Trump may call national emergency to fund border wall

Go for it, Trump. Let’s see how this kills his support completely

Isn’t Mexico paying?

WHat the fuck does that even mean???

What else could he call a national emergency to achieve? Maybe call one early November 2020?

The national emergency is the fact that he is President.

Does this mean he could pull 5 billion from that locked box funding the Postal Workers? Or pull the money from what's left in Social Security?

Trump said he will pull the money from another government source if congress doesn't fund the wall.

Haha, if he really thought he could, he would. He's so full of shit.

It's rather amazing the extent of power the idiot thinks he has. He still has not accepted the fact that the country is not the same as his stupid company.

He is a motherfucker.

Jugding by his ever-widening girth, he might as well be the wall himself.

How much does it cost for an invisible steel slat wall? Can't we just tell him it's already up?

Jackass

I wish a wall would fall on him.

R8, you mean the business he rolled into the dirt and bankrupted....Twice? The one he had handed to him? He went looking to mother russer for the bailout then, too.

I want to see that wall built, oh my yes, and then I want to see them all lined up against it, ripe for the fire squad.

Mother Pence goes first because she's an evangelical hypocrite and I despise false xtians.

Lets see him do it. Then we will see his impeachment sooner rather than later.

*firing* squad

A grease fire would also be acceptable.

When he was elected, I told friends that there are two things he will absolutely do: he will announce that he is sealing the borders (he's heard that in movies, it sounds good) and he will declare martial law. Mark my words, fellow Data Loungers. Mark my words.

The most vile group of people in our country are ruling our country and Putin saw that his job would be fairly easy, because Republicans exist, same as roaches. We were foolish to ever let people like Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter to ever rule our airways. We should have put a stop to them over 30 years ago. They have been working to overthrow our government for decades.

Could someone explain? I'm an ignorant mexican and would like to know what this has to do with the wall.

Does this mean we can expect a presidential alert on own phones from this fucktard?

Exactly R5

Seriously, this asshat needs to be gone.

Would not surprise me if he took from social security. You know, that thing Repugs call an “entitlement”, which we’ve all been paying into since our first jobs. I put nothing past this madman.

People aren’t getting their income tax refunds now. Thanks, asshole!

R23 - yet we have to PAY taxes.

Oh, he's not going to do any such thing. Just more bloviating for his base.

I realize this is a serious matter but this thread is hilarious.

[quote]Isn’t Mexico paying?

Exactly.

Have journalists asked him why he wants the American people to pay for a wall that he promised that Mexico would pay for?

He can try to do this and the House will promptly sue him in Federal Court, which will rapidly move through Appeals to the Supreme Court due to the Appropriations Clause.

Even in a conservative majority court, he’ll get a “Wait a goddamn minute motherfucker”

Running around and declaring that “it’s an emergency!” does not make at an emergency under the Constitution. When Congress has expressly declined to appropriate funds, the President may not run amok and spend like a drunken sailor on shore leave. The President cannot decided he wants to build 600 nuclear powered party boats. He cannot declare an emergency and demand the Corps of Engineers build a private island in the Florida Keys.

He does not have unconstrained powers. He does not have the Constitutional authority to obligate funds without consent of Congress.

But go ahead, bitch. I love the smell of impeachable offenses in the morning. It smells like victory.

The Senate needs to get a backbone.

Trump may also call a national emergency because he is not able to obtain sufficient taco bowls and scoops of ice cream to fill the widening void that is his stomach.

I'm feeling a bit more optimistic these days knowing that Nancy Pelosi is third in line.

[quote]I'm feeling a bit more optimistic these days knowing that Nancy Pelosi is third in line.

She also controls the purse strings.

Why is he still pushing this wall nonsense?

If only Mexico knew how to set up a direct deposit, we wouldn't have this goddamn problem.

^Mexico is the verge of becoming another commie failed state a la Venezuela thanks to AMLO. No time to pay up for absurd infrastructure when you've got a whole country to ruin.

Mexico isn't "commie" (and I don't even want to imagine what your stupid definition of commie is).

I hope he tries this, it will hasten his fall even quicker!

I'll use the military to build that wall. That's what the Soviet Army did in Berlin.

I look forward to the time when we don't have this douchebag constantly trying to dominate every new cycle.

R35 Good god. Where do you come up with this crap? Stop pulling your finger out of your ass and pronouncing it a fudgsickle.

God, La Trump is so Dramatic.

R36 is clearly off his meds or barely literate, when did I say Mexico "is" commie. Learn to read asshole.

^ We invited you, on behalf of all DL, to learn basic economics and to have a health breakfast of STFU.

R42, so it's not commie but on the verge of becoming commie? And if it's not commie now, how's it about to become a commie failed state? Do states turn commie and then immediately fail?

Now I kind of want to know your definition of commie because I think it's going to be hilarious.

It will not only turn commie, it will turn Lesbian!

He's going to take our tax refunds to pay for the wall, at least. Maybe SS as others already suggested.

Fomenting violence.

As Schiff tweeted, what does he mean call a national emergency. Trump IS the. national emergency. .

Usually in the case of stalemates like this, the deciding factor is public opinion and polls. People need to get off their asses and throw a fit. Pundits on TV are not going to convince Trump of anything unless they’re on Fox News.

He’ll have his Reichstag moment. Just wait and see.

He's obviously gearing up for it, R50. The right wing preachers giving encouragement to the 'caravan,' his rallies to drum up animosity to the 'opposition', and his constant whining about being 'under attack' make it clear what he's hoping for. He wants insurrection and violence, instigated by his followers, so he can declare 'a national emergency' and martial law.

You give the orange menace far too much credit, r51. His intellectual capacity doesn't allow for such visionary thinking.

The whole thing is sickening, really. It’s bad enough that this moron as President, but worse that he has any support at all at this time.

My sister and brother in law are Deplorables. They have a history of falling for con men, and “get rich quick” schemes. I can’t understand it. I think their brains are wired differently than mine.

You are correct, R52, and I know this. What I also know is that he is the 'tool' being used by those who are intelligent enough to plan this shit.

Their brains are wired for outright GREED, R53, and why we're having such a hard time eradicating assholes like Trump because they, and all their duped brethren, still believe in some fantasy that they can also be rich and powerful in this land of 'opportunity.' They're so obsessed with this possibility that they refuse to see the truth of it all.

He's not going to touch Social Security, nor can he. If it's a "national emergency," it's a defense issue and he'll redirect military spending, possibly sending troops to the border to build the wall. It's a stupid idea, which is why it's been rejected every time he brings it up (this isn't the first time).

And if he overrules his advisors and tries it this time, it will immediately be challenged and even Kavanaugh will have a hard time accepting his "logic" and allowing this to happen.

R54, I can see the GREED. I’d have to add SLOTH, too, because they don’t seem to be willing to really work for their money. They want a scheme to get rich without having to make the effort. It seems that they think that this is how people get rich - by luck, or by some corrupt relationship, or similar, but not by long hours of dedicated effort. So, let’s through ENVY into the mix, too.

[R55]

Other presidents have dipped into Social Security when it suited them, starting with Reagan.

Why do you say the current Figure Head can't?

At this point, I would be OK with extra-constitutional actions to remove him and his criminal fellows, and install more reasonable government until new elections are called.

He is doing harm to this nation, cross-cutting a broad swath of ideologies.

No, they haven't, R57. Social Security has its own funding stream and that cannot be used for other purposes. What you're talking about is "borrowing" from the Social Security "trust fund" or "lock box." But that money always has to be paid back. It's a budgetary gimmick, not an actual re-routing of Social Security funds.

And the reason that Trump cannot do even that is that the so-called "trust fund" is basically empty now.

That's why they keep calling it 'bankrupt' R59, when they were the turds who did it. Pay it back....it wasn't your money to begin with.

Tip O'Neill betrayed us all by allowing that to happen. It will be why they justify killing it.

3% of those in the US are illegal.

This is hardly an emergency

Funny how he can snap his fingers and come up with funding for a wall or endless wars, but when it comes to healthcare or infrastructure funding, we have long drawn out debates on how we can find the money to fund them

I often wonder who will make money on this wall and are they the reason he’s so adamant about it?

If he really wants to seal that border, all he needs is more troops spread across it. We've already got an Army that isn't doing much now, so it will keep them busy and hone their patrolling/guarding skills.

A lot cheaper than building a wall.

"Commie" in 2018 wingnut slang: anybody to the left of Adolf Hitler.

Sad, really.

And Putin can't stop grinning.

[quote]That's why they keep calling it 'bankrupt' R59, when they were the turds who did it.

It's called "the third rail of politics" for a reason, so I'm not too worried (yet). Even if nothing is done, they can still fund 75% of the payout into perpetuity. And the shortfall isn't that hard to fix, mostly by raising the salary cap.

[quote]This is hardly an emergency

Yup, and the numbers aren't really climbing, nor is there anything going on at the southern border that is particularly problematic, unsafe, or jeopardizing national security. What's going on there could pretty easily be fixed by allocating more resources to the immigration courts. That's where the real bottleneck and problem is.

There needs to be a trial about family separation. Then they can be locked up in an abandoned WalMart near the border. Give them aluminum blankets and cold stale food.

[R59/R67]

The SS locked box is what I was referring to. That was Social Security money for future recipients that was taken.

You say it has to be paid back.

When has that happened? It hasn't.

R67, I'm worried knowing that my benefits will be 25% short of what I earned, and possibly even lesser the worse this situation gets.

Nobody paying into Social Security should accept a 25% cut. The 1% is THRIVING on the 99% accepting each little paper cut they apply to our lives. These paper cuts are adding up to much more serious injuries.

This is a trial ballon and a good sign for Democrats because it shows that Trump can't see a way out of his own mess. The great deal maker is really trying to find a winning argument to pull those outside of his base, problem is:

1) The House passed a reasonable bill backed by the Republican Senate 100-0.

2) Trump took credit for the shutdown on national TV.

3) He said Mexico will pay for the wall.

4) He hasn't offered a comprehensive boarder security plan.

5) They haven't even offered a plan for building this "vital wall"

6) Trump hasn't spent 2018 funds allocated for the wall.

I hope Trump tries to got this route, so we can all see how desperate he is The great deal maker can't lawyer his way out of this shutdown without signing CR without wall funding. Guess he should have gotten the money back in 2017.

One cash source alternative Trump has to Social Security's nearly empty locked box is Dubya's locked box that he imposed of the U.S. Postal Services revenues. IIRC, Bush claimed he was doing to ensure future pensions for postal workers.

Of course, Bush was doing it for the postal workers, and it had nothing to do with putting money aside for when the damage due to his massive tax cuts were bound to show themselves.

Social Security is structured so that “current workers” pay into the program, and current retirees draw from it. When “current workers” retire, their retirement benefit will be paid for by younger workers, etc.

As of the end of calendar year 2010, the accumulated surplus in the Social Security Trust Fund stood at just over $2.6 trillion. Social Security benefits are paid from a combination of social security payroll taxes paid by current workers and interest income earned by the Social Security Trust Fund.

R46. No. He cannot touch IRS or SS funds. In fact, he can’t directly touch any federal funds. That’s a restriction in the Constitution, intentionally placed by the founders to protect the Nation from a potential dictator.

Only the House can authorize the appropriation and release of funds. This is explicit. He’s totally delusional about what he thinks he can do. Whether he’s getting this fed to him by Fox or RT - it doesn’t matter.

He can’t touch your tax refunds. IRS is an independent agency and the Commissioner of the IRS is an appointed official with broad authority who answer to Congrerss, not the President. Let’s say Trump threatens to fire him. Yep, Congress takes him to Court. It’s stayed. That’s authority of Congress because he’s interfering with explicit authority of Congress.

All roads lead to multiple House committees. All roads lead to Nancy Pelosi.

[quote] Even if SS funds are depleted. It would stil be able to fund benefits at about 75% of its full value.

EXCLUSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY FROM ALL BUDGETS

Pub.L. 101–508, title XIII, Sec. 13301(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388-623, provided that: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund shall not be counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surplus for purposes of - (1) the budget of the United States Government as submitted by the President, (2) the congressional budget, or

(3) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

The trust funds run surpluses in that the amount paid in by current workers is more than the amount paid out to current beneficiaries. These surpluses are given to the U.S. Treasury (and thus become part of the general federal budget) in exchange for special U.S. government securities, which are deposited into the trust funds. If the trust funds begin running deficits, meaning more in benefits are paid out than contributions paid in, the Social Security Administration is empowered to redeem the securities and use those funds to cover the deficit

Social Security is actually structured like an insurance plan:

Suppose you buy fire insurance and make a first monthly premium payment, and the next day, your house burns to the ground. You’re insurer must make payout to you in full, without consideration about how long you’ve made one or many premium payments. Your insurance benefit is funded by the premiums that other insurance customers have made.

Likewise, SS retirees benefits today are funded by the “premium” payments that others are making today.

In addition, Social Security pays survivors, towards the support of spouses and minor children if one or both spouses die in uniform. It also covers workers if they become disabled, like an insurance plan for lost income due to disability.

At the current time, Social Security taxable income is capped at $128,400. This means that you pay SS taxes on the first $128,400 only. If you make more than that, it is not taxed for SS. So, when you cross that threshold, your take-home pay increases.

We can fully fund SS in perpetuity if we increase this cap. Some expert would have to figure out the “best” tax cap level, or if the the cap should be removed entirely. This is an obvious solution that would be easy to implement.

Medicare is another program with future funding problems, which might be harder to fix.

Bringing it back on topic, Trump isn't going to take away money from Social Security to pay for the wall. If he could easily redirect funds from elsewhere in the government, he'd have done so by now. The most he can do is try to pretend that there is a national emergency, a national security problem, that requires military intervention, which he thinks he can leverage to having the military build the wall.

It won't work for very long, if at all, as he'd have to keep the military there for years. Even if he manages it now and gets away with it, which I think highly unlikely, his successor will simply end it.

A demagogue throwing a tandrum because he cant control people and events via dint of name and status. Sad...!

tantrum I meant in r78

And the people or Congress can sue him to shut it down.

Voila! R64, what's the next step? We deploy troops to put down 'antifa' protests in (name of city here)? Since the Roman era there has been an issue with the use of 'troops' on home soil and only the worst type of rulers consider it.

How about we reframe this, in the best interests of humanity, and consider the 'invaders' and 'very bad hombres' as refugees fleeing the horrible conditions in their home countries? How about we stop seeing these people as the enemy and start helping them with some well-applied diplomacy and aid? How about we see this as an humanitarian issue that calls for our assistance rather than our aggression or defense against perceived aggression? You put that many troops in one place and only one thing can happen....think about that.

The Democrats might want to pony up $10M or so to build a 2-3 ft high picket fence with flower beds adjacent. It would more gently define the border in a friendlier way that shows we’re a good neighbor.

If Trump sends in the military to build the wall, what are they going to do? Confiscate many miles of private property that sit on the border? What about the floodplains? Are they going to build a system of dams, lock, and levees in addition to the walls to control overflow along the Rio Grande? But if this is a national emergency, this has to be done quickly, right?

Trump wants his grand travaux! Small cock, big ego.

R63, in his latest press conference, related to the building of the wall, he said something along the lines of "I've been given money" ...

Remember, Trump doesn't actually *want* the wall (or fence, or slats, or whatever he calls it when it's convenient). He didn't even spend all the money appropriated last year for "border security." This is all staged to draw attention from Coulter/Limbaugh's point that for 2 years he had both houses of Congress but made no progress on his #1 campaign promise. Now that the Dems have the House, he has to fake this last stand to rebrand it as us vs. them as opposed to his own big fat fail.

Trump def has money ties (either directly or indirectly) to the migrant camps but I think he wants the border wall just because Coulter and Rush and other racist idiots tell him he should. R86 is right that he personally could care less. He generally could not care less about anything related to human beings in our country - this is a money, ego and Russia play for him.

Fuck him - he can’t die fast enough. Hopefully with tremendous pain beforehand. And from prison.

Am I dreaming or did CNN say this week that since Trump became President, the national deficit has INCREASED by 2 TRILLION dollars? Yep, that's two TRILLION. The deficit has grown mostly due to the tax cut for the rich. I guess the GOP don't believe in deficit reduction anymore.

Yes. GOP is spending like a man whose files for bankruptcy numerous times. So much for fiscal conservatism. Spineless hypocrites.

Out of curiosity, what specifically do deplorables have against "illegal" immigrants? I thought these immigrants were just taking the jobs that even deplorables don't want to do. So what do they care how many of them come in?

[quote][R23] - yet we have to PAY taxes.

Maybe we shouldn't. There's a protest they'll all understand.

A scapegoat for their own problems, R90.

Deplorables are racist. The less non-whites here the better, they think. And many are uneducated white trash and they scapegoat “illegals” as the reason thy aren’t making banker money. Logic isn’t their strength.

Has nothing to do with the “crime” shit Trump tries to sell because the numbers aren’t there. Numbers actually point to guns and angry white men, at least as mass shootings go.

[R88]

I think the country's at a point where we're not even keeping up with the accruing interest.

[quote]Am I dreaming or did CNN say this week that since Trump became President, the national deficit has INCREASED by 2 TRILLION dollars? Yep, that's two TRILLION. The deficit has grown mostly due to the tax cut for the rich. I guess the GOP don't believe in deficit reduction anymore.

You're not dreaming but you're also not correct. The debt has increased by two trillion, not the deficit. The deficit has definitely climbed and will likely hit a trillion dollars this year or next but only $150-200 billion of that each year is due to the tax bill. The rest is from other factors. Trump inherited a deficit of half a trillion or so, so all he's managed to do is double it.

[quote]Certain parts of this country are being overrun by all these undesirables pouring in illegally!

Complete bullshit. There is no part of this country that is being "overrun."

There is no border emergency...so what now?

I know 3 “illegals” who flew here on working visas and never left. Of course, Deplorables are prob cool with that because they are all white. Two are Russian so you know DT is cool with that.

R194, you are a lying fool. We are not over run at all. In the 80s when Reagan was breaking unions, we were somewhat over run.

R83. You just hit this on the head. The Constitution expressly prohibits the quartering of troops which Congress extended further into the Posse Comitatus Act that prevents him from sending the military into States without the Consent of Congress and the States.

The military may not be used to bypass the consent of Congress. Any officer defying Congress will be prosected, which they know, for following illegal orders. Trump’s authority is limited. His understanding of the law derives from TV shows.

He’s about to get his head handed to him on a pike.

R88 "I guess the GOP don't believe in deficit reduction anymore."

They never did. The GOP only believes in using the debt/deficit as a bludgeon against their opponents. But Cheney himself said Reagan proved deficits don't matter.

There are libertarians and fiscal hawks as well as tea party idiots who scream about the debt/deficit on occasion and will every once in a long while challenge a fellow GOPer on the issue. But they get real quiet in order to let a fellow misogynist and white supremacist like Trump have his way.

In the 70s, when many lowlife American corporations were moving to Mexico so that hey could get slave labor, Sears was right in the thick of it, now they are over. I say, good.

R83/R101, now would be the time for 2nd Amendment die hards to step up. After all, they insist we need a well-armed citizenry to protect our constitutional rights.

They won't though, because in reality the only constitutional right they think the 2A is necessary to protect... is the 2A.

If he lies about his pretend ememergency can he be impeached? The sooner the better.

C'MOOOOOOON KFC CORONARY

R105. He does risk an Abuse of Office claim by Congress over this if he doesn’t rapidly backpedal over this . If it gets to the courts, which this certainly appears it will, goes through DC Appeals to the 4th and to the Supreme for Emergency then yeah, I think it would be the basis for a charge against him if the USSC rules against him.

This is one of those where I doubt USSC would turn back the President without a hearinig because of the public importance.

Honestly, though, this is just another game he's playing. He's done this before and he's backed down every time. If he gets any part of his wall, it is almost certainly not going to be this way.

R108 Of course. He wants to keep the Mueller investigation out of the headlines as long as possible. All that will really come out of this is the full expansion of e-verify, which should have happened a long time ago but for resistance from the National Chamber of Commerce, the Republican Governors Association and well the Republicans because ... well, where’s the sex appeal in “we passed national e-verify!”

To all the gullibles it sound like “NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD!!!”

At first I wanted him to die but then I thought that would make him a martyr in the eyes of his sycophantic followers. No, what I really want is for him to be completely and utter disgraced. Completely reviled and abandoned by everyone, even his most ardent followers. I don't know what he would have to do to make that happen but I pray for it daily.

[quote] He does risk an Abuse of Office claim by Congress over this if he doesn’t rapidly backpedal over this . If it gets to the courts, which this certainly appears it will, [bold] goes through DC Appeals to the 4th and to the Supreme for Emergency [/bold] then yeah, I think it would be the basis for a charge against him if the USSC rules against him.

What is the 4th, R107? Fourth what? There is no intermediate court between the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.

R111 Did I get that backwards?

I do that sometimes. Let’s straighten it out. Congress will first file suit in the 4th Circuit, and the appeal would go to DC and from there to the USSC?

I’m sorry.

[quote] R90: what specifically do deplorables have against "illegal" immigrants?

Deplorables confuse asylum seamers with illegal immigrants. The former are fleeing persecution to the US, and we are obligated, by treaty, to accept them, evaluate their claim for asylum, and then free or deport the asylum seekers based on the finding.

Illegal immigrants may be looking for work in the Walmart parking lot. But more often, they may be people who fly here and simply overstay their visa.

[quote] R27: Have journalists asked him why he wants the American people to pay for a wall that he promised that Mexico would pay for?

Yes, it annoys Trump. But, he responds with gobbledygook about how the Wall will pay for itself. A good follow up would be to ask how a wall might do that. Maybe they’ll sell sections for placards?

When Trump first came President, he called the Mexican leader. This is all in a transcript somewhere. Trump asked him to announce that Mexico would pay for the Wall. Of course he refused. Then Trump begged the leader, telling him that he, Trump , would look foolish if Mexico didn’t agree to pay for the wall. Trump told him that he didn’t actually have to be sincere, or to do anything, he just needed to make a public statement. He refused and said “Donald, I am not paying for your fucking wall.”

He says “we can do it and do it very quickly..”

I hate how he says the word quickly.

I may call a national emergency. I can do it. I haven’t done it, but I could do it, and you can’t stop me.

"I don't know how to do it, but if I say I will do it it's as good as doing it."

He may call national emergency to fund border wall.

He may not call national emergency to fund border wall.

He could go either way, R118. And go strongly.

They should build that big thick wall out of Trump shit.

More seriously, R118, this is the President talking about hijacking the military in defiance of the Congress. There’s every reason for hysterics.

R119 Verbal hysteria achieves nothing

R118 while being very concerned about unjustified hysteria is also on the Rashida Tlaib thread fretting that her potty mouth can't be trusted with his taxes.

MoveOn has a protest plan to be enacted if Trump fires Mueller. It would sponsor/implement protests across the country. I’d guess they would implement the same plan if Trump declares Marshall Law or declares a national emergency.

I’d got to either or both protests.

[quote] Let’s straighten it out. Congress will first file suit in the 4th Circuit, and the appeal would go to DC and from there to the USSC?

I'm not certain what lawsuit you're talking about, but it would likely be filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. From there it would go to the D.C. Circuit and then the Supreme Court. No case would go from one Circuit to another.

What makes you think that Congress would file suit in Maryland, Virginia, or the Carolinas? You can't file a case in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals without first going to District Court. The Supreme Court has some original jurisdiction, but the Courts of Appeals do not.

Where will the protests be held?

God bless Rashida's potty mouth!!

R126, you should check out the movein.org site. I know the Boston site was Copley Sq, and maybe another downtown, it might have changed since I last looked. But anyway, you should look for it. You can subscribe to be notified if/when it happens.

Their plan was something like: “if the news drops before noon, meet that evening. If afternoon, meet the next day at noon.” Something like that.

There is a lawsuit against Trump because of the shut down and slave labor by Union members who are suppose to work with no pay.

I contribute to Moveon...do they really have a plan of protest? I am surprised.

R125 I’m musing who filing, when and where. If it’s the Speaker officially then I get that it would DC. If it’s a member filing individually, like we saw in Dellums v Bush, we could potentially see cases in other courts, and I’m wondering here if the unions themselves will file against Trump.

But I made a hash of it, regardless.

WHET the protests?

R130 you can sign up to be notified for local protests in your area. They give a good 24 hours notice. Thanks, R128, for posting the web address

and you are wrong, R122, verbal hysteria is hysterical and accomplishes much in these depressing times.

MoveOn definitely had pre-plans to protest a Mueller Firing. I can’t promis that plan is still active.

A declaration of a National Emergency is at least as serious, so I’m just assuming they likewise have a plan for that.

We need more hysteria!

R125. I neglected to thank you. I appreciate your educating me on the correct sequence. I enjoy this tremendously.

It's a steel wall, stronger than concrete, more expensive. Mexico will love it! they'll thank us, really, I mean, why not? It's more important to look good than to be good. Even the babies will be grateful, the little ones. So cute, so cute. We'll have to make sure the steel slats are smaller than babies. They're cute, those little hombres.

The thread index stopped at 'bo...' in the word 'border' and I was thought it was 'bottoms'

Shows where my mind is....

R52 He may not think of it by himself, but he has that asshole Stephen Miller alternating between whispering his Gestapo policy idea and then brown-nosing Trump even more than the most devoted lovers of rimming on DL!

[quote] R19: Could someone explain? I'm an ignorant mexican and would like to know what this has to do with the wall.

The US has to pass a series of funding bills in order to authorize all its entities to spend money, including spending on salaries for government employees. Trump refuses to sign these bills, unless it includes authorization to spend $5 billion on his wall. The Dems and many Republicans refuse include a section in these bills to authorize spending on wall construction.

They are at an impass. With the bills unsigned by the President, the federal government has no money to spend.

I believe that the Senate will eventually pass the existing funding bills, with no wall undoing, and by a supermajority, so as to render the threat of a Trump veto ineffective.

In all honesty, I never thought before that a person as foul as Trump could really exist. He’s a character of such epic awfulness! He’s stranger than fiction.

You want more hysteria, R134? Check out the right wing news babies babbling about Rep Rashida calling the dotard what he is. Not one word in the direction of anyone ever calling him out on the daughter dicking tho'......

R142 What? Did the president's penis penetrate his daughter's vagina?

R142 - the Deplorables were always going to go batshit crazy over a woman named Rashida. Racist, sexist, stupid hypocrites, all of them.

R124: [bold]MARTIAL LAW[/bold].

Marshall's is a clothing store. Marshall Crenshaw had a band. Marsha Brady was a TV character.

R141 Well, Hitler and his SS and deputies and his Nazi followers were probably unimaginable to people before he came to power. Ditto Stalin, Mussolini, Attila the Hun, etc. Plus lots of people running banana republics -- dictators and autocrats, unfortunately the people Trump admires. Fortunately, most of the people eventually topple. I hope Trump goes to jail because at least we wouldn't have to have his tweets reported or have him be on tv and the media every day. Prisoners are kept from the media except for sometimes an exclusive. But when one thinks it would be an incredibly humbling experience for Trump to even have to live a middle-class lifestyle, me and a lot of other people would like to see him have the humiliation and the anguish he's caused millions of people, along with the degradation and epiphany that shatters his ego once and for all -- on this Earth first please. Though if he passed away sooner than justice here, at least he'd be out of power, and I trust a greater power to deal with him. Call it karma, but someone who's gotten a free ride all their life and has abused the privilege, usually attracts some sort of retribution eventually.

r134 I don't get what a protest would do and i so wish there protesting days built into my job's benefit package. This country is too large for protests to work, unless they are held outside of congressional and senate offices. I'm all for protest in theory, but I haven't seen one work since the Civil Rights movement.

The ACA battle in 2017 had more people clogging the phones to congress than the streets around the nation, so I think people are better served going that route.

R145, it was likely just another DL inside joke, like WHET or pr0n or some of the other stuff that people say around here.

r145 is new here

"Marshall Law" is an inside joke? And I thought it was just everyday internet illiteracy.

It’s Penny Marshall Law or Garry Marshall Law when we’re talking about Trump.

That's how most inside jokes start, r150, like "why are straight me so stupid?" Or "Jackie On Assistance."

It’s a doggie-dog world, R125!

Or our very own R113, with

[quote]Deplorables confuse asylum seamers with illegal immigrants.

Many share the same thoughts and prayers r110

Yes R110. We should do to him what the Italians did to Mussolini.

In the middle of Times Square!!!

Fank you, R145. You fixed my cheeseburger!

[quote]Marsha Brady was a TV character.

It’s Marcia! Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!!

R131, Dellums v. Bush, 752 F. Supp. 1141 (D.D.C. 1990), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, not in Dellums' home district.

[quote] It’s a doggie-dog world, [R125]!

Oh, dear

R160, "doggie-dog world" is a DL classic along with polar bars, WHET, pron, etc., as mentioned above. I can't believe you don't know that. Oh, dear, indeed.

cak, graxy, jandra

dinosours

MF45 is like trapped rat. His psychosis will only make us all more fearful and at risk (from God knows what).

It's 25th Amendment time; but we are dealing w/Rep.Cabinet. I want to see him in a non-staged situation, eg non-rally, and have anyone, even a "journalist" start yelling "Lock the motherfucker up".

OMG! Just released footage from the border!

CNN analyst Asha Rangappa:

If POTUS is willing to continue the shutdown for “months, even years,” isn’t he conceding that building a wall really isn’t an emergency?

Yes, Asha, he does that. Often.

[160] - "doggie-dog world" was also a favorite line from "Rug Rats" (a kids' show that many grownups [myself among others] got a kick out of.

Fox’s Chris Wallace Repeatedly Nails Sarah Sanders on Bogus Border Terror Threat Claims:

“We know that roughly nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is southern border,” Sanders told Wallace on Fox News Sunday this morning, but he cut her off.

“I know the statistic, I didn’t know if you were going to use it, but I studied up on this,” Wallace said. “Do you know what those 4,000 people come where they are captured? Airports.”

“Not always…” Sanders said weakly.

“Airports. The state department says there hasn’t been any terrorists found coming across the southern border,” Wallace said. They’re not coming across the southern border, Sarah, they’re coming and they’re being stopped at airports."

Good for Chris Wallace. Fox hasn't beaten all of CBS out of him yet.

That buzzzing sound you hear is Mike Wallace spinning in his grave in glee that his son finally became a journalist.

And they say Mike Wallace's balls grew three sizes that day...

I could declare a National Emergency. I haven’t, but I might. I have absolute power to do so. I just don’t feel like it. But I might. We could have a very strong National Emergency. Very strong. Let’s see what happens.

R173 nails it.

Hopefully one of Trump’s lawyers can get through to him that all he would be accomplishing is setting a precedent that the President has no power over the purse, Congress does. You know, like it says in the Constitution.

Trump and his buddies just can’t yget it through their heads that America was created to get rid of a dictator. That was the whole point. There is no other.

[quote]They’re not coming across the southern border, Sarah, they’re coming and they’re being stopped at airports."

So we're gonna build a great big acrylic bubble to cover the entire country! MAGA

Wasn't that a mini-series or sumthin'?

I've reached peak paranoia, because I seriously wonder if that exchange between Wallace and Hucky was planned. Sort of laying the groundwork to sway trump cultists from thinking they don't need a wall after all.

*to thinking they don't

He claims that he could build the wall “very quickly”. What I haven’t heard much about is that environmental impact statements would need to be done and they will take years.

The enminant domain suits will take years as well.

R179, that's what one of the MSNBC commentators was saying. That POTUS and his WH staff haven't thought this through. If this is a national emergency, one would assume this wall will have to go up quickly. But all the logistical and legal issues--eminent domain, environmental impact studies, contracts, the Constitution, etc.--will take years to resolve, surpassing the next two years of Trump's term.

[quote]That POTUS and his WH staff haven't thought this through.

What?! They didn't?! Oh no! I'm shocked!

Unless, an emergency declaration might mean they can skip the environmental studies and confiscate land without compensation or legal oversight. I would assume an emergency declaration would allow for that. Not that there is a real emergency.

"What I haven’t heard much about is that environmental impact statements would need to be done and they will take years."

Does anyone seriously believe that DJT and his cronies, with their gutting of the EPA, is going to be bothered with environment impact statements? Come on, let's get real here.

R183, without a declaration of emergency, the environmental impact studies are mandatory, I understand. With a declaration, I do not know.

I'm sure the Deplorables who own land needed by 45 for The Wall would have no problem just donating it. Totally, for free. Also being ok with any environmental impact that farming or living next to it would cause! I'm sure those True American Patriots would sign away their rights (and their family's rights) to sue the government, until a Democrat president was voted into office at least! 😉

Huckabeast's alternative facts:

@MilAirComms

Someone in Central Florida caught the audio "Night Watch Reporting System this is a test do not respond on 143.425 FM. There was an E-4B flying the area. Has anyone else heard this before?

(The E4-B is "The Doomsday Plane")

Might be running a scheduled test, plus extra accounting for His Fatassedness's lard added in R187.

Two words:

Reichstag fire.

[quote]I've reached peak paranoia, because I seriously wonder if that exchange between Wallace and Hucky was planned. Sort of laying the groundwork to sway trump cultists from thinking they don't need a wall after all.

Except Trumpkins don't pay any attention to Chris Wallace. They listen to Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, and as far as I know they still want the wall.

The thing about eminent domain is that the government pays property owners to buy-out their land. Or, perhaps, buy-out an easement. It does not seize the property without compensation to the owners.

The owner has no choice in the matter. And the owner may feel that he didn’t receive just compensation. But the owner can’t stop the government from taking what it wants (unless a court intervenes.)

Hannity is confirming it

Hannity, that ridiculous dumb fuck, is floating the idea harder. If he declares a national emergency over this, we will crush him. There is no emergency.

Floating the idea harder? It's probably his idea in the first place. Trump does what Hannity says.

(Well maybe not literally his - that big meatloaf head of his probably can't come up with ideas like that.)

[quote]Trump does what Hannity says.

Yes, Hannity saying "I’m guessing he’s going to declare a national emergency" means that Hannity has already convinced Trump to take this action.

Apparently having an infantile narcissist in the White House constitutes a "national emergency."

Wil you protest if Trump actually declares a National Emergency? I will. It will be a National disaster if people don’t protest.

I think trump has a very intense self-sabotaging streak. I think if he declares a national emergency it is because he just has a compulsive need to blow everything up. He can't help himself.

I have said that the closer Mueller gets to Trump, the more erratic he will become. At the end, Trump will conclude that the people have failed him, personally, and deserve all the trouble they get. Then he will make sure he creates as much trouble as possible. So, it will get much worse before it gets better.

How do I know that? Because that’s how Hitler faced the collapse of his empire.

Every time Trump says or does something outrageous people temporize and say well, just wait until XYZ and then we'll really get him... or If he does A then we'll do B. and we wait to see if things get worse. And every time they do we go through this same circular bullshit. Congress must act. Mc Connell has been standing between us and Trump blocking legislation and failing to do proper oversight. T his is totally unacceptable. We ha had plenty of reasons to impeach Trump.We didn't need a Special Prosecutor. If you go to any demonstrations make sure you cover your faces. We are facing a complete take over to authoritarian Fascist dictatorship. Congress needs to call an emergency session tonight. NOW. And Congressional staffers need to thoroughly research how to respond to this. We cannot let him get away with this. He keeps pushing to see how far he can go and we need to stop him.

R199 very true... very scary.

If a state of emergency is declared then how will that effect us?

What will be the political fallout?

Will marshal law follow a state of emergency?

[quote] R202: If a state of emergency is declared then how will that effect us?

The excuse used to justify the emergency declaration may be very narrow; however, the declaration grants very wide-ranging owners. He could authorize the use of the Military to build the wall, without an environmental report. He might seize land without compensation. There will be protests, and he could use the military to put down dissenting protests.

R204. I am confident Trump believes all this to be true. But he can’t. That’s ... Posse Comitatus. Even the Red States will rebel over this crap, and just ... no. In DC, there’s already talk of resignations at the Pentagon if Trump tries to order the military to do this.

I guess the new question is, how loyal is the military to him?

I guess we'll find out.

Trump will definitely call a national emergency tomorrow evening at 9pm. He knows he is fucked. His days are numbered and he going to do anything and everything he can in what time he has left...Including martial law if he believes it can save him. Watch.

Did everyone already know McConnell was so weak? I honestly did not. I was talking to my 84 year old father the other day--he's a Republican--and he said he thinks McConnell is just basically a stupid guy. Not that capable.

Fuck resignations, R205. We need them to stand up to him, not to resign. Take his ass to court. Go to Congress and insist he is violating his oath to the Constitution. Simply resigning and writing a "scathing editorial" is not enough. WTF does Trump care about resignations? He's fine with it and when he replaces people believe me it will be with someone much worse. This is not what we need. I hope the people on the Armed Services Committee and other members of Congress will encourage people not to resign but to stand u to him. Loyalty to your country not to the damned President.

And we're going to let him? McConnell is going to permit this? The courts will permit this? WTF. This is not acceptable. Not at all. And he is hoping we demonstrate. HOping we get violent. In fact he will have some of his MAGAs provoke violence. Then he'll declare martial law. And for fuck's sake, spell it correctly. It's "Martial Law."

Marcia Law

I am sure that there will be many here who do not believe this, but Chris Wallace has never drunk the Faux News Kool Aid. Neither has Shep Smith. They have always spoken what they really think, Republicans be damned. Now, do they on occasion agree with something the Repubs do? Probably. But neither is an ass kisser. I think they are the sole truth is FN's claim of "fair and balanced."

Oh, and Brett Bair is known to cross FN as well.

So, what he's going to do is declare an emergency based on lies in order to grant himself sweeping powers. Sort of like the Reichstag fire -- without the fire.

This is a very dangerous road for the country to go down. It would require a swift, immediate, and completely legal response that overwhelms the fucker.

R210 They can’t, constitutionally. They can either obey or resign. It’s up to the Cabinet to act or for Congress to act. A coup is not the answer . But large scale resignations should shake the fuck up out his cabinet that they have way crossed the line legally. That career military are walking out the door and can be expected to testify against him and his cabinet should let them know they’re in legal jeopardy.

Either pull Trump in line or remove him to save themselves.

R177, your post made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I suppose if you’re right, that is a good thing for our side, but incredibly creepy too, to watch a propaganda machine change course. It’s like watching the biggest cruise ship you can imagine make a sudden turn, the sheer force and weight of the power behind the machine is frightening and evil and must be stopped.

R199 wrote the most perfect description of The Thing, everything is about him, so he is definitely taking it “personally” that so many of us are against him. And he definitely will use that to continue rationalizing his vindictive, sadistic, violent responses.

Hold onto your hats! E Pluribus Unum!!!!!!!!

Trump will declare a national emergency and claim victory for his wall as the deplorables rain huzzahs upon him. But his emergency declaration will get snarled up in court and no wall will ever be built. He'll invent a new crisis on Thursday to distract the media squirrels from speaking any further about the (absence of) the wall.

He claims even with the shut down people will get their tax refunds. How is that going to work?

[quote]He claims even with the shut down people will get their tax refunds. How is that going to work?

He is planning on calling people back to process the refunds, which they will have to do without pay. He really does not think through anything.

[quote]I think trump has a very intense self-sabotaging streak.

You read/hear this a lot, and I think I can see where it comes from -- a basic idea that a person acts rationally in order to get what he or she wants.

But I think Trump's assholery derives more from the Peter Principle. You have to be an asshole to elbow your way up to a certain level in life, or, if you start a pampered rich boy like Trump was, you can be an asshole and float. But once you get to the top level, you can't really behave the way Trump does and survive. His numbers make that plain.

Trump is constantly bragging about his belief that he “gets along very well with (Putin, Erdoğan, Kim, Xi, etc.)” Perhaps it’s just his simplistic vocabulary that makes this sound so foolish.

First, these other leaders aren’t Trump‘s friends, as he seems to think. He has no friends. They’re just using Trump. I guarantee you that these other leaders will not take Trump’s calls after Trump is deposed.

Second, he seems to think that people care about his personal relationships with foreign tyrants. No, we don’t care who he “gets along with”. Trump should be concerned with what is best for the country, not with whom he gets a play date.

Trump is occasionally asked about the relationship between the US and various other countries. He always responds with the wonderful personal relationship he thinks he has with these other leaders, and rarely if ever addresses the state of the bilateral relationship between the countries.

Josh Barro:

The complete bad faith of all the conservative commentators claiming to now think billions of dollars for barrier funding inherently important is that Republicans, over and over, chose not to make it a priority in policymaking over the last two years and they didn't care.

It's insulting that we even have to have this conversation -- it's the same as conservatives claiming for YEARS that there was a Republican health care policy agenda and getting all huffy when I would say it didn't exist. ("We have lots of plans!" etc etc)

Republicans could have put this money in any number of spending bills. They could have even used the reconciliation process to fund additional border security with a simple majority. They would have not needed one Democratic vote. They didn't because it's not actually important.

And this ridiculous theater now where the WH thinks they're going to get Democratic support for the wall through talk and talk and talk about a border crisis -- who is this supposed to be fooling? It is such a waste of everybody's time.

WTF, Josh Barro knows exactly who it's fooling. Why is our media so afraid of deplorables?

Trump may use the Wall as the excuse to declare a National Emergency, but once he does so, there are slews of unrelated powers that follow. So, even if the Wall doesn’t matter to you, you should recognize that this would empower Trump in many ways.

[quote] I think it was FDR who said something like this. He was speaking to a likeminded group and said something like “I agree with you completely. Now you must make me do it.”

I hope people will see this National Emergency declaration as a power-grab, and protest loud and long. We must make Congress and the courts act as they already know they must. If there aren’t such protests as a response, then Trump will continue to amass power.

[quote]I hope people will see this National Emergency declaration as a power-grab, and protest loud and long.

The people who watch Fox will see it as an amazing Trump victory, because that's how it will be spun.

Adam Schiff:

I’ve been on the Intelligence Committee for over 10 years. On terrorism and other threats, I’ve received more briefings from FBI, CIA, and DHS than I could count.

How many times have any of them said we need a wall across the southern border?

Zero.

Remember when Trump halted immigration for 90-days, from a number of Moslum countries? The purpose was to give the Administration time to study and better understand the circumstances, and make changes as necessary?

The courts put the “halt” on hold. It was in hold for longer 90 days. Trump should have used that 90-day period to complete his investigation. There was no reason for the Administration to postpone its investigation while the hold was in place. The investigation should have been completed while the hold was in place, negating the need for a halt at all.

That’s not what happened, though. Eventually, Trump implemented the 90-day halt, and no study was actually completed.

Just like that, this National Emergency is a stunt. An expensive, stupid, dangerous stunt.

He can declare it, but it's unconstitutional and he'll never get the wall that way. The problem is it'd get tied up in the courts and extend the shutdown. But don't worry, Trump knows this is terrible PR and will end the shutdown tonight, or wait until Saturday so he can boast it was the longest shutdown ever.

Trump is nothing but one not so cunning stunt after another, R228.

NYT: The White House has floated the idea of invoking emergency powers to build a wall along the country’s southwestern border without approval from Congress. But while Democrats have been bracing themselves for him to make that declaration on Tuesday night, administration officials who had seen a draft copy of his speech said the president was not preparing to do so.

I can believe that r231.

Netanyahu just did something quite similar. He made it sound as if a big surprise was afoot but when it came to announce it, he instead used it as an opportunity to plead his case in the allegations against him.

If it makes it's way to the courts, can the fact that he knowingly employs undocumented immigrants at his businesses be used against him?

Here are some phrases we will hear:

“The wall will pay for itself.”

“Democrat shutdown.”

“We have no choice.”

“Democrats want ‘open borders’”

“Drugs...crime...”

Seventeen years ago, Melania Knauss was granted legal residency in the United States through a green card with the elite EB-1 program—dubbed the “Einstein visa”—reserved for those who demonstrate that they have "an extraordinary ability, are an outstanding professor or researcher, or are a multinational executive or manager."

LOL. What a hypocrite!

The INS was impressed with the "genius" Melania demonstrably proved by picking up individual pennies from the table and forcefully ejecting pingpong balls 50 yards.

Oh, yes, Trump will also say something about an accomplishment, such as saying that no Administration has done as much as his has.

He’ll also say something, then add “but nobody wants to talk about that.”, meaning that he’s not getting the credit he deserves on something or other. It doesn’t have to be true, for him to use this line.

Then he’ll throw in “no collusion no collusion no collusion”.

One of the reasons he wants $5 Billion to build the wall is that he's set up shell companies to bill the government. He needs money to pay back Putin and the oligarchs for the loans he has taken over the years. Putin may have told him to do this seeing it as a huge cash cow which is why he won't let it go as he has done with other bad ideas when he has gotten push-back.

I can understand why politicians “spin”. It’s putting your best foot forward. But Trump and his administration just flat out lie. An example of this is the BS when they say that “Democrats are in favor of open borders.” That’s simply not true. It’s not spin. It’s just a lie.

Is that wall made of steel from China?

Reading from the top down this is a pretty funny thread. The hysteria .

The U.S. is currently under 32 active states of national emergencies. Many of the emergencies were declared by presidents as far back as Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. 32 Reichstag fires ?

[quote]Remember when Trump halted immigration for 90-days, from a number of Moslum countries?

I’m confused. What is a Moslum country?

r220, I wonder why his numbers were so low in mid-December? Was it the market crashing?

[quote]Here are some phrases we will hear:

“The wall will pay for itself.”

“Democrat shutdown.”

“We have no choice.”

“Democrats want ‘open borders’”

“Drugs...crime...”

"Democrats have refused every offer we have made them; they refuse to negotiate."

(If he wants to end the shutdown) "The Democrats don't care about those that are furloughed, but I do so..."

"The Democrats are being very unfair and are throwing a tantrum"

"The Democrats don't care about the tremendous amount of criminals coming to our country because of their open borders."

The brown shirt is writing the speech for tonight...will there be a hail Hitler at the end? Trump would not mind.

Trump said he was freezing g wages for federal workers...he is a major scumbag. What day in December did he announce that little gem?

How can anyone respect the lying sack of shit in the White House?

The Wall Street Journal -- Trump Unlikely to Declare Emergency at Southern Border

So similarly to datalounge, Schumer and Pelosi have spent days on a snipe hunt.

Stephen Miller hangs in leather clubs and there is no problem with that, are all the leather guys Nazis? Can't anyone take his picture? Does he look better in leather?

@StormyDaniels

If you're looking for anything even remotely worth watching tonight at 9pm EST, I will be folding laundry in my underwear for 8 minutes on Instagram live.

He can't really declare an emergency. He sent out a fundraising letter asking for the rightwing morons on his mailing list to each send him $5 before the speech, so that he can "see their names" (whatever that means). The money would of course go into his pocket, errr, I mean his re-election campaign.

He's using this huckster game to raise campaign bucks, he can't call it a national emergency.

[quote] What is a Moslum country?

It's a country where they want to build more housing projects.

R248 Love the added detail of the bag of Cheetos tossed aside...

The Democrats didn't hit back very hard, other than stating the obvious.

@emilyaheil

So Stormy Daniels is in fact folding laundry live on Instagram in her underwear -- as Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" plays. What a country

seven lies in nine minutes. He’s slipping.

I've discovered video of Trump's early process of becoming a presidential candidate.

R252 If you have someone committed to making an ass of himself, you’re under no obligation to throw yourself in h is path to prevent him from so doing.

Nancy’s makeup looked very nice and Schumer was remarkably restrained.

True, and i liked the "temper tantrum" part, but it comes down to his delusion that Mexico would pay for the wall, and now that has come back to bite him in the ass. he didn't use the leverage he had with the Mexicans to gain his goal, and THAT is what they should attack.

The dealmaker made no deal.

Bingo! #WhereAreThePesos?

Rick Santorum on CNN singing for his supper. Said trump was the winner tonight. Ha!

Is it just me or was Nancy's makeup in drag-queen territory? I know they slather on the foundation under TV lights but still.

And Schumer's eyebrows scared the crap outta me.

Agree with everything she said though. All they had to do was get facts out there.

Trump’s bubble got burst before he went live. Manafort and the Russians stold his thunder.

For those who were watching Stormy and her underwear and missed the speech

I like the idea that the reason he wouldn't declare an emergency is because he is too lazy and doesn't want to think too hard. And those days at Mar-a-Lago he might miss.

What happened to the Reichstag fire and the troops on the street and the taking of all the Social Security money ?

Interesting Brian Williams is opening his program about Manafort and Velenitskaya. Nothing on Trump's nonevent.

R264 those posts are mostly from the handful of trolls. They were probably saying the same thing when Obama was in power. The hysterical Marys ("Trump will declare martial law and we're all going to die!!!!!") and the Debbie Downers ("the rich just get richer and we will never be free, ever ever ever!") can be safely ignored in any thread on these topics.

@BDP473

“When your parents are about to tell you you’ll only see your dad every other weekend and select holidays”

@alliemackay

Mom, Dad....I just need a break. Probably just a semester, maybe a year. Phish isn’t gonna tour forever.

@ABC7Veronica

Meanwhile... @StormyDaniels had 18k people watching her fold laundry during @realDonaldTrump's address. Was she sending some subliminal messages to the President during her livestream? WaPo says yes.

R266 is that nutcake Lindy.

No idea who or what that is, r271, but nice try.

Rick Wilson's take: Donald Trump Delivers a Wet Fart Oval Office Address.

On Tuesday night, Trump’s flaming dumpster train of distractions, lies, cons, and empty political promises flew off the rails and plunged into a mountain of burning tires in one of his worst public speeches.

The speech can most accurately be seen as the death twitch of The Wall cult. Trump can’t deliver a product, so he’s looking to sell something different.

He said it tonight; the idea of a glorious concrete wall from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico is deader than that lemur he glues on his head every morning.

And my favorite line from the piece:

The man who gleefully put kids in cages tried to briefly pretend he gives a damn about migrant children in the least convincing humanitarian performance since the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

@CultureShlock

"Your mother and I were very clear that while we were out of town there were to be NO PARTIES."

Schumer and Pelosi look like that because their scripts were written presuming the "national emergency", just like most of this thread. Without their teleprompter

[quote] R264: What happened to the Reichstag fire and the troops on the street and the taking of all the Social Security money ?

Patience, Grasshopper. “We’ll see.”

[quote] R266: [R264] those posts are mostly from the handful of trolls. ... The hysterical Marys ("Trump will declare martial law and we're all going to die!!!!!") ...

Except that Trump has already deployed the military to the southern border. And that it is Trump, himself, who is claiming that he may declare a “National Emergency”, that he has absolute power to do so, that he could, if he felt like it, but that he just doesn’t feel like it.

How is a National Emergency with deployed military, any difference from martial law? People aren’t inventing things to worry about, they are responding to things that Trump is actually saying. Add to it, his fascist tendencies, and you’d have to be a fool not to be concerned.

Look, I so not pretend to know what is in the Constitution about this, but I saw a Democratic Rep on TV yesterday saying he COULD declare a national emergency...but he likely would not.

Maybe, R278. But he probably can’t declare a National Emergency if the purpose for it is to circumvent the Constitutional role of the House to authorize funding. The House will challenge the National Emergency in the courts, and in the court of public opinion. The House has every right to refuse to allocate funds for the wall. That’s their role.

@StormyDaniels

Yesterday I taught over 100k people how to fold a thong. What should I do today...? Guess you'll have to wait and see!

Hmmm.

@ABC7

GoFundMe refunding $20M to Trump wall backers

He's stalling right now until his lawyers in he White House Counsel's office research how to give him his "national emergency." R279 is correct, and add to that that he has left unspent for two years funds in the Homeland Security department for border security including walls or fences or WTF, and the fact that there is public testimony for his own appointees before Congress that challenge his numbers, so when he says 4,000 illegals and they say, "no, it was 6" that gets a little strange.

There's also visual evidence of actual quiet borders and then there is the whole mess of eminent domain, etc. and seizing private property, etc. Also the Dems a re making a case for up to date technology and other methods to secure the borders. The wall would be obsolete before it's even put in the ground.

As for his humanitarian concerns, the House will investigate the fact that he broke the law when he started fucking over asylum seekers and did not spend the additional funds to add more staff to process them, etc. and instead put kids in cages and separated them from their families until a judge ordered him to stop doing that and to restore the kids to their families.

He made a cruel joke of the immigration hearings where 4 yr olds were forced to "testify." All documented all televised. So yeah, Donald, come on. Give us you fucking declaration. The other thing of note is that he is now saying he will not re open the government even if he does declare an emergency. So think about what that means.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello:

No wall should be funded on the pain and suffering of US citizens who have endured tragedy and loss through a natural disaster. This include those citizens that live in CA, TX, PR, VI and other jurisdictions. Today it’s us, tomorrow it could be you.

R277

[quote]How is a National Emergency with deployed military, any difference from martial law?

Are you serious? You sound like a low income Trumper who will insist to his dying day that tax cuts for the wealthy are a good thing, because they might someday win the lottery. I suggest you Google "martial law in the United States".

I suggest, in the spirit of a discussion forum, you just answer his question, or shut up.

R286 so you're saying you don't know either? Because you could have answered it instead of admonishing me, cunt.

Oh fuck me, enlighten them then r287! Show your hand!

[quote] How is a National Emergency with deployed military, any difference from martial law?

He’s creeping-up on martial law. For no reason.

What do other countries do? With their borders, I mean?

When the FUCK will Republicans grow a collective backbone?

Judge me for this if you want, but I've been rewatching the 90s sci-fi series Babylon 5. I bring it up because one of the continuing plot points involves the machinations of the Earth president. He begins as VP, and then collaborates with a hostile foreign power to assassinate the President and assume office. He consolidates power, puts lackeys in high positions, initiates a surveillance state, declares martial law, and then starts bombing human colonies on other planets when they refuse to go along with it. By sheer coincidence, the actor who plays him looks a LOT like Dick Cheney.

I made a comment to my husband that I hope Trump has never seen the show, but he pointed out that Trump likely doesn't have the brainpower to follow any real narrative show. Still, I'm starting to feel real life is getting uncomfortably close to this. Particularly since the pretense for those actions is because of claims of alien influence in human society.

Oh, and dissolves the legislature.

Trump is a criminal. People should know that by now

VOTN, we are indeed on a precipice, I know you get it. But I am ever hopeful that we will triumph. We outnumber them, and we truly are fighting the good fight.

Honest question: if negotiations have stalled, what is stopping him?

Fear r296. Remember, this is the man who struggles with looking someone in the eye and declaring “you’re fired.” He isn’t known for having big gonads. He talks the talk, but has *never* walked the walk.

True - has he ever fired anyone in his administration face to face? He either has someone else do it or does it via tweet.

So, when he was yelling "You're fired" on TV, he was looking at the camera and not his victim?

Have you watched that show r299? Every time he had to fire someone, he took you on a circular journey, visiting every single thought and observation he’s ever had on his subject, drawn out as long as possible, so he can avoid that final moment as long as possible. He’s an impotent terminator. He fired blanks.

I never watched the show, r300, but I remember HR people starting to gleefully yell, "You're fired!" after that show came on.

He trademarked insensitivity and cruelty. He's like a variant of Dr. Phil.

R301, I actually think you should see a few of his firings. It will give you insight into how weak and dumb he actually is. Once you see how hard it is for him to fire someone, you’ll have a better picture of what we’re dealing with. He’s easy to crush.

[quote] R173: I could declare a National Emergency. I haven’t, but I might. I have absolute power to do so. I just don’t feel like it. But I might. I could do it very quickly. We could have a very strong National Emergency. Very strong. Let’s see what happens.

I had to add the “very quickly” statement. Trump likes that word for some reason.

He also loves saying "absolute power". In his mind he's a king.

“When I said that Mexico would pay for the Wall, obviously, I didn’t mean they would write a check. I meant that the wall would pay for itself, after the taxpayer has paid for it, I mean.”

Trump says the Wall will pay for itself, by virtue of the great, newly renegotiated trade deal he made with Mexico.

It should be noted that we could enjoy the alleged benefits from this newly renegotiated trade deal with Mexico, without wasting whatever benefit we get, by spending it on the useless, foolish wall. Right? The trade deal is independent of the Wall. It’s not like the Wall is a prerequisite for the trade deal, or vice versa.

He's a WHITE MAN. What part of that don't ya Libtards get?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Saturday 3 pm.

Ah, yes, a new "migrant threat" just as major news about Trump's impeachable crimes breaks.

He's announcing something at 3PM tomorrow that many are speculating will be a declaration of a national emergency.