In crisis, Trump team sees a chance to achieve long-sought goals

By artappraiser on Mon, 03/09/2020 - 6:23pm |

Forgot the clown troll in front of the curtain. What plotting is going on behind it?

Political and economic damage from the coronavirus crisis is mounting. Some Trump officials see the moment as an opportunity to finally deliver on promises including border restrictions, isolating China and broader tax cuts.

URL:

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/09/trump-team-policy-border-china-tax-124166

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Hmmmm, on the White House press conference happening now:

Maybe a first? Fox only net not taking Trump pic.twitter.com/Bs4nnZSzl0
— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) March 9, 2020

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/09/2020 - 6:28pm

President Trump confirms our scoop from last week that the White House is looking at special federal relief for the hotel, cruise, and airline industries amid the coronavirus downturnhttps://t.co/EXDUMJnR84
— Jeffrey S. Stein (@JStein_WaPo) March 9, 2020

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/09/2020 - 6:31pm

Federal gov launches https://t.co/bGvkAvTvJY as site for info.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) March 9, 2020

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/09/2020 - 6:46pm

Matt Gaetz is an airborne virus - pass it on

Gaetz learned after Air Force One lifted off from Orlando that he had been in touch with an infected person at CPAC. He then essentially quarantined himself, sitting in a section of the plane alone. @maggieNYT https://t.co/ezZ7izjXmn
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) March 9, 2020

by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 12:21am

I'm impressed; turns out Gaetz knows all about a closely held secret among those who have no place to lay their head except their car, it's about Walmart:

Meanwhile, here's how our wise leaders are handling the epidemichttps://t.co/H82ZY9hZAx
— Noah Smith (@Noahpinion) March 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 5:21pm

hmmm again, Rick Wilson prediction on Pence:

Trump looks absolutely ragged in this presser.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 9, 2020

Pence looks like he's aged 10 years in the past few days.
— Scout (@ann51r) March 9, 2020

He'll be gone soon #ETTD https://t.co/1qd6LyZY9c
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 9, 2020

edit to add extra catty comment!

Meeeeeeeeeow. https://t.co/YZJ87dltzp
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 9, 2020

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/09/2020 - 6:55pm

Talk about dementia, geez.

I watched most of the press conference last night. I got a strong intuition that Trump left it early and turned it over to Pence who had each grownup report what was going on BECAUSE they all ganged up on him and convinced him to stay out of this, that they are handling it. And that in turn, they promised they would give him lots of credit, which I noticed that several of them were clearly going out of their way to do.

His opening statements were meek and quiet, not at all feisty in his normal way, almost as if he were a little kid that had just been yelled that he had made a mess and now must go and apologize for something. They were also half an hour late starting it, as if something had delayed them.

This morning I see this, which sort of goes along with that, he's getting back to his business while they take care of the stock market and the epidemic:

This is real from a President watching TV and howling about “ratings” on the days the market tanks and he botches the Coronavirus pandemic. Thank you Republicans. https://t.co/eMPdeXGnwi
— Jerry Saltz (@jerrysaltz) March 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 8:26am

To take this back to the initial article of this thread: it is probably more important to watch what Pence and the rest of the cabinet are doing on the crisis than pay attention to what Trump says. Almost as if there had been a mutiny against crazy Captain Trump. They are grownups but they are mostly ultra conservative grownups, res ipsa loquitor and because of that it would behoove to pay a little more attention to what Schumer and Pelosi and similar leaders might say about what is going on.

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 8:38am

25th amendment time?

by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 3:17pm

Missed this one from this morning. It's like his go-to security blankie in times of stress. Where xenophobia and germophobia meet?

Going up fast. We need the Wall more than ever! https://t.co/7TxErJKAgT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2020

Thing is, if someone's wearing a MAGA hat, he'll shake their hand, anytime. It's like those have special magic powahs.

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 5:16pm

Just more evidence that a mutiny coalition of cabinet people may have taken over main White House ops because things were going in a rudderless direction:

DEVELOPING: @RepMarkMeadows confirms directly to @CBSNews that he is self-quarantined after testing negative COVID19. Meadows has not slowed down, with conference calls preparing for transition WH Chief of Staff. Meadows said he is “focused on the new job and feeling good.” https://t.co/QKTKdcVrpf
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) March 10, 2020

Just four days ago:

POTUS offered Meadows the job yesterday, per several people briefed. Mulvaney, who is said to have left for a trip to Nevada this week amid coronavirus, learned of it today. Some staffers are concerned about the change; others are relieved to see someone new in the role.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 7, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 9:28am

First volley towards the White House mutineers?

* U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRATS SAYS CORONAVIRUS-RELATED ECONOMIC STIMULUS SHOULD ADDRESS PAID SICK LEAVE, ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, FOOD SECURITY AND AFFORDABLE TESTING AND TREATMENT@reuters #COVID19
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) March 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 10:55am

Trump's former Homeland Security adviser is publicly yelling at them:

"It’s now or never for the U.S."

Trump's former homeland security adviser @TomBossert calls for much more aggressive measures to stop spread of #COVID19 https://t.co/W80HARYIEc
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) March 10, 2020

and here's GOP Senator Daines yelling at Mnuchin:

GOP MT Sen Daines writes to Mnuchin. Asks for "swift action to eliminate financial barriers to testing for this disease." Worries that those with high deductibles aren't "left behind"
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 11:39am

More evidence of the little boy not liking to be forced to do things he is not interested in doing:

Trump trying to stay on message. Wraps up meeting with health insurance CEOs, asks press to leave -- then sits back and crosses arms without taking questions off the cuff, as he so often does. pic.twitter.com/1tl22Yc42L
— David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) March 10, 2020

Just like with the press conference, he shuts it out right away.

He wants to talk about cable news ratings. Not about ugly germs that give him the creeps? Reality crawling up on him...block it out...wants to go back to Impeachment witch hunt, that he knows how to fight?

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 11:50am

get the clown off the stage and

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks surge as hopes build for Trump administration response to economic threat from virus; Dow gains more than 1,100.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 10, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 4:02pm

Snowflake-in-chief https://t.co/gB8oGqzYKT
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) March 10, 2020

BTW, he did not appear at tonight's Coronavirus briefing for the teevee, it was exclusively Pence and team.

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 7:00pm

cross link to news post by NCD: Trump admin seeks to bailout frackers & cruise industry

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 7:50pm

he's still busy thinking about more important stuff:

Feels like an effort to change the conversation tonight. https://t.co/3zfDgQCz7y
— carl hulse (@hillhulse) March 11, 2020

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 10:08pm

Trump didn't think of this stunt himself. Even though Fauci said nobody is pressuring him, they want to control the messaging of each and every person on team:

Asked why some coronavirus task force members, including Fauci and Redfield, will be pulled from congressional hearing to the White House, WH says: “This meeting was scheduled yesterday and is part of the Administration’s ongoing whole-of-government response to the Coronavirus.” https://t.co/wlJiw2gukY
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 11, 2020

To be fair, though, that is also the totalitarian thing that handles public health crises best if they are competent. Democracy is messy. Hence movies about pandemics being handled by "authorities" are favorite libertarian memes.

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/11/2020 - 11:28am

In the News

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submitted by PeraclesPlease 11 months ago

The intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow has precedent

Russia's hosted such meetings in the past, most recently Feb 2019

Russia has long lamented the US' "monopolization" of the peace process & tried to carve out a niche for itself: mediating among the disunited Palestinians/2
— Hanna Notte (@HannaNotte) February 29, 2024

Read the article at https://twitter.com/HannaNotte/status/1763116222256701787

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Mother Jones is Reaching out to Alternative Party Voters
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submitted by HSG 11 months ago

Here's what I told them: https://halginsberg.com/vote-for-jill-stein-again/

Read the article at https://halginsberg.com/vote-for-jill-stein-again/

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Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes...
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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes into force https://t.co/pCoDg05irX
— Gareth Harris (@garethharr) December 28, 2023

Read the article at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/28/brazil-law-indigenous-land-rights-claim-time-marker?CMP=share_btn_tw

1 comment

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Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince, Haiti (...
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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

Location: U.S. Embassy and residential compounds

Events: Heavy gunfire is occuring around the area of the U.S. Embassy and residential compounds adjacent to the Trutier area of Tabarre. All Embassy personnel have been instructed to remain indoors and shelter-in-place until further notice. All others should avoid the area.

Actions to take:

Avoid the area;

Avoid demonstrations and any large gatherings of people;

Do not attempt to drive through roadblocks; and

If you encounter a roadblock, turn around and get to a safe area.

Read the article at https://ht.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-port-au-prince-haiti-december-25-2023/

3 comments

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

By The Editorial Board @ Bloomberg.com, December 8, 2023

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Read the article at https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-12-08/pakistan-s-expulsion-of-afghan-refugees-risks-another-crisis

6 comments

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Internet shut down in Chad

submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

All eyes on #Chad right now
Chad has two internet trunks coming into the country: One from the Red Sea via Sudan; the other from Cameroon. Not possible for the totality of the country's internet network to be shut unless done centrally. A lot of rumors swirling; few facts. https://t.co/N6bDJZ2ixO

Read the article at https://x.com/_hudsonc/status/1732891968709992511?s=20

2 comments

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submitted by PeraclesPlease 1 year ago

Read the article at

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

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Read the article at https://x.com/KeeleyFox29/status/1731713272942940365?s=20

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

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Read the article at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/manuel-rocha-ambassador-arrested-cuba_n_656d1e2ae4b028b0f3d07478

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

[Chapter I news is HERE, Oct. 7 til today]

You don’t get it.
It’s not about an UNRWA teacher who held an Israeli kid hostage in his house.
It’s all about how for 75 years you have destroyed the future of generations of Palestinians, including my family.
My cousins in Arab countries are still not citizens - not even the… https://t.co/nv6anubGhc
— George Deek (@GeorgeDeek) December 2, 2023

Note 'Community Notes' attached to UNWRA's statement.

Read the article at https://x.com/GeorgeDeek/status/1731020551328579863?s=20

58 comments

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

Imperialism for me but not for thee?

It's wild that Venezuela is now holding a vote on whether 2/3 of Guyana actually belongs to them! Analysts suggest that Modoru may want military action to pump up his sinking popularity.

Could we have a war in South America?!?

"The people who live in Essequibo are largely… pic.twitter.com/QvMEjkkgwy

Read the article at https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/03/world/americas/maduro-vote-essequibo-guyana.html

6 comments

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

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McCarthy: “You have [Rep. Matt] Gaetz, who belongs in jail…”

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Read the article at https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/29/divisions-leave-floridas-house-republicans-powerless-00129200

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

By Martinn Pengelly in Washington DC for TheGuardian.com, Nov. 30

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15 comments

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

@ Reuters, Nov. 29

Read the article at https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-health-insurers-humana-cigna-talks-merge-wsj-2023-11-29/

3 comments

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submitted by artappraiser 1 year ago

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— Cameron Hudson (@_hudsonc) November 28, 2023

Read the article at https://africanarguments.org/2023/11/central-africas-dinosaur-regimes-and-the-art-of-coup-proofing/

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