The Former Trump Presidency Thread

[Holman]

Speaking of Culture War...

Utah Republicans are so thankful to President Trump for dramatically reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, that they are trying to rename a scenic Utah National Parks Highway the Donald J. Trump Utah National Parks Highway. Democrats says that if the bill reaches the state Senate they will propose an amendment to name the highway’s frontage road the “Stormy Daniels rampway”.

[Kraken]

I celebrate that there are so many people that will spend the next seven years obsessing over Trump.

Translation: I enjoy seeing and making people angry.

I was the same way when I was 9 and hated the world because I thought my life sucked. I figured that if people weren't going to like me, I'd just enjoy pissing them off. Then I grew up.

This seems to be a common theme on the right. Liberals hate all sorts of perceived injustices, both real and imagined. Conservatives hate liberals. It's weird. I can't really think of and critical mass of lefties celebrating a victory specifically because it angers the right, but it sure does seem like "getting" the lefties is a major concern on the other side.

Conservatives feel that liberals have owned the culture for two or three generations now (depending on whether you count back to the 1960s or the Scopes Monkey Trial), so "owning" them counts as striking a blow in the Culture War.

They also have an abiding fear that somebody, somewhere, is getting something they didn't work for and don't need...unless that someone is a millionaire, in which case it's nature's way.

[pr0ner]

[Kurth]

I just read that complaint. It's for a freaking DJ. How on earth is there an actual case or controversy here? Certainly not as alleged on these facts.

From a legal perspective, this is complete and utter horseshit.

From and entertainment perspective, I could not love this more. In order to fight this - and to establish that there's no case or controversy - Trump and Co. are going to have to make some very uncomfortable non-assertions.

Where's that damn popcorn eating Smilie when I need it.

[Rip]

I want a DJ.


What is a DJ?

[Kurth]

I want a DJ.


What is a DJ?

Declaratory Judgment.

Boiled down, if someone's been threatening to sue you, you can say F you and sue them first, asking a court to resolve the dispute.

Google Damocles' Sword. That's pretty much it.

[El Guapo]

I just read that complaint. It's for a freaking DJ. How on earth is there an actual case or controversy here? Certainly not as alleged on these facts.

From a legal perspective, this is complete and utter horseshit.

From and entertainment perspective, I could not love this more. In order to fight this - and to establish that there's no case or controversy - Trump and Co. are going to have to make some very uncomfortable non-assertions.

Where's that damn popcorn eating Smilie when I need it.

The main way I can see where that could *possibly* make sense is that she wants to write a book (which makes sense), but publishers are reluctant to touch it for (reasonable) fear that Trump will sue the pants off of them, and clearing out the NDA could help with that.

Also she may want the press, but she has press already, and this seems like an expensive way to get more.

[Zarathud]

Getting this out in public (including the complete "Hush Agreement") via a Declaratory Judgment on whether Trump's failure to sign the agreement invalidated the entire contract is just ...awesome strategy. In order to respond, Trump would have to admit the payoff that he's trying to cover up -- and that Mr. Cohen was authorized to act on his behalf.

Stormy is definitely writing a book and pushing against the bullying. That's the only thing that makes sense, and she was very well-coached in her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Avenatti brings serious legal firepower.

[Kurth]

I just read that complaint. It's for a freaking DJ. How on earth is there an actual case or controversy here? Certainly not as alleged on these facts.

From a legal perspective, this is complete and utter horseshit.

From and entertainment perspective, I could not love this more. In order to fight this - and to establish that there's no case or controversy - Trump and Co. are going to have to make some very uncomfortable non-assertions.

Where's that damn popcorn eating Smilie when I need it.

The main way I can see where that could *possibly* make sense is that she wants to write a book (which makes sense), but publishers are reluctant to touch it for (reasonable) fear that Trump will sue the pants off of them, and clearing out the NDA could help with that.

Also she may want the press, but she has press already, and this seems like an expensive way to get more.

That all makes sense as far as her motivation (more press, a forthcoming book or movie or exclusive story, etc). It just doesn’t make it an “actual controversy” that would qualify the case for a declaratory judgment.

What’s even more odd to me is that I would have expected Trump/Cohen would have sent her a cease and desist letter the minute they caught wind of her plans to go public. If she already got that letter, or even a phone call to that effect, why isn’t it mentioned in the complaint? If she didn’t get it yet, why not make her plans clear and wait for the inevitable heavy-handed C&D letter.

Unless, she’s been trying to provoke the letter and Trump won’t take the bait. That seems way too smart and measured for team Trump, but it really is their best play. Ignore this. Don’t lie about it. Just refuse to discuss it and discount its relevance and importance. After all, no crime was committed, and is anyone at all - even his most ardent supporters - surprised Trump would be unfaithful or that he’d do it with a porn star?

He should move to dismiss, arguing he doesn’t care about Stormy or her story and isn’t about to distract his attention and efforts from the bang-up job he’s doing running our country into the ground.

But what he actually does . . .

[Zarathud]

The controversy is the attempt to avoid enforcement in arbitration and to speak without fear of liability under an invalid contract. Hence the statements about threats and attempted arbitration.

Her TV appearances were to force Cohen into actIon. Crazy. I wonder if her lawyer is connected with Kimmel.

[GungHo]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

The "hush agreement," as it's called in the suit, refers to Trump throughout as David Dennison, and Clifford as Peggy Peterson. In the side letter agreement, the true identity of DD is blacked out, but Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, says the individual is Trump.

Rather unusual name choice by Ms. Daniels/Clifford/Peterson given the, ahem, 'loaded' connotations in her chosen trade.

[em2nought]

The take away from all of this will be "do not dare challenge the status quo of our Federal government", Bernie if he hadn't had his party's nomination stolen from him before he even had a chance would be running into the same type of obstacles no doubt. Maybe his obstacles wouldn't be saline or silicone filled though. lol

[Holman]

Yeah, that's it. Trump is a heroic challenger of the "status quo" or something.

White nationalism is a helluva drug.

[Zarathud]

Where do you get Trump challenging the status quo except from Russian propaganda?

Trump is in constant trouble for covering up sleeping with pornstars, shady financial deals, cooperating with the Russians, stupid tweetstorms, and running his cabinet like the Apprentice. That isn't challenging the status quo, that's being Trump. All signature Trump character problems that should have been obvious during the campaign.

[Holman]

Well, he *is* challenging the status quo of norms and traditions that have kept us from authoritarianism.

I don't follow the fascist websites, but maybe over there "the status quo of our Federal government" is what prevents Trump from jailing Clinton or Alabama from declaring itself Whites Only.

[Zarathud]

Numberg's admission that Trump planned to lose then endorse Hillary has been lost in the chaos. Trump never planned to challenge the status quo -- he intended to use the gullibility of his supporters for publicity.

[LordMortis]

I tend to concur with Holman. The status quo has been shaken up in that "Christian" extremist white nationalists continue to be emboldened as if they have a neocalvinistc birthright to bring about genocide and their rapture and yet aren't being bitch slapped. That Florida shooter kid isn't being called a NAZI terrorist because the there is an on going investigation blows my mind. It is most definitely a shameful change in the status quo.

I'm all about questioning the dominant paradigm. But stupid is as stupid does.

[Isgrimnur]

I don't follow the fascist websites, but maybe over there "the status quo of our Federal government" is what prevents ... Alabama from declaring itself Whites Only.

Maybe Alabama shouldn't have imported all those black people.

[Holman]

I love how the Stormy Daniels story keeps falling off the front page, and then gets jacked right up again.

Yesterday Sarah Sanders got so flustered that she denied that Trump had ever had any relationship with Sanders, then claimed that he had won against her in arbitration.

On Wednesday, Sanders told reporters that the arbitration was won "in the President's favor." The statement is an admission that the nondisclosure agreement exists, and that it directly involves the President. It is the first time the White House has admitted the President was involved in any way with Daniels.

[malchior]

I read somewhere that the "win" was a one-party order from the arbitrator and the lawsuit she filed alleges they weren't informed of the process. Or something along those lines. So much winning!

[gilraen]

I love how the Stormy Daniels story keeps falling off the front page, and then gets jacked right up again.

Yesterday Sarah Sanders got so flustered that she denied that Trump had ever had any relationship with Sanders, then claimed that he had won against her in arbitration.

On Wednesday, Sanders told reporters that the arbitration was won "in the President's favor." The statement is an admission that the nondisclosure agreement exists, and that it directly involves the President. It is the first time the White House has admitted the President was involved in any way with Daniels.

Yeah, and apparently Trump is furious with Sarah Sanders for saying that. Twitter is starting to predict the over/under odds of Sanders being replaced by the end of the month

[Hetz]

Yeah, that was a pretty big admission by Sanders. Just remember, there is no chaos! Everyone wants to work there.

Eagerly awaiting the complete clusterf@#k that the Video Game violence meeting will be this afternoon.

[Skinypupy]

Eagerly awaiting the complete clusterf@#k that the Video Game violence meeting will be this afternoon.

The video game meeting is a very transparent ploy to move the discussion away from guns and find another scapegoat. Nothing will come of it, there will be a lot of bluster and blame, and it will all be forgotten by tomorrow.

However, it will accomplish it's primary purpose, which is to assure his base that they are "looking at all solutions"...except any sort of gun control.

[Hetz]

Eagerly awaiting the complete clusterf@#k that the Video Game violence meeting will be this afternoon.

The video game meeting is a very transparent ploy to move the discussion away from guns and find another scapegoat. Nothing will come of it, there will be a lot of bluster and blame, and it will all be forgotten by tomorrow.

However, it will accomplish it's primary purpose, which is to assure his base that they are "looking at all solutions"...except any sort of gun control.

Yep, exactly. Just throw this bone to the base. I mean, what a joke its going to be. They have Brent Bozell and Lt. Dave Grossman (Ret.) at the meeting. It just shows that it is not a serious discussion that is going to happen. Let the Culture Wars commence!

[Skinypupy]

Read yesterday that Jack Thompson (remember him?) was going to be there too.

[Zaxxon]

Read yesterday that Jack Thompson (remember him?) was going to be there too.

Nothing like including a disbarred attorney to show how serious you're taking something.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Read yesterday that Jack Thompson (remember him?) was going to be there too.

Did you read that here?, cause that was (I hope!) just a joke.

[Skinypupy]

Read yesterday that Jack Thompson (remember him?) was going to be there too.

Did you read that here?, cause that was (I hope!) just a joke.

No, Kotaku was talking about it yesterday. Looks like he didn't make the cut though

UPDATE (3/8, 7:49am): Finally, via Jake Tapper, here is the full list of attendees:

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)

Representative Martha Roby (R-AL)

Strauss Zelnick, CEO Take-Two Interactive

Brent Bozell, Media Research Center

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, author of “Assassination Generation: Video Games, Aggression, and the Psychology of Killing”

Pat Vance, president of Entertainment Software Rating Board

Mike Gallagher, President and CEO of ESA

Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of Zenimax

Melissa Henson, Parents Television Council

[malchior]

Oh great - the trade war is on. Good lord is this guy a fucking moron. That said, we were overdue for a recession anyway. I don't want it but if it does I'd love for him to take the blame on it instead of lucking out and having it hit 2nd term.

Also this:

Trump: Your father, Herman, is looking down. He's very proud of you right now.

Steelworker: Oh, he's still alive.

[msteelers]

There’s a chance this is the final nail in my step-fathers business. He owns a machine shop. We’ve been extremely slow since February. Slow enough that I haven’t worked more than 7 days since the end of January.

Already the cost of steel and aluminum has jumped up making it impossible for us to be competitive with our quotes. Not that there is a lot of jobs coming in anyway. The sense is that our customers are in a holding pattern until they see how this plays out.

It’s certainly not a good thing. While I only work a couple of hours a day there, and use the pay mainly for groceries, the rest of my family would be severely hurt if the shop closed.

[Kraken]

Well, try to look at the bright side: At least when you aren't making things any more, it's American steel you won't be using.

[Rip]

Do you think the US & China should have equal & fair rules for cars? Meaning, same import duties, ownership constraints & other factors.

For example, an American car going to China pays 25% import duty, but a Chinese car coming to the US only pays 2.5%, a tenfold difference

Also, no US auto company is allowed to own even 50% of their own factory in China, but there are five 100% China-owned EV auto companies in the US

[Smoove_B]

I like when he makes threats:

President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down the government rather than fund the Gateway Tunnel project, according to a published report.

Trump said he would veto legislation funding the government through Sept. 30 if it included money for a new tunnel linking New Jersey and Manhattan, according to Politico, which cited multiple sources.

[Isgrimnur]

What, does he not own any property that would skyrocket in value if it were done?

[hepcat]

It’s a potential escape route for Melania.

[Defiant]

Congressional Republicans threaten action over Trump’s tariffs

Republicans on Capitol Hill reacted angrily to President Donald Trump's announcement Thursday that he is going forward with new tariffs on steel and aluminum, arguing that the move will harm the economy and that it threatens to start a broader trade war.

And while there are limits to what they can do to stop it, members are contemplating measures that could block the president from fully implementing his proposal.

[Smoove_B]

This is their red line? After all he's said and done, this is when they're finally going to retaliate?

[Kraken]

This is their red line? After all he's said and done, this is when they're finally going to retaliate?

Trump has served his purpose. After tax reform was in the bag, it was bound to be something. Might as well be this.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Anything they pass he could just veto, right? Or, like the Russia
sanctions bill, sign it and then just not enforce it.

[Alefroth]

This is their red line? After all he's said and done, this is when they're finally going to retaliate?

No.