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3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#174926: Feb 18th 2017 at 10:55:47 AM

Apparently Mar-a-lago is 'The Southern White House' now.

"You can reply to this Message!"
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#174927: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:01:07 AM

Well, the Europeans have already noticed that the administration has a pattern of contradicting itself. Their probably just trying to keep Europe on the fishing line until they outlive their usefulness. Cross-posted from Europe thread
Trump Aides Try to Reassure Europe, but Many Are Wary

While President Trump has disrupted assumptions about American foreign policy, members of his cabinet have been scrambling to reassure allies that the United States remains a bedrock of support.
But every time they seemed to be getting traction in convincing skittish diplomats that Mr. Trump was not about to abandon decades of American national security policy, their boss did something in Washington that undercut their work.
The result has been confusion among global leaders about whom to believe when it comes to the direction of American national security.

The contradictions have abounded. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump seemed to abandon a broad international consensus on how to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians, asserting that he was not committed to a two-state solution. Twenty-four hours later, his United Nations envoy said, “We absolutely support a two-state solution,” adding that the administration simply wanted a “thinking out of the box” approach about resolving one of the world’s intractable conflicts.

The same day that Mr. Trump questioned the two-state approach, Mr. Mattis was at NATO headquarters telling allies that the commitment of the United States to NATO remained firm. But Mr. Mattis also echoed his boss when he warned that the United States might “moderate” its support if other member countries did not spend more on the military.
The next day, still at NATO, Mr. Mattis was back to saying that the American commitment to NATO was unshakable. He said the Trump administration’s “commitment to Article 5 remains solid,” referring to NATO’s principle that an attack on one is an attack on all.

What appeared to rattle people the most about Mr. Trump’s news conference on Thursday were his attacks on members of the news media assembled before him. Several diplomats said they worried that Mr. Trump was trying to discredit a tenet of American democracy — a free press — and in so doing, might embolden despots around the world into further challenges to freedom of the press.
In the crowded lounges and refined tearooms of Munich’s Hotel Bayerischer Hof, where leaders and top officials were mingling ...Overheard conversations included one in which one European official said that the United States was now on the list of “risk factors” for Europe, echoing a concern expressed two weeks earlier by Donald Tusk, head of the European Council.
German officials joked that American diplomats and civil service organizations could now qualify for German democracy funding — money designated for countries with struggling democratic institutions.

(Emphasis added)

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#174928: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:08:47 AM

Report: Norma McCarver, who went under the name of Jane Roe in Roe v Wade has passed away.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
HextarVigar That guy from The Big House Since: Feb, 2015
That guy
#174929: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:09:07 AM

I have to wonder if the news sites purposefully take effort to ensure that photos they post of Trump are timed in such a way that he looks either ugly, stupid or both.

Because that would be fucking awesome.

Your momma's so dumb she thinks oral sex means talking dirty.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#174930: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:10:58 AM

I don't think they have to. Trump is just not photogenic.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#174931: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:20:34 AM

Isn't Mc Cain helping drafting the Flynn-Russia ties investigation in the congress and pushing for the investigation to pass?

Inter arma enim silent leges
HextarVigar That guy from The Big House Since: Feb, 2015
That guy
#174932: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:21:22 AM

[up][up]Don't step on my dreams.

Your momma's so dumb she thinks oral sex means talking dirty.
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#174933: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:23:57 AM

Pro photographers take dozens of shots for every one that ends up in print; often the camera is programed to take 3+ snaps for every shutter press, so, say, if the subject happens to blink right at that moment, there should be at least one with their eyes open.

If someone told me they were deliberately picking the slightly less flattering ones to go to press with, I would probably believe it.

[up][up]His voting record so far is still in lock-step with the GOP, including Tillerson's confirmation. That's the main argument that his actions aren't backing up his words.

edited 18th Feb '17 11:29:10 AM by Elle

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#174934: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:36:54 AM

Apparently Mar-a-lago is 'The Southern White House' now.
Somewhat ironically, it was literally supposed to be. It was built in the 1920s by a wealthy heiress, who envisioned it as the Winter White House. She even willed it to the federal government after her death, but various presidents weren't really interested, so the government returned it to her estate rather than continue to pay upkeep for a mansion they weren't using. Trump bought it in the 80s.

The story of how Trump ended up with it is rather telling. The asking price was $20 million. He offered $15 million. They turned him down. Then he told them that he'd bought the land between Mar-a-Lago and the beach, and threatened to build on it in order to deliberately block Mar-a-Lago's ocean view. This was a lie — he hadn't actually bought that land — but it worked, and he bought Mar-a-Lago for less than $8 million. (He later actually bought the land in question, presumably so no one could use it against him.)

edited 18th Feb '17 11:37:51 AM by NativeJovian

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#174935: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:40:12 AM

@Angelus Nox: Mc Cain has approved every single one of Trump's moves save confirming Mulvaney, who wants to cut military spending. There is literally no difference between him and the whole pack of party line parasites lining up to get their plans rubber stamped.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#174936: Feb 18th 2017 at 11:42:09 AM

And if memory serves, Mar-a-Lago is also a security problem and a money pit in its new role.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
thatindiantroper Since: Feb, 2015
#174937: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:12:52 PM

[up] No shit. Turns out the President spends most of his time in all those fortified pre-approved locations for a reason.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#174938: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:13:26 PM

Choice of photo is one of the ways news media subtly influences the reaction the article receives. This has pretty much always been true, and it's done by just about everyone. It's basically Journalism 101. I'm writing an article to try and explain that Trump is a sneering bridge troll without coming out and just saying that, so I pick the photo that has his most bridge trolliest sneer.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#174939: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:18:08 PM

Again, not hard.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
theLibrarian Since: Jul, 2009
#174940: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:20:58 PM

Apparently Trump has spent 10 million on vacations already. In eight years Obama only cost the nation 96 million in vacation time, and that's not even counting the money we're spending to protect the "First Lady" and her son in New York.

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#174942: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:24:14 PM

CBS News is reporting Trump's navy secretary Philip Bilden is on the verge of withdrawing; White House denies it.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#174943: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:29:08 PM

[up][up]I can't be the only one who finds that fucking alarming, can I? Calling for mindless and total obstructionism, and attempting to primary anyone who's into actually considering their votes strikes me as an excellent way of ensuring the Democrats will end up being just as crazy as the GOP.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#174944: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:29:21 PM

[up][up][up]Bless.

[up]Trump bad.

edited 18th Feb '17 12:30:03 PM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#174945: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:30:08 PM

Saw on the news that General Petreaus turned down his nomination for national security adviser for the same reason as the previous guy: he would apparently not be allowed to hire his own staff. Guys, it's almost like Trump doesn't want his people to have competent and agreeable support around them while they do their incredibly important jobs.

IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#174946: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:31:03 PM

[up][up][up]I'm alarmed too.

Mandatory "Fuck TYT and their 'Justice Democrats' nonsense" goes here.

edited 18th Feb '17 12:31:32 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#174947: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:38:09 PM

And, I mean, the vast majority of Congressmen are already voting along party lines almost every time. Even if I agreed with the goal, it still wouldn't be important enough to be worth funnelling money and effort into.

edited 18th Feb '17 12:39:38 PM by Gilphon

HextarVigar That guy from The Big House Since: Feb, 2015
That guy
#174948: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:38:40 PM

So... what it like having your very first sociopath as a president?

Your momma's so dumb she thinks oral sex means talking dirty.
IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#174949: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:44:48 PM

[up][up]Yes, that's it. And if the Dems have to let a blue dog or two (Hi Manchin) vote with the reps some times so they can keep their seats until they get a majority, let them vote with Trump. Now, if they're from a safe blue state/district and then sure, primary the fuck out of them.

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#174950: Feb 18th 2017 at 12:51:08 PM

On the one hand, f*ck Trump.

On the other hand, the last thing we need is to become He Who Fights Monsters.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.

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