The Trump Presidency
- Thread starter AWP
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So this may be one of the most frightening things I have read -
Donald Trump's power to enforce travel ban 'cannot be questioned' insists Stephen Miller, in talk-show debut that delighted his boss
“Our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see, as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned,” said Stephen Miller, Mr Trump’s senior policy director.
Donald Trump's power to enforce travel ban 'cannot be questioned' insists Stephen Miller, in talk-show debut that delighted his boss
“Our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see, as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned,” said Stephen Miller, Mr Trump’s senior policy director.
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I thought this was an interesting and more in-depth look at theoretical in-fighting in the Trump administration over LTG(R) Flynn's resignation and the very real speculation and faction-fighting outside the administration.
The Nationalist Right Is Coming for Priebus
The problem of course with reporting like this is it's relying on 'inside' sources with their own agendas and 'outside' sources who are interpreting and acting according to both an agenda and a pre-conceived idea of how everything fits together - which may or may not align to reality. In that way it's very similar to diplomatic relations - everybody is acting on signals, assumptions, and goals - but they don't necessarily interpret all of it the same way.
Still, I think given President Trump's penchant for taking on talking points from media that supports him - like Brietbart - I think it's a reasonable assumption to say the battle lines over the increasing evidence/leaks of Russian interference are shaping up. The administration, and supportive media, may be inclined to take the position they are under attack from the IC - and the continuous leaks will only bolster that feeling/narrative on the part of the administration.
I guess if you've had any experience in MI you should get your application for SES in the IC ready to go - that type of fight means a lot of senior civilian vacancies in the upper echelons of the IC.
The Nationalist Right Is Coming for Priebus
The problem of course with reporting like this is it's relying on 'inside' sources with their own agendas and 'outside' sources who are interpreting and acting according to both an agenda and a pre-conceived idea of how everything fits together - which may or may not align to reality. In that way it's very similar to diplomatic relations - everybody is acting on signals, assumptions, and goals - but they don't necessarily interpret all of it the same way.
Still, I think given President Trump's penchant for taking on talking points from media that supports him - like Brietbart - I think it's a reasonable assumption to say the battle lines over the increasing evidence/leaks of Russian interference are shaping up. The administration, and supportive media, may be inclined to take the position they are under attack from the IC - and the continuous leaks will only bolster that feeling/narrative on the part of the administration.
I guess if you've had any experience in MI you should get your application for SES in the IC ready to go - that type of fight means a lot of senior civilian vacancies in the upper echelons of the IC.
Seems to me that house cleaning should include a few mid ranking intel folk too.
I think counterintuitively the administration would run into more problems there - unless their leak-identifying efforts prove more fruitful. As much as Brietbart is peddling these supposed 'sleeper cells' the reality is that the federal workforce has almost union-like protections when it comes to firing. I think the administration would need significant support from congress to get laws changed to do the kind of layoffs necessary to get a massive exodus.
Senior leadership on the other hand is much more vulnerable to be fired or undermined enough to resign through executive action - especially in the DNI and CIA.
It could be the exodus you describe could arise on a voluntary, or semi-voluntary basis as people in the IC become disillusioned or just don't want to work in the administration in any capacity - as I believe there are some rumblings about at the DOS.
Senior leadership on the other hand is much more vulnerable to be fired or undermined enough to resign through executive action - especially in the DNI and CIA.
It could be the exodus you describe could arise on a voluntary, or semi-voluntary basis as people in the IC become disillusioned or just don't want to work in the administration in any capacity - as I believe there are some rumblings about at the DOS.
It is moments like these where I miss Dylan Ratigan the main stream news channels. Lol he pissed off MSNBC so much
. I wish he still had his show, I am positive he could provide the proper outrage. This epic rant sealed his fate 
. I wish he still had his show, I am positive he could provide the proper outrage. This epic rant sealed his fate The real story behind Mike Flynn's resignation.
Flynn resigns after Mattis and Kelly repeatedly steal his lunch money
Kelly was accused of pushing the national security adviser to tears during a national security briefing after detailing a racy encounter he allegedly had with a Russian mail-order bride that turned out to be Flynn’s mother.
“Those guys are just dicks,” said Flynn. “I quit.”
Flynn resigns after Mattis and Kelly repeatedly steal his lunch money
Kelly was accused of pushing the national security adviser to tears during a national security briefing after detailing a racy encounter he allegedly had with a Russian mail-order bride that turned out to be Flynn’s mother.
“Those guys are just dicks,” said Flynn. “I quit.”
Soooooo, President Trump's Whitehouse runs like a "machine".
Except for the international faux pas. And the whole "Nominees keep resigning" thing. And the blatant ethical violations. And the fact that his aides had contact (how much is fake news, depending) with Russia during the election.
It's like he is on his own planet.
Except for the international faux pas. And the whole "Nominees keep resigning" thing. And the blatant ethical violations. And the fact that his aides had contact (how much is fake news, depending) with Russia during the election.
It's like he is on his own planet.
I thought "I can't believe I'm saying I'm a politician but I guess that's what I am now" should make it into some quote books.
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Here we go again:-" How soon we forget our history.... - Charles W. Freeman Jr - antisemetic stance
- Bill Richardson - Federal corruption probe
- Tom Daschle - Tax evasion, ethics
There was one more that withdrew, but I cannot find it at this time and don't want to do further research at the moment. The point to this being that it is funny how we forget our own history when pointing the finger at the other side from the supposed moral high ground. It is not uncommon, at all, for the first 100 days of ANY presidency to be rocky as leaks are plugged and people are appointed. In all actuality, this first 100 days is going better than I can remember them going, then again I admit I am biased. :troll:
You are completely right about the nominees getting shot down, but this flood of leaks within the first month of an administration is pretty unprecedented. Not only that, but it's very unusual for a new administration to lose a court challenge within its first 100 days, even one that moves as quickly as Trump's. Moreover, if the Senate Intelligence committee moves forward with its investigation (as Mitch McConnell has indicated) then we're truly in unprecedented territory.
For the Dashcle nominee, the previous administration was quoted as saying
- Charles W. Freeman Jr - antisemetic stance
- Bill Richardson - Federal corruption probe
- Tom Daschle - Tax evasion, ethics
There was one more that withdrew, but I cannot find it at this time and don't want to do further research at the moment. The point to this being that it is funny how we forget our own history when pointing the finger at the other side from the supposed moral high ground. It is not uncommon, at all, for the first 100 days of ANY presidency to be rocky as leaks are plugged and people are appointed. In all actuality, this first 100 days is going better than I can remember them going, then again I admit I am biased. :troll:
Also former SEAL and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, who was reportedly going to replace Mike Flynn as National Security Adviser to the administration, has reportedly turned down the job.
Vice Admiral Robert Harward turns down national security adviser job
Vice Admiral Robert Harward turns down national security adviser job
I think too, the historically low approval ratings - and high disapproval ratings (by intensity) from the other side are pretty unprecedented. However, I don't know if that would have been the result of the election regardless of the victor given the level of divisiveness during the election cycle - and the reputations of the two candidates in the opposing parties. It could be the 'honeymoon period' is a thing of the past in general.
I also think, at least by the numbers I've seen, the administration might not be that worried about the approval rating. I've seen numbers as high as 55 percent (which is very good for a President at any stage) but the consensus numbers are around 44 percent (which, though bad for the start of the first term are not terrible general numbers - believe President Obama hovered around this number for much of his two terms).
I think the real measure of the administration's success will be taken as congress comes back into session. It's hard to tell how many of the missteps so far are an administration in turmoil and how much are just the adjustments of a politically inexperienced, revanchist, populist administration and all that entails in the modern era. There was a politico article I saw the other day arguing that the administration really hadn't done that much so far: President Trump Has Done Almost Nothing
I definitely wouldn't go as far as the author but there is a case to be made that most of the executive actions so far have amounted to changes of intent, style, and tone - that have had only marginal impact on the actual running of the country.
I think there are a lot of consequences brewing in the conduct of the executive - especially in the national security/intelligence arena. I think everyone involved is in for a bad time given the rampant leaks, mistrust, and dishonesty abounding. I think whatever your 'side' in all that drama (and I think there is much more than two) there are going to be 2nd and 3rd order effects for the entire community that will last for years. It reinforces the idea to me that if you're in the IC, LE or military stay out of politics as much as possible - even when you're 100% sure you're correct.
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I agree with everything except the court challenge. It is unprecedented for an executive order to have been challenged so quickly. It usually takes weeks or months to go before a court. Something that I cannot recall happening in the previous administration. I could be wrong, I just cannot recall an instance. Additionally, the circuit that issued the ruling had a 70-80% overturn rate when appealed. It is all about the long game when it comes to court matters.
The discussion has moved on but if I can necro-post I thought this was a very well-written and easy to understand breakdown on the administration of the federal government and the pros/cons of the federal hiring freeze.
Well worth a read if government reform and/or function is something that interests you: 10 questions and answers about America’s “Big Government” | Brookings Institution
Summary: In the aggregate the federal workforce does ok - or at least better than the alternatives. Most of government runs on a proxy workforce in the states, for-profit contractors, and not-for-profit (but still lobbying like motherfuckers just like the other groups) NGOs.
Well worth a read if government reform and/or function is something that interests you: 10 questions and answers about America’s “Big Government” | Brookings Institution
Summary: In the aggregate the federal workforce does ok - or at least better than the alternatives. Most of government runs on a proxy workforce in the states, for-profit contractors, and not-for-profit (but still lobbying like motherfuckers just like the other groups) NGOs.
Just read this and it puts firmly my thoughts on the "leaks". I don't agree with the authors politic stance but he makes a strong point on the dysfunction in the IC. I'd say a good bunch of us have professional experience in said world or at least have held a security clearance. We know that it's not our place to "leak" anything to anyone.
America's spies anonymously took down Michael Flynn. That is deeply worrying.
America's spies anonymously took down Michael Flynn. That is deeply worrying.
All the people I expected to hire me when I retire are quitting/not joining the government. I'm going to have to get a real job. WTF.
Your just need to make new friends.
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