The Donald Trump Score Card

Wall money is change between the cushions in the military budget

 

And that's why we so desperately needed to pass that budget to give the military a hefty increase in funding. Those awful Democrats would put our national security in jeopardy if they didn't help pass it.
https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...nding-bill-drag-on-as-shutdown-deadline-nears
Does the US really need a huge boost in military spending?
Huge military spending increase sought by White House - CNNPolitics
How The Pentagon Plans To Spend That Extra $61 Billion

 

Trump has been using national security as a pretext to try to get what he wants in a way that circumvents norms such as working with Congress to enact tariffs or filing grievances with the WTO. The imposed steel and aluminum tariffs using a section of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act is an example. His hinting at funding and building his border wall via the military is another.

After initially saying there would be no exemptions for the steel and aluminum tariffs, Trump has already issued exemptions to Canada, Mexico, Australia, the European Union, Brazil, Argentina, and South Korea.

The rational of the tariff was to reduce imports enough that U.S. domestic steel factories would be producing at 80% of rated capacity which was deemed sufficient for national security. That's not going to be easy considering that the exempted countries account for about half of the steel that the U.S. imports. It forces other options to be used such as quotas.

Trump has said that the duration of the exemptions is contingent on the results of trade negotiations. It makes it appear that the tariffs weren't national security requirements but rather barganing chips for trying to renegotiate trade deals such as NAFTA and the free-trade pact between the U.S. and S. Korea.

Trump's approach has muddied the waters and created uncertainty in the international markets.



U.S. Exempts Some Allies From Tariffs, but May Opt for Quotas
By Jim Tankersley and Natalie Kitroeff
March 22, 2018

U.S. Exempts Some Allies From Tariffs, but May Opt for Quotas

excerpt:

"“Everyone is kind of freaking out,” said Philip K. Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association. He said he was waiting to see the final details of the policy but would have wanted the exclusions to be much more narrow. “This represents a lot of tons of imports that find their way to our shores, and this could have the effect of watering down” Mr. Trump’s trade action.

Imposing quotas would offer some help, Mr. Bell said, because without the limits, American companies would face incentives to start buying their steel from excluded countries and domestic mills would be right back where they were pre-tariffs. The exempted countries account for more than half of the $29 billion in steel sold to the United States in 2017."

 

Bipartisan Senate duo calls on Trump to back off Mueller
By ELANA SCHOR
03/27/2018 04:32 PM EDT
Updated 03/27/2018 05:28 PM EDT

Bipartisan Senate duo calls on Trump to back off Mueller

excerpt:

"Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) aligned with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) after weeks of downplaying the need for quick passage of their legislation designed to shield Mueller from being fired by Trump, who has repeatedly expressed frustration with the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Tillis and Coons' move comes one week after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivered their own gestures of support for Mueller — while not endorsing legislation to protect his work."

 

Scott Walker doesn't get his way in trying to continue to delay elections for two vacant state seats.

It's related to Trump in that a Democrat won a state Senate seat in a disctrict that Trump won by 17%.


Second judge denies Scott Walker’s request to delay special elections
A judge on Tuesday rejected Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s bid to avoid immediately calling special elections
Shira Tarlo
03.27.2018•6:40 PM

Second judge denies Scott Walker’s request to delay special elect...

excerpt:

"Two seats — one in the Wisconsin State Assembly and another in the state Senate — have been empty since December, when two Republican lawmakers resigned to take jobs in Walker's administration. The seats have remained empty despite a state law that requires that special elections be called as quickly as possible when a seat becomes vacant before the second Tuesday in May in a regularly scheduled election year.

But Walker has refused to call the election after Democrat Patty Schachtner won a special election for a state Senate seat in a district that has been held by Republicans for decades and won by Trump by 17 points in 2016."

 

The notion that the U.S. Defense Department can reallocate appropriated moneys for any purpose Trump wants is mistaken. If he tries it, it'll be shot down in court, unless he gets specific authorization from Congress. "Congressional budgeting is done with very specific instructions for how dollar amounts are spent. Any repurposing of funds requires express congressional approval, which Trump is unlikely to get." Trump suggests US military foot the bill for border wall

 

A spoof ad was posted on Craigslist to help a client who is known for being a compulsive liar and not paying his bills.


FUNNY: Craigslist DC Ad Seeks Lawyer For Trump
By Red Painter

FUNNY: Craigslist DC Ad Seeks Lawyer For Trump

"Seeking Lead Attorney For Difficult Client" was the title.

The text read:

“Seeking a lead attorney to represent client involved in an ongoing Federal investigation. Must be familiar with laws and procedures around discovery, executive privilege, international financing of licensed real estate, election law and the Logan Act. Working knowledge of social media, especially Twitter is a plus, as is a better than average knowledge of the adult film industry and a collection of Playboy magazines from 1985-2010. Must look the part – Gregory Peck or Tommy Lee Jones type. Prior appearances on Fox News a huge plus. No fatties.

 

‘Sometimes It Feels Like You’re The Only One Who Understands Me,’ Whispers Trump To White House Roach Infestation
The Onion
12/01/17 2:41pm

https://politics.theonion.com/sometimes-it-feels-like-you-re-the-only-one-who-unders-1820927327

WASHINGTON—Saying that its presence had been a valuable source of comfort at a difficult time, President Trump reportedly told the White House cockroach infestation on Friday that it alone truly understood him.

 

Circumvents!

 

There it is folks: We have solid proof of obstruction and we have solid proof of collusion. We also have pending proof arriving from Stormy Daniels on a DVD. Maybe Putin has another DVD?

 

This just in. Trump was witnessed just today pouring Russian dressing on his salad during lunch. Proof positive of Russian collusion.

 

Shulkin is now down the drain.

Trump nominates his physician Ron Jackson to head VA, the one who said Trump was a stable genius in excellent health who could live to be 200 if he didn't eat as much fast food.

Trump pushes out Shulkin at VA, nominates Jackson as replacement

 

Trump personal pilot under consideration for FAA chief: sources
David Shepardson
February 26, 2018 / 12:59 PM

Trump personal pilot under consideration for FAA chief: sources

 

Democrats are a threat to national security as it is

 

The USA has made war against lots of countries. Would you care to list them all for us? Do they think America is a threat?

 

Republicans are threat to the entire world.

 

not qualified

 

Trump seems to have a thing for young women who remind him of his daughter, including the ones with which he had extramarital affairs.


Former Disney star Caroline Sunshine joins Trump's press office
March 28, 2018

Former Disney actress joins White House

 

This coming from an admirer of Putin's best buddy.