Trump 2017: Year Zero

[allegate]

Here's where I'm concerned though:

Supreme Court.

First of all, I'm still utterly outraged over the Republicans refusing to do their job and deny President Obama his SCOTUS appointment. There should be a mandate that any staged block like that results in a forfeit of vote and those who are willing to do their job can proceed. Now, the right are going to have at LEAST one person to put on the bench; quite probably more than that. By 2020, the Supreme Court will be staggeringly conservative, and we'll be facing the repeal of hard-fought victories as well as the creation of new ass-backwards, precedent-setting cases. Especially from a civil rights perspective, we'll probably be knocked back for the foreseeable future.

Secondly, on a similar note, Republicans control everything on the federal level now. If it were a Democrat-controlled house or something, that would be one story. But the left has no stopping power now. Anything the right wants to do, they can. Sure, he's said a lot of whackadoodle stuff that'll never happen. But there's pretty much no one to stop him from doing what he does decide to push forward with. And that (in addition to his twitter feed and general temperament) is what worries me.

And are very close to controlling everything on a state level. What then? World domination?

[allegro]

Now, the right are going to have at LEAST one person to put on the bench; quite probably more than that. By 2020, the Supreme Court will be staggeringly conservative

Nobody on the SCOTUS is set to retire; unless RBG suddenly dies, everything is likely to remain status quo except for the Trump appointee.

Currently, the Court is split with 4 Liberals and 4 Conservatives.

Associate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan are on the Liberal side

Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Anthony Kennedy on the Conservative side.

HOWEVER, Justice Kennedy is often the "swing vote" toward the Liberal side (as he has been for abortion rights on several occasions, and that's not likely to change; he also voted in favor of gay marriage laws).

And with the ACA, Justices Roberts AND Kennedy have were the swing vote toward the Liberal side.

The Court still largely believes in Stare Decisis. Even with the Casey (post-Roe abortion decision), only one segment of the prior decision was updated due to new medical technology, etc., but the overall decision was upheld.

The Democrats had a "staggering" majority in 2008. Two years later, they lost it. Badly. Keep that in mind.

[theimage13]

Maybe it's just the pessimist in me, but I don't see RBG on the bench in four years. She's 83.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to her; she's got to be one of the most wonderful role models for young women. The fact that she's even there at 83 is a testament to how goddamn sharp her mind is, and that she's obviously a unique person.

Again, maybe it's pessimism. But the court will already lean right as soon as the new appointee is in place, and if RBG goes (retiring or otherwise), it'll be 6-3. So even if Kennedy "swings," it's still 5-4 to the right.

[allegro]

Maybe it's just the pessimist in me, but I don't see RBG on the bench in four years. She's 83.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to her; she's got to be one of the most wonderful role models for young women. The fact that she's even there at 83 is a testament to how goddamn sharp her mind is, and that she's obviously a unique person.

Again, maybe it's pessimism. But the court will already lean right as soon as the new appointee is in place, and if RBG goes (retiring or otherwise), it'll be 6-3. So even if Kennedy "swings," it's still 5-4 to the right.

She's 83 and she has law clerks and she's doing very well. She could live well into her 90s. Remember, too, that there is a bi-partisan Judicial committee (currently with Republican majority, natch) that has to consider any SCOTUS nominee; then, the Committee can refer the nominee to the full Senate for consideration. (Senate's job is "advice and consent" per the Constitution.) The 2017 Senate count is 51 Republican seats and 47 Democrat seats.

As far as The Wall: See this, and please DO be sure to read the comments because it shows what is outside of this echo chamber and reflects how Trump got into office.

[theimage13]

Jesus fucking Christ

[Louie_Cypher]

the conformation hearing's are funny I haven't seen a potential train-wreak like this, since gomez Adam's basementhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apKFRI4W-wA,
-louie

[aggroculture]

I am so angry at Republican voters who think any of this shit is good.

[Archive_Reports]

Jesus fucking Christ

The article does go on to outline that, despite what Trump suggests, Congress still has to approve the budget.

[theimage13]

The article does go on to outline that, despite what Trump suggests, Congress still has to approve the budget.

My reaction isn't because I think it's going to be a one-day stroke of the pen and it happens. My reaction is because it's even being discussed as an intention.

[Archive_Reports]

My reaction isn't because I think it's going to be a one-day stroke of the pen and it happens. My reaction is because it's even being discussed as an intention.

That's fair, but are the arts more important than a better universal healthcare system? (I know it's not a 1:1 comparison but money has to come from somewhere.)

[thevoid99]

Can we count the days of when the impeachment of Il Duce will come?

[marodi]

We could also count the days of when he's going to cause an international diplomatic incident.

[allegate]

That's fair, but are the arts more important than a better universal healthcare system? (I know it's not a 1:1 comparison but money has to come from somewhere.)

Healthy minds = healthy bodies, right? And I'm only sorta facetious.

[Your Name Here]

Less then 24 hours before the biggest joke with a four year punchline trashes the most prestigious elected office in the United States.

[Khrz]

That's fair, but are the arts more important than a better universal healthcare system? (I know it's not a 1:1 comparison but money has to come from somewhere.)

It was created during the depression as a means to create jobs, which produce wealth, which is re-injected in the economy. Culture is one of your most important assets, economically. Your music is as ubiquitous as your films, your books are sold worldwide. You need this asset to stay alive, to stay relevant. You need new blood constantly, you need incentives, you need to create sponsorship.
Otherwise, your culture will start to eat itself and recycle itself, and another region of the world will start to lead and become more interesting than you. And then, you'll just be a big country with a lot of guns.

When it comes to how much it costs, seriously, it has to be a drop in the ocean. You won't get a good healthcare because you save up on art. It's purely symbolical.

[sweeterthan]

Please tell me this is not real and is a bullshit rumor started by snarky planner. Because if it's real, I think my trump anxiety just jumped a couple notches.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/...source=copyurl
Let it be fake. Let it be fake.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[theimage13]

That's fair, but are the arts more important than a better universal healthcare system? (I know it's not a 1:1 comparison but money has to come from somewhere.)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Sorry, that's me reacting to the notion that he's working on a universal healthcare system.

[Archive_Reports]

@allegate Kinda?
@Khrz None of that is untrue. That said, a penny here a penny there...
@theimage13 I could be wrong but I don't believe the AHCA can just go away and am pretty sure that it has to be replaced with something else.

Look, I'm not saying I agree with anything that Trump is trying to do but, as @allegro pointed out, it can become a bit of an echo chamber in here.

[Khrz]

@Khrz None of that is untrue. That said, a penny here a penny there...

I'm sorry, but have you checked your military budget recently? You're a landlocked country with no enemies in direct vicinity, and the budget to re-enact Starship Troopers for real.

That kind of economy is a failure. Restricting government services, defunding cultural entities, its only patching tiny holes by creating breaches. You're not funding anything that way, and you're certainly not building a whole healtcare system out of quarters. Not that they announced they wanted to fund anything in the first place, mind you.

[Sutekh]

The USA? It isn't landlocked, it has two absolutely huge coasts bordering the Atlantic and Pacific, and Alaska is a stone's throw from Russia, who are approaching their centenary as its major military rival

[Khrz]

The USA? It isn't landlocked, it has two absolutely huge coasts bordering the Atlantic and Pacific, and Alaska is a stone's throw from Russia, who are approaching their centenary as its major military rival

Sorry, wrong word indeed, I meant the exact opposite. And yeah, Russia's your rival and who knows how this will escalate in the coming years, but it's not like they're lining their eastern border with tanks, are they?

I know the military analogy isn't the best one, but it was that : an analogy. On one hand you have a tiny artistic sponsorship getting defunded, on the other hand you have ridiculously huge security spendings. You're bleeding money in external and internal conflicts, but yeah, sure, let's cut down on culture, this should fix that.

It's moronic to think that such restrictions will even make a dent in the US economy. That's like treating a headache with aspirin and ignoring the internal bleeding.

I'm not even saying that military budgets should be reduced, I'm just saying that patching up stuff won't work. It's the illusion of action.

[tony.parente]

I didn't think I would be, but I'm legitimately sad today. This fuckin sucks.

[Swykk]

This fellow Hoosier is at the Inauguration. His timeline over the last day has been informative.

https://twitter.com/jysexton/status/822466347867271168

[Frozen Beach]

I know everybody knows CNN is awful, but I can't help but laugh at this

This fellow Hoosier is at the Inauguration. His timeline over the last day has been informative.

https://twitter.com/jysexton/status/822466347867271168

I find it odd how this guy hasn't tweeted any photos or videos of any of these things. If I were there, I'd be tweeting pictures like mad. Practically every cellphone has a camera nowadays.

[GulDukat]

I didn't think I would be, but I'm legitimately sad today. This fuckin sucks.

Yeah, sad day.

[GulDukat]

President Trump might want to read this:
http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fa...n-suit-jacket/

[ryanmcfly]

I still can't get over this shit.

[telee.kom]

Is murica still there guys?

[Sarah K]

Everyone remember to do your Planned Parenthood donations today, please. <3

[allegro]

President Trump might want to read this:
http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fa...n-suit-jacket/

My Boss and I have been laughing at Trump's too-long Big Top Clown Tie all morning.

And Kellyanne Conway is a human flag.