Trump in Control at the White House? (plus Tweets)

by | Jan 10, 2018 | Tweets, US Politics | 27 comments

The more I do these tweets posts, the more I find the USA is dominating them.

When I began this website, I didn’t expect to be writing so much about the US. My plan was to focus on international politics in general, especially how that’s effected by religion and how it effects women. Of course, the US is a huge player in world events so they were always going to be a big part of things.

Then Donald Trump happened. Whatever you think of him, he’s impossible to ignore. He’s going to dominate the narrative for some time to come. Even as he pulls the US back from its traditional role of leadership of the free world, some the fault lines that’s putting pressure on are reaching breaking point. When he gets involved, as with North Korea, it’s even worse.

I’m starting to think I need to greatly expand my knowledge of US history and politics in an attempt to be a better commentator on what’s happening there. The American century may be over, but they’re going to continue to dominate world affairs at least in my lifetime. I don’t feel up to the task of properly analysing that currently. I need to know more and read more.

Trump’s own lack of knowledge was one of the main themes of Michael Wolff’s new book, Fire and Fury. He is clearly upset by the attacks on his intelligence in the book. Today, he tried to do something about that by letting the cameras into a meeting on immigration he was chairing between Democrats and Republicans.

It was interesting to see the different way this was reported on Fox News and CNN.

Fox News portrayed the attempt as successful. They told everyone what a great job Trump did getting everyone to work together. They didn’t seem to notice that after going after Jeb Bush mercilessly for calling immigration an Act of Love, he called this a Bill of Love.

The CNN portrayal was, in my opinion, more accurate. They showed that Trump clearly didn’t have a good knowledge of the details. He agreed with the Democrats, and had to be rescued from committing to something before it was set in stone by a Republican.

He also said several times how he would sign whatever the group put in front of him. Throughout the election campaign, Trump told voters repeatedly that his biggest asset was what a great negotiator he was. There was no sign of that today. All he wanted was for the work to be done and to be able to get the signing ceremony photo opportunity and a big tick in the win column.

I don’t think he even realizes how much work writing a Bill entails. He still seems to think it’s easy. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted on CNN that the GOP leadership has asked him to stop using the phrase “comprehensive immigration reform” on camera. (He clearly doesn’t know what that entails – he kept getting it wrong today.) However, he keeps using it – I suspect because it sounds good.

I would assume Trump thinks today’s media opportunity went well and was successful at showing him to be intelligent, interested, and in charge.

Well, no one was going to face him down in that situation, even if they were inclined to, so yes, he looked in charge. And he’s had years of chairing meetings, so he has experience in that regard anyway.

And most of us know how to look interested, even if we’re not.

But he wasn’t in charge of the facts in the way he should be. However, I doubt he realizes that. You don’t know what you don’t know, especially if you’ve never been inclined to ask. On Fox News‘s ‘The Five’, I noticed some of his supporters thought he did well. The one who knew more about the subject because she’s a veteran of the White House kept quiet.

Trump did have one big win today though. Steve Bannon is out the door at Breitbart News. He’s also lost his radio show on Sirius XM. The Mercer family has stopped funding him too. He no longer has a platform to push his ideas.

And you know the Republican establishment is feeling good – they’re talking about reintroducing pork barrel politics. So much for John Boehner’s reforms. No wonder they wanted him gone.

 

Political Tweets

From the article in the link in the tweet below:

A senior figure in Palestinian militant group Hamas was hospitalised in critical condition on Tuesday after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in what officials said was an accident.

Imad al-Alami, a founding member of Hamas and former member of its highest political body, was wounded while “inspecting his personal weapon in his home and is in critical condition”, Hamas spokesman Fawzy Barhoum said in a statement.

Now I know stuff like that does happen, and I’d assume Imad al-Alami keeps his gun loaded, but really? He “was wounded while ‘inspecting his personal weapon’.” The next sentence in the article is:

There was no independent confirmation of that account.

I’m not going to speculate about what really happened, but I’m damn sure I don’t accept the Hamas version.

 

Un-effing-believable. “Only in America”, as the saying goes in the rest of the world. Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio is running for Senate in Arizona. Jeff Flake, whom Arpaio wants to replace, says it won’t happen. I hope for Arizona’s sake he’s right.

 

Part of the meeting I wrote about above.

 

Human Rights Tweets

To be fair, although Trump does go above and beyond when it comes to verbally attacking the press, his bark is worse than his bite. Because of the Constitution, the law, and the general political atmosphere of the US, he couldn’t get away with the things that Putin and Erdoğan regularly do i.e. imprisoning and even murdering journalists. However, Trump’s constant undermining of confidence in the press is a disgrace and dangerous to democracy.

 

Gun Safety Tweets

These are real people. This is not a joke. (You have to go to the link in the tweet to see the video.)
(Via Ann German.)

 

Funny Tweets

Oh dear!
(Via Ann German.)

 

I laughed, but that’s probably what would have happened to me in the same situation these days (and I used to be a gymnast!).

 

I’m not sure whether I should put this in the “Funny Tweets” section. It’s actually a sad commentary on the way politics in particular is often done these days. Experts are ignored or put down far too often, while the confident amateur sucks in the masses. And I’m not just talking about Trump. There are multiple areas in medicine, for example, where this is the case too. Quack cures, the anti-vax movement, anti-GMO, and organics are just a few of the things where idiots have taken control of the narrative.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Science Tweets

Very cool!

 

Sir Isaac Newton’s Light Spectrum experiment.

 

Just what you always wanted! I would laugh, but as someone who’s (finally) just been diagnosed with mild lactose intolerance, I can actually see instances where it would be useful.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Creepy-Crawlies Tweets

Look at the character in that face!

 

More from this incredible talented photographer:

 

Another one:

 

Reptile Tweets

Oh wow!!!!

 

Marine Tweets

This is very, very cool indeed!

 

Beautiful shot underwater in the Philippines. (These Earth Touch videos are never long enough.)

 

Other Animals Tweets

I really should give otters a section of their own. And pandas. Oh, and red pandas. And … well, you get the idea!

 

Dog Tweets

This dog is already typical of his breed, He’s determined not to go to sleep because he has to guard the baby. Very sweet.

 

Very cute.

 

This dog has his spatial awareness going on!

 

Cat Tweets

There’s a trend developing today!

 

All nine lives in one pic!

 

This duck want’s in on the kitten action, and who can blame it?

 

 

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27 Comments

  1. Don Mackay
    Don Mackay on 10th January 2018 at 7:20 pm

    If you would like to read a really pertinent social history of USA then you must read
    ‘white trash’ by Nancy Isenberg, pub. 2016.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 7:00 am

      Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check it out.

      Reply
    • David Coxill
      David Coxill on 11th January 2018 at 8:39 am

      Hi ,i have just bought that book ,don’t know when i will get around to reading it.

      Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 3:56 pm

      I’ve now had a look at it on Amazon and it’s in my cart, waiting for next pay day!

      Reply
      • Jenny Haniver
        Jenny Haniver on 12th January 2018 at 6:27 am

        Don’t forget to Google “Nancy Isenberg” and you’ll find a number of recorded interviews.

        Reply
  2. rickflick
    rickflick on 11th January 2018 at 2:03 am

    Politics is painful. The animal tweets are an antidote.

    Reply
  3. Lee Knuth
    Lee Knuth on 11th January 2018 at 6:37 am

    The animal tweets take away, for awhile at least, the idiocy going on in our politics.

    Reply
  4. Mark R.
    Mark R. on 11th January 2018 at 7:52 am

    A popular book right now is Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: a 500 year history by Kurt Andersen. I haven’t read it, but I heard about it on WEIT and it looks interesting. 4.4 stars on Amazon, 322 reviews. Here’s a quote from Lawrence O’Donnell: “The single most important explanation, and the fullest explanation, of how Donald Trump became president of the United States . . . nothing less than the most important book that I have read this year.” It’s on my to-read list…like 50 other books!

    Interesting commentary on how your site became dominated by U.S. politics…especially now…there’s no escape. At least you know more about our politics than most Americans do. Many here are too busy arguing that g*d is ‘pro-gun’. What was it that Jesus said about guns again? “Guns are of my father and those who wield them are blessed unto Him.” Sounds exactly like what Jesus would say.

    Baby reptiles are the cutest…especially wee turtles.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 3:58 pm

      Oh yes, turtles are gourgeousness personified!

      I’ll check out that book too – thanks!

      Reply
        • Mark R.
          Mark R. on 11th January 2018 at 4:24 pm

          Serendipitous 😉 Nice catch. I didn’t watch that tweet…it’s actually under “Religion Tweets”. Usually if I click on a tweet and it’s over a few minutes, I go to the next. Sometimes I come back to the long tweets, sometimes not. Thanks for highlighting it again. After watching, I’ll raise his book in my reading order.

          Reply
  5. Jenny Haniver
    Jenny Haniver on 11th January 2018 at 8:21 am

    You’re far more knowledgeable and astute re American politics and history than I, and I’m a native born American.

    Reply
    • Mark R.
      Mark R. on 11th January 2018 at 11:09 am

      I always say I suck at history because I went to American schools.

      Reply
      • Jenny Haniver
        Jenny Haniver on 11th January 2018 at 11:24 am

        That must be my problem.

        Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 4:16 pm

      What a nice thing to say. Not so sure it’s true though. I think it’s probably easier to appear that way from the outside because I have no skin in the game. I can even praise Trump when he does good stuff. I doubt I’d be doing that if I was a USian in the current climate.

      Reply
      • Mark R.
        Mark R. on 11th January 2018 at 4:57 pm

        I actually would have no problem praising Trump or any Republican if they did the right thing. I don’t see a lot of right things happening though, except for many Republicans retiring early. The Benghazi fetisher-in-chief Issa (CA-R) is the latest. Dropping like flies I’d say. If Trump actually signs something that allows DACA recipients continued protection, I will be pleased with his sig. Unfortunately, he is probably the most dishonest person to ever hold the high office and on a whim, he will go against anything he says publicly. He just doesn’t care about optics and flounders ahead. Giving Florida an exception on the new oil-drilling lease plan because of the tourism of FL is so blatantly stupid it is laughable. Trump and his tribe lose credibility every day…maybe twice a day. Will it add up? I think it will.

        Reply
        • Heather Hastie
          Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 5:17 pm

          Issa is a completely disgusting human being. I see him on Fox being all holier-than-thou and can’t believe he has the nerve to call out ANYONE given his own history. I think all the Republicans know they are going to struggle to win in the current environment, and even if that’s not the case, they don’t want to be associated with Trump long term. They want to be able to say in the future (if/when Trump goes down) that they got out because they could see what was happening.

          Reply
  6. David Coxill
    David Coxill on 11th January 2018 at 8:43 am

    Could you please ,please give a warning when you post photos of spiders.
    Love the Duck with the kittens ,bet JAC purloins it .HAHA .

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 11th January 2018 at 4:06 pm

      There’s a particular type of insect that doesn’t get posted because I effing hate the things, so I will try to remember to do a spider trigger warning – I understand what it’s like!

      Reply
      • Jenny Haniver
        Jenny Haniver on 11th January 2018 at 4:23 pm

        Do you mind revealing what this “particular type of insect” is — that is if you can even bear to type its name? I have two such particular types of insects: cockroaches and bedbugs (maybe one or two others). However, I have found a couple of species of cockroaches that I actually find beautiful (somewhat — still can’t completely override my revulsion, not fear, revulsion). Spiders, no prob.

        Reply
          • Jenny Haniver
            Jenny Haniver on 12th January 2018 at 6:28 am

            I understand perfectly.

          • Diane G.
            Diane G. on 23rd January 2018 at 12:52 pm

            Aw, c’mon, now you’re teasing us! 😉

          • Heather Hastie
            Heather Hastie on 25th January 2018 at 7:41 am

            I’m serious, but I wouldn’t write it even if I could because I don’t want people to know.

  7. nicky
    nicky on 13th January 2018 at 5:59 am

    I do not think that “Christian nightmare” gun song is ‘for real’. It really sounds like a parody to me. Quite funny.

    Reply
  8. Miss Ironfist
    Miss Ironfist on 14th January 2018 at 7:32 am

    “Then Donald Trump happened…” Sigh.

    Reply

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