning this. Especailly when people are about to starve.

[clakclak]

There is a lot one could talk about with the party, for example the bad opicts of holding a party with scantily dressed dancers far younger than Trump in the place Trump said Epstein "stole" his underage employees from, while his old pal Andrew is currently in hot water in the U.K. Or the choice of holding a Gatsby styled party of all themes. Or the decision to hold a party at the precise time people loose their SNAP benefits.

However non of this really tells us anything new. Trump and his friends belong to a class far removed from the genrral public. We knew that.

They see themselves as modern day Gatsbies. We also know that.

They do not have any tact. We also knew that.

The aesthetics of Trumpism are interesting from an academic point of view, but far more important than how much this Hunger Games-esque celebration of inequality may have cost is, at least to me, the question if it leads to any Americans thinking differently about Trump. If it doesn't, than given all the other things, it does not really matter. Toss it onto the pile.

Better to get back to the big questions:

Will Trump start war with Venezuela?

How will America deal with Russia and Ukraine?

Did Trump r***e underage girls?

[matthewfarmery]

I think war is very likely, some sources are saying it could be days or sooner. Trump denied that he was going to start a war. But with the poor briefings that a select few of senators are getting, then intel is poor. So the question becomes is, why is the intel poor?

1, Trump is miss leading the senators, (possible, Bush Junior did it over the Iraq war)
2, Trump himself is being misled, (again possible, which then begs the question, if true, who is in the know? and who is pulling Trump's lease over this?

The whole pretext is over drugs, but even that is very likely misleading.

So the only other reason is a regime change, and install a puppet government in.

[matthewfarmery]

So now, a new controversy has hit the ballroom. That is the WH has stated if doners want to remain secret they can do so.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/wo ... 56688.html

Think about that for second. Now, Trump shouldn't be allowed to take money from other countries to fund this ballroom right? But if a donor remains unknown, how do we know who this donor is, how much are they spending, and where is the donor located? So, Trump could create a loophole here. Get other countries to give him money, while not disclosing who they are.

Totally wrong, Plus lets not forget the price of the ballroom has gone up a few times.

[Alan Phipps]

What I find puzzling is that we keep being told here that the ballroom can't be built because its design is shoddy/unsafe and the costs and delays keep rocketing anyway. So what's so bad about unspecified 'friends of Trump' wasting their money and probably ending up 'not friends of Trump'?

(Before anyone comments, I don't think the public knowing where the donor money came from or not really affects the opportunities for corruption, fraud and embezzlement.)