Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Oversized Toddler Still Banging on His High Chair

Reader Interactions

95Comments

  4. 4.

    dmsilev

    The point is to say Fuck You to Mexicans, Central Americans, liberals, less-than-averagely-insane Republicans, media pundits, etc.

  5. 5.

    Schlemazel

    last winter Schumer offered $25B over 10 years in return for DACA. Dump turned him down. Not only did he lose his best shot at a win the uproar from the left would have saved some number of Republican seats in Nov.

    He is incompetent in all things, large and small

  7. 7.

    jimmiraybob

    I don’t even understand the point of five billion for the wall.

    $5 billion dollar developer-contractor slush fund? Just imagine how much of that could/would flow into the Individual-1 2020 campaign and who knows where else.

  9. 9.

    gene108

    @dmsilev:

    I don’t think that’s the point. It’s not a big fuck you to groups that oppose Trump.

    Trump is a stone cold racist, who is probably freaking out that Queens has a fuck ton of non-white immigrants. And even though he can isolate himself in Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago, he can’t go back to the old neighborhood, because Jamaica Estates is now overrun with non-white foreigners.

    Out of 14,000 residents, 45% are foreign-born. In the 2000 United States Census, 43% of residents were white, Bangladeshis comprise 11% of residents, while Filipinos make up 10%, Haitians 7%, Guyanese 5%, and Russians 4%. A population of over 1,000 Bukharan Jews live in the area.[2]

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_Estates,_Queens

    It must eat away at his racist soul how America’s demographics are shifting, and he will do anything, no matter how cruel or pointless, to try and end the brown wave of immigrants that have come to this country over the last 50 years.

  10. 10.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    NO ONE WANTS THE FUCKING WALL.

    I don’t know John, have you asked some of the citizens of your fine state? They do seem to have voted for this Trump fella who promised them wall.

  13. 13.

    Cheryl Rofer

    People are having some fun with this. Some time ago, Trump was concerned that people would throw bags of drugs over the wall, and if you couldn’t see through the wall, you might get hit by a bag. It’s not clear to me why he hasn’t asked for the Stealth technology that makes the F-35 invisible.

  14. 14.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    Not sure if the thread below is dead, but I have to comment on this tweet from the post below:

    Defense officials tell me Mattis went to the White House to discuss Syria & that he was livid after reading reports that Turkey’s Defense Minister threatened to kill US-backed Kurds & put them in ditches once the US withdrew. He was incensed at this notion of betrayal of an ally

    This is absolutely horrifying if true. If Turkey moves to do any such thing against the Kurds, the very least that should happen to them is to be ejected from NATO. Let them join CSTO. We have no need for genocidal rogue states to be our allies.

    I’m aware our record isn’t perfect in this regard and we support partners around that world that have shitty human rights records but that’s absolutely beyond the pale.

  15. 15.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Schlemazel: Actually Stephen Miller turned that deal down. The President just went along with it. This is not to say that the President wouldn’t be perfectly happy to screw the DACA kids over, however, in that case, the President was ready to deal. It was Miller who manipulated the President to Miller’s desired outcome, which is no deal on DACA.

  16. 16.

    A Ghost To Most

    Hey, Donny Dickhead: You wanted BB3STX to wrap up his investigation; looks like you are about to get your wish.

    You think December sucks?

    February is coming.

  18. 18.

    schrodingers_cat

    Why are we infantalizing a 70 plus year old man. He is not a toddler. He is an inept psychopath. If a woman or a minority were to act this irresponsibly she would not be called a child I guarantee you that.

  20. 20.

    Schlemazel

    @Adam L Silverman:
    I see that as pa-TAY-tow / pa-TA-tow
    yes, it is sad that POTUS is run by morons he chose to surround himself with but it is all on him. If the first mate had gone to the captain & said “It’s just ice, you can plow through it” it would still have been the captains fault

  22. 22.

    The Dangerman

    If I were the proponent of a Wall (and I’m obviously not), why would I give the slightest shit whether or not it was “beautiful”? It’s not a tourist attraction. Very few people will ever see it (other than those that have ladders or, given the convenience of the slat openings, some mountain climbing equipment) out in the sticks.

  28. 28.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Schlemazel: Because Miller actually can focus for more than three seconds, has a very specific and very well developed set of objectives he wants achieved, and will do anything and attempt to remove anyone who gets in his way and prevents the President from achieving Miller’s goals.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/a-tumultuous-week-began-with-a-phone-call-between-trump-and-the-turkish-president/2018/12/21/8f49b562-0542-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html?utm_term=.84b8884ca5be

    Top White House aide Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s most hard-line advisers, had long told the president that his own defense secretary did not support his “America First” agenda.

    For Mattis, Miller was right if “America First” meant doing things that were uninformed by history or respect for what he considered the foundational building blocks of U.S. national security. The Syria decision, he believed — along with Trump’s order to prepare for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan — was the epitome of the president’s careless way of operating.

  29. 29.

    Gvg

    @schrodingers_cat: minorities and women were infantalized historically. I think they would be called a child if they behaved this way, however….they never would have been elected if they were inclined to that behavior.
    It’s an insult to him to call him a toddler, and I hate him and want to hurt him and enrage his stupid followers, so I don’t intend to stop calling him a toddler. Sorry, I know we need to peel some off, to vote smarter, but sometimes it’s just too much.
    I agree with he is a grown man and responsible for his own behavior, and we shouldn’t excuse. Actually I am not excusing him. I guess some media people and political people might be, but I am not.
    Any of his staff who describe him as a toddler to be managed off the record…don’t respect or like him…in fact the probably hate him.

  30. 30.

    Avalune

    @satby: I’m not doing well at sarcasm apparently but otherwise we are doing pretty good. Looking forward to some time with just Leto and myself. His parents have been here helping care for him so I can work but I have some paid holiday time next week, so it’s just us for a bit.

    He’s making good progress though we have monkey wrenches here and there (in ER as precaution about monkey wrenches last night). Still a long way to go and the financial noose feels like it’s starting to tighten up but still pretty optimistic in general. He’s alive! I’m alive! He’s on leave without pay now anyway so for once the government shutdown is slightly less upsetting?

    (Kidding, like about the slats).

    My boxy sweater is coming along! And the bread I baked today turned out yummo, as did my roasted red pepper soup (I make delish cookies but I’m not much of a chef otherwise so this is an achievement I assure you).

    ?

  33. 33.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Every Dem in the House and Senate should tweet out a video montage of “Mexico will pay for the wall!” at noon eastern tomorrow as the House goes back into session.

  35. 35.

    Keith P.

    NO ONE WANTS THE FUCKING WALL

    But we The American People wants steel slat. Lots of steel slat, with pointy tips.

  37. 37.

    M31

    the most important thing is to do some research about how wide coyotes are — if they can fit through the slats the wall will be useless

  39. 39.

    p.a.

    Maybe we can get the guys who designed Spinal Tap’s Stonehenge stage prop to build a wall. Might inconvenience some armadillos. Maybe that’ll get him to drop it and fund the gvt.

  40. 40.

    dmsilev

    @M31: Extensive research has established that even the wiliest of coyotes can easily be stopped by painting an image of a road tunnel entrance onto the side of a hill.

  41. 41.

    lgerard

    Forget the slats!

    If trump wants a truly MAGA solution he should dig a trench and fill it with beautiful burning coal.

    (and just hope no Mexican has ever attended a Tony Robbins seminar)

  42. 42.

    different-church-lady

    NO ONE WANTS THE FUCKING WALL.

    Trump wants the fucking wall. And there is nobody in the world besides Trump. Therefore: everyone wants the fucking wall.

  44. 44.

    Ruckus

    @schrodingers_cat:
    Because he has the maturity of a 4 yr old boy. And that’s a very spoiled brat 4 yr old. Women don’t act like that, least ways none I’ve ever met. Sure some are horrible but act like a spoiled 4 yr old, nope. I have a cousin who acted out and was a horrible child. But she grew up and fosters kids others wouldn’t take, she’s a great human being. I’ve know grown women who had no idea how to act like adults, but never, as I’ve said, one who stopped developing at 4.

  45. 45.

    different-church-lady

    I finally realized what I’d trade for Trump’s wall.

    I want them to give back the Supreme Court seat they stole from Obama. And then one more in interest.

  46. 46.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @debbie: I’m not a mechanical engineer, but I’ll guess that an additional 1/3 to 1/2 of the height above ground would have to be in the ground. And the ground would have to be stabilized, probably with concrete.

  50. 50.

    Yarrow

    Has anyone seen Omnes recently? Also, has Mnem reported on her mom since yesterday? Sending good thoughts to both.

  51. 51.

    WaterGirl

    @Avalune: Thanks for sharing more info about how you are doing. I’m sure it’s a struggle and it’s easy to get discouraged, but it also sounds like you are keeping your eyes on the prize. He’s alive.

    I don’t know exactly how the GoFundMe works – have you guys been able to access that money? Is it all gone? Surely the insurance for the person who hit Leto should be covering expenses? Or hasn’t that kicked in yet?

  52. 52.

    Ruckus

    @Cheryl Rofer:
    A lot depends on how high and thick it is, along with how stable the ground is. So it probably would have to have a concrete footing. Now 5 billion is a bit of money but I’d bet that’s not even close to enough, especially now that numbnuts has raised the tariffs on steel. I’d also bet that he thinks he will be able to use all US made steel. He won’t, not one pound of it. And he’ll see that we are using off shore steel so he’ll raise the tariffs again to spite those pesky countries that deem to take away money that he could scam.
    ETA He’s not all that bright.

  53. 53.

    Schlemazel

    @Adam L Silverman:
    To me that is still on Donnie. Sure, Miller might be the evil Edgar Bergen to his Charlie McCarty but nobody is getting Edgar’s hand out of Charlie’s ass and Charlie is the boss who asked him to put it there.

    I see them as one and the same

  54. 54.

    WaterGirl

    @Yarrow: The google tells me the last time Omnes commented was Dec 15. Is something going on with him? As I typed that, I remembered that he was giving up drinking, but that was going well last time I heard. I haven’t kept up with all the threads lately so I’m kind of out of the loop.

    Omnes, if you’re lurking maybe you can poke your head up for just a second?

  56. 56.

    Schlemazel

    @Avalune:
    Glad to hear that things at least seem to be moving in the right direction. Recovery is always the hardest part. I know nothing about gofundme but I bet somebody here does. Please ask for help before you need it to minimize any lag.
    Tell him there are a lot of jakals pulling for him

  58. 58.

    Ruckus

    @WaterGirl:
    If he found it harder going than he originally thought, he might have sought treatment and isn’t available at the moment. Or he might have taken a break from normalcy to try and get on the path that he desired. There are a lot of possible reasons he could be staying away. Stopping is a lot more difficult for some than they can admit to themselves at first.
    I hope things are going OK for him in any case.

  59. 59.

    Yarrow

    @WaterGirl: Thanks for doing the googling. Yeah, he posted that and then has been kind of a sporadic commenter but I didn’t think I’d seen him for awhile. Hopefully everything is okay.

    @Schlemazel: I’ve been super busy so haven’t caught all threads, but thought I saw that you got sort of good news from Mayo. Am I remembering right?

  60. 60.

    Mandalay

    With everything else going on I’d completely missed this doozy from two days ago, on the same day that Trump announced he was going to cut and run in Syria:

    The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it intends to lift sanctions against the business empire of Oleg V. Deripaska, one of Russia’s most influential oligarchs, after an aggressive lobbying campaign by Mr. Deripaska’s companies.

    The decision by the Treasury Department, which had been postponed for months, was both politically and economically sensitive, and drew criticism from some Democrats and foreign policy analysts that the administration was sending the wrong signal to Moscow about its conduct toward its neighbors and the United States…

    Noting that the moves came less than a month after Russia seized three small Ukrainian naval vessels and 23 sailors in a shared waterway, Mr. Merkel said that “the timing is unfortunate, because this will be seen as walking back sanctions on someone who is close to Putin.”

    In a statement justifying the move, Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said that the companies had been punished because of Mr. Deripaska’s ownership and control, “not for the conduct of the companies themselves.”

    WTF?

  61. 61.

    Ruckus

    @Schlemazel:
    He wasn’t bad as presidents go. He was born only 6 yrs before my grandad. That seems strange to me for some reason. Maybe I’ve just never thought about it that way. He was far, far better than this goon. But then any one of the janitors at the WH would be better than this goon.

  63. 63.

    Schlemazel

    @Yarrow:
    It is not cancer. That was the good part. The Dr still wants to treat it as if it were cancer & perform a radical cystectomy which would leave me in worse shape then the alternative the U of MN doctors have offered. I am taking the results from Mayo & seeing the folks at the U a week from Tuesday. I believe they will recommend rebuilding the bladder from intestine. Not a great solution but it leaves me with some important functions & no external bag

  65. 65.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Ruckus: in the second Bush term I saw one of my favorite bumper stickers ever: In big bold print “I MISS IKE” and in smaller letters under that, “Hell, I miss Harry”. It was, appropriately enough, on a big old Cadillac

  68. 68.

    Schlemazel

    @Ruckus:
    Meet him once (a life in politics makes for some interesting experiences). I was very young & knew nothing other than he had been President & my folks were in awe of him. I remember he tried to make me laugh. My folks had a picture of us with him but after my mom died we were unable to find it.

  70. 70.

    Avalune

    @WaterGirl: The money from the go fund me is coming to us and we are living off that and my income until we can get the settlements to start coming in (thanks again to many of you for donating). We are ok for the moment – I just hope the first part of the settlement (her insurance, which is like 1/6 of ours) comes in the next month or so. Then, since she’s underinsured we are going to be waiting on our insurance to cover the rest. Lawyer thinks that one will be another 3-5 months.

  71. 71.

    Schlemazel

    @Mike in NC:
    RATS! I was trying to paraphrase the song. Close I guess. I remember at the time thinking “Well, Nixon is not far off from HH” But later when I read about him Herb was a competent guy just not equipped for the job of POTUS. He did a heck of a job in rebuilding Europe after WWII. Truman tapped him because he know the guy was capable of it despite his disastrous tenure in the WH

  72. 72.

    Lady raxterinok

    @Adam L Silverman: Even after all these many years I still find it difficult to see Chomsky primarily as a political thinker. I first heard of him while I was in grad school in the 60s because of his major work in linguisics. His contributions to linguistics are what I first think of when I come across his name.

  73. 73.

    Schlemazel

    @Yarrow:
    Yeah there are no really good solutions only less bad ones
    Interesting thing I learned at Mayo. People born with my condition have severe problems with other things & have the surgery as children. I don’t have any other of those things & was 60 before I found out I had this problem so in a funny way I was very lucky.

  75. 75.

    Ruckus

    @Schlemazel:
    I had two options with my cancer. Surgery or radiation. My doc was somewhat miffed that I didn’t choose surgery. I’m so very glad I chose radiation. It was less than fun but it worked.
    My questions were what is the least invasive and what are the chances of success with each. In my case the chances for remission were about equal, but the invasive level was much higher with surgery and lasted, possibly for ever, even after normal healing.
    It sounds like you are thinking along the same lines. Hope that everything goes best as possible no matter the decision you finally have to make.

  76. 76.

    SectionH

    @Lady raxterinok: Sort of. My first thought on seeing his name is always National Lampoon’s Doon. And the evil corporation (I can’t remember what it was called in the actual book) was NOAMCHOMSKEY. And I had studied enough linguistics to fall over laughing about that.

  77. 77.

    Schlemazel

    @Ruckus:
    I had both for my cancer. It was after that I found out I could have had a different surgery & skipped the radiation. I wish I had understood that before as the radiation played hell with me. OTOH it might have been that they did not get everything in the surgery & then the treatments would have been worse. So it is what it was and I am now 7 years cancer free so it was not the wrong choice

  78. 78.

    Ruckus

    @Schlemazel:
    I was in diapers while he was in office so all I know is what I heard growing up, but he sure seemed like a decent person and a competent president.
    One could probably name 35-40 presidents that would be better than this nimrod and could name the other 4 to 9 as not any worse. This asswipe is just about the worst human we could have gotten. I know a woman in prison for murder, she’d be better. Even from prison. There are a number of equally bad choices out there, I’d bet every one of them is a fan of his.

  79. 79.

    Ruckus

    @Schlemazel:
    Cancer and now this? Damn. Life ain’t for sissies.
    Of course my last visit with neuro was Monday and they discussed Parkinson’s with me quite a bit. They aren’t ready to say it’s the last choice they have left but they are considering it’s getting close. Starting on a new med for me, if this works….. If not we are there.
    Also I met 6 other people with the same cancer, in treatment. They all had surgery and then had to have radiation as well. Now of course there are differing levels of cancer and not everyone will need or do as well with the same treatment.
    But mine was OK with just radiation so I saw no reason for the surgery.
    Also the machines they use now are hugely better than not all that long ago. Damn thing is like something off the Enterprise. And I talking about the space ship one.

  80. 80.

    Mnemosyne

    @Yarrow:

    I finally got an update from my brother today — he was hunkering down a bit because there was no new news to tell. The doctors have sternly lectured her that she needs to STOP FUCKING SMOKING and allowed her to go home. She starts her official post-stroke therapy on Sunday.

    We were all a little paranoid that it was going to turn out to be something worse, but it didn’t. Phew!

  81. 81.

    Schlemazel

    @Ruckus:
    I am a medical oddity. I have not talked about half the odd things I have experienced. I have heard “well, I have never seen this before” from several doctors. It used to be funny but it is wearing thin currently

  82. 82.

    Ruckus

    @Schlemazel:
    I really do understand.
    Docs are trained to see the same things. There is so much to learn and continue learning, because people are weird and often in only slightly different ways. Sure we are supposed to be all the same, sort of, but those differences can be tiny and profound. I was prescribed a med which has been on the market before I was born and has possible but manageable and normally minimal side effects. Horrible hallucinations for a day and a half. That was on the second day. That doc had never seen this and was pissed that I refused to power through it.
    I’m still figuring out how to deal with docs who have to compartmentalize. As in, I do this for that. And that’s as far as they get. If that doesn’t work they are stymied. They don’t think, they regurgitate.

  83. 83.

    Chris Johnson

    @Cheryl Rofer: I’m sure it’s not the first time he’s thought the SS beautiful. (hint: Schutzstaffel)

    That’s literally all it is. A dogwhistle, like saying 14/88. It’s getting to the point where he’s got to keep the Republicans in line while wiping out what’s left of the country, and to do that he needs his SS. ‘Slats’ my ass.

  84. 84.

    Chris Johnson

    @Mandalay: Still feeling like he meant to cut and run to Russia once he got to that summit (not LITERALLY hijacking Air Force one though, c’mon) and once he was there and saw Putin cut him dead, he realized he wasn’t done. And now that he’s back in the USA for now, he is pulling out all the stops to get Daddy to love him and let him come home. Syria, Deripaska, shutting down the government: ANYTHING to win back access to his escape hatch. He really wants to bail and then taunt us from Moscow, telling us what assholes we are.

    He’s a fool. There was never an escape hatch. Nothing he does will be enough, but he keeps trying.

    Right now Trump’s interests are only aligned with literally other active traitors high up in government. He’s losing even traitors who aren’t quite as directly tied to Putin. McConnell has got to be shitting himself. For that guy, Russia was supposed to give the Republicans POWER, not this shitshow. It was supposed to be an ongoing quid pro quo, not frantically throwing concessions to try and win the love of an ex-KGB spook. McConnell has to be shitting himself over this.

  87. 87.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Yarrow: @WaterGirl: I am fine. I haven’t been commenting a lot recently for a couple of reasons. First, I have been extraordinarily busy at work. Second, the doom and gloom, “American democracy is over,” and “we are so fucked” folks have, to my perception, reached a critical mass that makes pushing back more effort than it is worth. I will tend to lurk more than I used to until I get less busy and/or things get a little less dismal in the comments.

    @Ruckus: In stopping drinking, I have been somewhat like Cole. I got the stuff out of my system over about four days which was kind of miserable and, since then, I have been fine without alcohol.

  88. 88.

    Yarrow

    @Mnemosyne: Just getting caught up. Glad it wasn’t worse. Yeah, smoking is not good. Maybe this incident will be just the thing to get her to stop. Therapy can work wonders so that’s great they’re starting right away.

  89. 89.

    Yarrow

    @Omnes Omnibus: Glad you’re doing okay. Miss seeing your comments but understand and you have to take care of yourself first.

    I’m quite optimistic in the midst of the chaos so you can just read my comments. LOL. I even have a positive take on Mattis leaving.

  90. 90.

    Miss Bianca

    @Omnes Omnibus: Hey, O2, way late to this thread but just wanted to let you know that I too have been wondering how you were doing and am glad to hear from you. Wishing you a Joyeux Noel.

  91. 91.

    J R in WV

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    And a very Happy Winter Solstice Season, too, also!!! With Holly and Evergreen and all sorts of non-mid-eastern stuff like that there… maybe even a snowball.

  94. 94.

    WaterGirl

    @Avalune: I’m sure you will never see my reply, but I just got back to BJ and didn’t want to ignore your response!

    Cat food is not the best nutrition while recovering from traumatic injury, so be sure to speak up when you are ready for our help again. :-)

  95. 95.

    WaterGirl

    @Omnes Omnibus: Way late to the thread, but glad to hear from you. Also glad there is not a crisis :-) just some BJ weariness instead. I predict less dismal soon. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially when lots of folks are stressed out to begin with.

Comments are closed.