This is Our President

[gleem]

At a Women's History Month celebration event at the White House on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

 

[dlu]

Donald - 5, Elon - 14. Clearly a winner!

As a side thought, Trump could have, done and should have, since it would hilarious, and I am disappointed that he did not. That would be to pass along to all the fair ladies of America the advice given to the daughter of Lady Ellington when the young girl asked what to do if he, her suitor, tried for a kiss. "Well do what I did, my dear. Lie back and think of England!" Of course an American twist to the phrase would be most in the national interest.

 

[fresh_42]

I just realized that the difference between Trump and nowadays immigrants is merely 95 years:

Donald Trump was born in 1946 in the New York borough of Queens. He is the fourth of five children of American real estate entrepreneur Fred C. Trump (1905–1999) and Scottish fisherman's daughter Mary Anne MacLeod (1912–2000), who emigrated to the United States in February 1930 during the Great Depression.

We have a nice comment for such occasions:
"Die größten Kritiker der Elche waren früher selber welche!"
(The biggest critics of the moose used to be themselves a moose!)

 

[gleem]

At the National Republican Congressional Committee's dinner, Trump, in his typical brutish manner, insulted our trading partners with a "kissing my a..." remark.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/poli...c-president-dinner-tariff-negotiations-digvid

Trump continues to secure himself as the foremost ugly American, a disgrace to the office of the president and a clear and present danger to the US.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

At the National Republican Congressional Committee's dinner, Trump, in his typical brutish manner, insulted our trading partners with a "kissing my a..." remark.

It's so vile and embarassing

 

[fresh_42]

The real problem is that you can never trust the USA again since you will never know when such a moron will be elected again. If the office allows such arbitrariness on the part of its holder, then all planning horizons are reduced to four years. Compared to Trump, W. was a decent person.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Compared to Trump, W. was a decent person.

Having GWB would be an incredible upgrade, and I am no fan.

 

[fresh_42]

And I thought already this (@ 22 sec) was a diplomatic faux-pas:

 

[gleem]

Having GWB would be an incredible upgrade, and I am no fan.

I have come to appreciate the "classic" republican.

 

[gleem]

H L Mencken (1880 - 1956), a journalist and staunch conservative, remarked

"On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

He most likely was expecting a democrat to be this moron. Ha, Ha!

EDIT: He was down on democracy and was glad he was not a Republican, so he just expected some nitwick would be elected.

 

[Grinkle]

I have come to appreciate the "classic" republican.

Since 2016, I came to realize how petty my grievances were compared to the emotion I felt around prior presidents. They and I shared so many values that I simply took for granted or naively thought they didn't share. I didn't have any idea what naked narcissistic despotism looks like, and I'd take any of them back without a second thought, even Nixon, although that is not so clear cut for me as the others in my lifetime.

 

[gleem]

even Nixon, although that is not so clear cut for me as the others in my lifetime.

My father hated Nixon, going back to the Eisenhower administration, and referred to him as Eisenhower's hatchet man.
When Nixon was elected, I was very concerned, especially when he said that when the president does it, it is not illegal.

 

[Grinkle]

when he said that when the president does it, it is not illegal.

I agree with all of that, especially the last. He did resign, though. So he's better than Trump by a nose, in my book.

 

[Borg]

So he's better than Trump by a nose, in my book.

More like Pinocchio's nose in my book - assuming that Pinocchio told as many lies as the orange one.

 

[gleem]

More like Pinocchio's nose in my book

That's an interesting statement considering caricatures of Nixon take advantage of his nose.

 

[Klystron]

Since 2016, I came to realize how petty my grievances were compared to the emotion I felt around prior presidents. They and I shared so many values that I simply took for granted or naively thought they didn't share. I didn't have any idea what naked narcissistic despotism looks like, and I'd take any of them back without a second thought, even Nixon, although that is not so clear cut for me as the others in my lifetime.

Comparing Richard Nixon with djt illuminates several differences:

Nixon was an educated trained politician before becoming president working in Congress, as Governor of California, Dwight Eisenhower's VP. Trump pretended to be an exec on a dumb TV 'reality' show.

Nixon came from modest roots working as a child in his family's grocery store in Whittier CA, and slogging through law school. Trump was handed a privileged life that he squandered in hedonism.

Nixon served as a Navy supply officer during WWII in South Pacific theater. Trump dodged service during Vietnam War by paying for a phony deferment. (See 'cadet bonespurs'.)

Nixon recognized China as a vital ally during WWII and achieved strategic diplomatic and economic ties as President during the Cold War. Trump cannot pronounce "China" using it as scapegoat and bogeyman in endless verbal attacks during rallies.

 

[gleem]

To further add to Trump's dossier of incredible, disgusting behaviors, I found an article on how he treated his nephew Fred C. Trump III. From a Time article titled: My Uncle Donald Trump Told Me Disabled Americans Like My Son ‘Should Just Die’ https://time.com/7002003/donald-trump-disabled-americans-all-in-the-family/

Fred C Trump, III, the nephew of Donald, had a son, William, born in 1999, severely handicapped at birth with a neuological disease. At the age of 9, Fred sought the help of the Trump family for the care of William by setting up a fund for him. The Trump family, including Donald, was very supportive.

When Trump became president, Fred in January of 2020, sought to find a way to help handicapped children's families deal with such problems. A meeting was set up with then secretary of HHS, Azar, at the White House which went suprisingly well. Shortly before leaving the White House Fred was summoned to meet with Trump.

He sounded interested and even concerned. I thought he had been touched by what the doctor and advocates in the meeting had just shared about their journey with their patients and their own family members. But I was wrong.

“Those people . . . ” Donald said, trailing off. “The shape they’re in, all the expenses, maybe those kinds of people should just die.”

When Robert Trump, Donald's brother, died in August 2020, Eric, the funds administrator, said the fund was getting low. Also, it seemed some members of the Trump family were losing interest. Eric said to talk to Donald to make up for the decreasing interest, which he did. After explaining the situation

Donald took a second as if he was thinking about the whole situation.

“I don’t know,” he finally said, letting out a sigh. “He doesn’t recognize you. Maybe you should just let him die and move down to Florida.”

Wait! What did he just say? That my son doesn’t recognize me? That I should just let him die?

Did he really just say that? That I should let my son die . . . so I could move down to Florida?

Really?

It is interesting that in Trump's first term, he seemed interested in health programs. In his second term, he is cancelling ( or allowing to be canceled) some programs he had set up in his first term. Based on other comments as soldiers killed, wounded in action, or captured are losers, I am inclined nay forced to conclude He has no empathy and is more concerned with his wealth/power than anything. I believe that his first-term health programs were just politically expedient.

 

[fresh_42]

There are three things that would immediately end anybody's political career here in Germany:

- "You can grab their pussies."
- mocking a disabled person
- calling veterans "losers"

Just saying.

 

[Borg]

It used to be true here also.

 

[fresh_42]

It used to be true here also.

I'm not sure whether I have already told it, but I couldn't find it. So here it is.

We used to tell the following joke about the US-American election of a president. I invent any positions, they do not matter.

Candidate A wants stricter gun laws.
Candidate B wants ID taught at schools.
Candidate C wants to cut taxes.
Q: Who is going to be elected?
A: The one that didn't cheat on his wife.

Honestly? I miss those times when that joke had worked.

 

[Klystron]

It used to be true here also.

Agree, but noting a double standard applied to the best candidates (not only presidents).

Al Franken, a comic actor and comedy writer turned effective politician and Minnesota senator, removed himself from office after a tasteless but harmless sexualy explicit joke with a female colleague. Contrast Franken's ethical behavior with Trump's violent hateful remorseless attacks on women and young girls, literally bragging about forceful manipulation and rape.

Presidential candidate Gary Hart dropped his viable campaign in 1988 against VP George H.W. Bush after admitting to a consenual extra-marital love affair. Hart sought office after two terms in office from documented adulterer and divorcee Ronald Reagan. While still a 'B-list' actor, Reagan was infamous for organizing orgies and underage sex parties with pal Clark Gable attended by child actors .

Vietnam War veteran and climate activist Senator Al Gore was denied the presidency after winning the 2000 election by a corrupt Supreme Court decision following a virtual coup led by Florida Governor Jeb Bush that installed elder brother George W. Bush in office. "W" (Dubya) held the distiction as least effective president ever until Trump's disastrous first term (citations pending).

One could continue belaboring the point ad nauseum with examples from both political parties. without even touching on why America cannot elect a qualified woman presidential candidate.

 

[EricDMMiller]

What an infantile idiot.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5247755-trump-blames-biden-zelensky-ukraine-russia-war/

“The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine. I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “[Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, and everyone else, respected your President!”

Trump also blamed President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for “allowing this travesty to begin.”

“There were so many ways of preventing it from ever starting. But that is the past. Now we have to get it to STOP, AND FAST,” Trump added.

In comments to reporters in the Oval Office late Monday morning, Trump added Putin to the list of those at fault.

“Biden could have stopped it, and Zelenskyy could have stopped it, and Putin should have never started it,” Trump told reporters. “Everybody’s to blame.”

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

What an infantile idiot.

A soulless sociopath who will condemn millions of people just for a chance at getting the Trump Moscow building built someday.

 

[EricDMMiller]

No one is trying harder than him to "screw the US."

Trump Says Xi, Vietnam ‘Trying To Screw The U.S.’

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi on Monday, calling for unity against “unilateral bullying” by the U.S. tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Xi’s visit, marked by a 21-cannon salute, comes as China positions itself as a stable trade partner amid what it calls "erratic

tippinsights.com

 

[fresh_42]

No one is trying harder than him to "screw the US."

I read today that China has shifted its beef imports from the USA to Australia. Since I receive messages like this almost every hour, I didn't make the effort to fact-check it. It is at least plausible and very likely a trade worth billions. I assume that most US-American farmers have voted for him.

 

[jack action]

I didn't make the effort to fact-check it.

There you go:

Australian exports surge into gap as US-China tariffs beef heats up

Australian grain-fed beef exports to China are surging as the trade war with the US escalates, but some are warning of a bigger, more worrying picture.

www.abc.net.au

Not as clear-cut as "shifting import from ... to ..." though:

According to the US Meat Export Federation, American pork and poultry plants had their export registrations with China renewed on March 16, but China "had still not renewed the eligibility of any US beef establishments".

"The majority of US beef production is now ineligible for China," it said.

[...]

"If there's a tit-for-tat around the globe and countries like Japan or China push up reciprocal tariffs, it may prevent American beef becoming commercially viable into those regions [and] Australian beef will fill the gap, which could present a short-term opportunity," he said.

Global meat analyst Brett Stuart said Australia would be a clear winner going forward.

But:

Rabobank global strategist Michael Every said ongoing commentary about Trump's tariffs was missing the bigger picture.

Speaking at the Food Futures conference in Darwin this week, he said most nations, including Australia, had not grasped the seriousness of what was happening in the world.

"We're now in an era of economic statecraft where it's about national security and national interests, rather than inflation or a balanced budget. These are irrelevant points now," Mr Every said.

"Fundamentally, it will come down to the US trying to set terms to China, decouple where it can, and then saying to everyone else globally — and particularly in the West, like Australia — so, are you with us or not?

"And if you're not, well, good luck to you."

 

[Grinkle]

I assume that most US-American farmers have voted for him.

A sound assumption.

GRAPHIC: Trump support grew in America's top farming counties despite first-term trade war - Investigate Midwest

America’s most farming-dependent counties overwhelmingly backed President-elect Donald Trump in this year’s election by an average of 77.7%. Trump has appeared on three presidential ballots, beginning in 2016. In 2020 and 2024, he increased his support nationwide, topping 50% in this year’s...

investigatemidwest.org

======
America’s most farming-dependent counties overwhelmingly backed President-elect Donald Trump in this year’s election by an average of 77.7%.
======

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Farmers will be bailed out. No support will be lost.

 

[EricDMMiller]

The US can still show respect to at least one other nation.

US blocking G7 statement denouncing Russia's Sumy strike, Bloomberg reports

The U.S. has told the other G7 members it would not support a joint statement condemning Russia's deadly attack on Sumy last week so as not to disrupt peace efforts, Bloomberg reported on April 15, citing undisclosed sources.

kyivindependent.com

The U.S. has told the other G7 members it would not support a joint statement condemning Russia's deadly attack on Sumy last week so as not to disrupt peace efforts, Bloomberg reported on April 15, citing undisclosed sources.

 

[fresh_42]

The US can still show respect to at least one other nation.

Interesting excuse. At least the propaganda department of the regime works.