Asshole GOP wants to gut ethics office.

[Brian37]

Oh no, he may think we will forget but plenty of people on social media know this is simply a stunt, and act on Trump's part and they will try to get back to destroying the OCE when they think nobody is looking. That is really what Trump meant but we are not fooled by him looking like he wants to take credit for it.

You're going to have to get used to Trump taking credit for shit.  Not only does he have a natural compulsion...that's pretty much been what presidents do.  OFC "they" will destroy the OCE, but not Trump...he;s not a part of their little club.  He accidentally tossed in a temporary wrench looking to score some good press.  That's it, that's all.

NO not in my history have I seen a politician not even taken his first oath, rise to the level of narcissism he has. Yes, I am used to media and surrogates putting spin on things, but Trump is way different and way beyond any ego I have ever seen in my observation of politics. This isn't spin for him, this is flat out lying over and over, and repeatedly beyond gaffs or spin. 5 years of birth bullshit. Scapegoating Mexicans, Refugees, Vets, entire countries and religions, having a public fight with intel agencies, has half his voters convinced that he won the pop vote. 

No, sorry but he ran for the GOP and BOTH would love nothing more than to be the foxes guarding the hen house.

[Aegon]

I strongly recommend:
The Dictator's Handbook
Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics

Santa (my son) got it for me for Christmas and I'm only half way through.
The main thrust is really simple:
If you want power there are things you have to do, mostly nasty.
If you have power and want to keep it, there are things you have to do, mostly nasty.
If you don't want power, you can complain and remain impotent.

I think Machiavelli already said that, like, 500 years ago.

[Tonus]

Good.  Maybe the shithead-elect isn't a complete asshole after all.

Errr... maybe. His tweets were as follows:

With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it
........may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!

If I'm reading them right, he thinks the Independent Ethics Watchdog is "unfair" but dealing with it should take a backseat to tax reform, healthcare, and other things.

So it's entirely possible that they'll find the time to 'weaken' the IEW once they deal with a few of his pet agenda issues.

[Jackalope]

Good.  Maybe the shithead-elect isn't a complete asshole after all.

Errr... maybe.  His tweets were as follows:

With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it
........may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!

If I'm reading them right, he thinks the Independent Ethics Watchdog is "unfair" but dealing with it should take a backseat to tax reform, healthcare, and other things.

So it's entirely possible that they'll find the time to 'weaken' the IEW once they deal with a few of his pet agenda issues.

I don't disagree. I simply said that maybe he isn't a complete asshole. I'm not holding out too much hope.

[Pat Mustard]

Um, wut?

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/politics/o...amendment/

To be honest, it would seem that Trump is the man we can thank for this, after his latest string of tweets. But I have a feeling they'll go ahead with this plan at a later date once everyone forgets about it.

Oh yeah they'll have a quiet word with Trump explaining how making it easier for them to loot the country also makes easier for him to loot the country, and it'll be quietly passed six months down the line.

Either that or it was a gimme thrown to Trump to try and paper over the fact that his definition of drain the swamp is "spread rancid slurry all over the standing water", just giving him an easy target to attack on the proviso that he doesn't shout when they reintroduce it when the furore dies down.

Either way Trump gets undeserved kudos and the Republitraitors get their free pass a little later.

[Brian37]

Errr... maybe.  His tweets were as follows:


If I'm reading them right, he thinks the Independent Ethics Watchdog is "unfair" but dealing with it should take a backseat to tax reform, healthcare, and other things.

So it's entirely possible that they'll find the time to 'weaken' the IEW once they deal with a few of his pet agenda issues.

I don't disagree.  I simply said that maybe he isn't a complete asshole.  I'm not holding out too much hope.

Yes he is a complete asshole. This was NOT him standing up to the GOP, this was merely "Hey GOP don't tip your hand so quickly, lets fuck them over when they are distracted by me bitching about SNL picking on me"

I am not kidding one bit here. In real life, his dad verbally if not also physically abused him when he failed. That drive to please his dad turned him into a bully. He is not your average sociopath. He is a selfish narcissist and insecure bully.

JFK never ran a campaign like that, Reagan didn't and Bush Sr and Jr didn't nor Romney. Trump IS a despot's political playbook. The GOP won riding his wave. If we are lucky in 4 to 8 years it will only be another Bush bubble. 

We have seen this script of political demagoguery in the past, and it never ends well long term.

[Autumnlicious]

Anyone consider that Paul Ryan, after losing control of the GOP, asked Donald for some management firepower?

He stuck with Trump the entire time - he may have increased his standing with Mr. Trump through that, enough so that he could ask for a precision Twitter strike on demand.

[Brian37]

Anyone consider that Paul Ryan, after losing control of the GOP, asked Donald for some management firepower?

He stuck with Trump the entire time - he may have increased his standing with Mr. Trump through that, enough so that he could ask for a precision Twitter strike on demand.

What primaries were you watching? Everyone was trying to stab Trump to death during the primaries, problem for them is that he had a bigger knife. They all now care more about keeping power than anything resembling a conscious.

[Autumnlicious]

After Trump won the primary, Ryan effectively answered to the effect of "I disagree with him but I still support him as our party nominee" for every Trump fuckup.

Ryan and the other leading GOP members didn't want to vote on this but it happened anyways. Until, that is, Donald Twitterred. I wonder if the GOP has trouble keeping their members in line.

[Tonus]

I wonder if the GOP has trouble keeping their members in line.

We'll find out soon enough. Due to recent changes, his cabinet picks only need 51 Senate votes for confirmation. So it should be smooth sailing... right?