The Many Faces of US Politics...

[muppet]

Trump interview: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38282533

...President-elect Donald Trump has rejected as "ridiculous" a CIA assessment that Russian hackers tried to sway the election in his favour.

He told Fox News the Democrats were putting out the reports because they were embarrassed at the scale of the election defeat...


...Mr Trump also said in the interview he does not require daily intelligence briefings.

"I'm a smart person, I don't need to be told the same thing in the same way for eight years..."


Trump is going nowhere. 8 years and he doesn't want anyone telling him anything. Narcissists are usually like that. They tell you what to do, not the other way round.

[seafoid]

VERY good comment on YouTube.  "Trump is very stupid for real. All big mouths, liars and sexual predators are. "
He will be a disaster for the US.

Andrew Smithers has a fantastic book called the road to recovery. The GOP slashed taxes in 2001 which helped the economy after 911 but meant there was no margin left on 08 so the deficit was 10%. And debt skyrocketed. Trump will slash tax again meaning the economy will probably collapse before 2020.

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Trump interview: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38282533

...President-elect Donald Trump has rejected as "ridiculous" a CIA assessment that Russian hackers tried to sway the election in his favour.

He told Fox News the Democrats were putting out the reports because they were embarrassed at the scale of the election defeat...


...Mr Trump also said in the interview he does not require daily intelligence briefings.

"I'm a smart person, I don't need to be told the same thing in the same way for eight years..."

He's already rigged the next election?

[Hardy]

What election?

[muppet]

What election?

Dunno if this was in jest, but he does like the way Putin does things. And Kim Jung Un. And Assad. And, while they were alive, Gadaffi and Hussein.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/controversial-dictators-leaders-donald-trump-praised/story?id=40373481

So some sort of fudge election next time wouldn't be a shock.

[Declan]

In 1980, average income for the bottom half of the US income distribution was $16,000. It's still $16,000 today.


No growth for bottom 50% incomes in the US since 1980.


More from the released distributional national accounts. For the median working-age man in the US, zero labor income growth since 1962.



Growth of average income in the US since 1980: +61%.
Growth for the bottom 50%: +1%
Growth for the top 0.001%: +636%.

[Hardy]

What election?

Dunno if this was in jest, but he does like the way Putin does things. And Kim Jung Un. And Assad. And, while they were alive, Gadaffi and Hussein.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/controversial-dictators-leaders-donald-trump-praised/story?id=40373481

So some sort of fudge election next time wouldn't be a shock.

Only somewhat.

[screenexile]

Tillerson Secretary of State . . . Exxon share price set to rocket as USA gets friendly with Russia!!

But y'know drain the swamp and all that. . . f**king Turkeys voted for Christmas!!!

[Declan]

All The President's Billionaires: A Guide To Trump's Gilded Inner Circle

As Donald Trump finalizes his cabinet and plans his transition to 45th President of the United States, his cadre of billionaire advisers -- those with powerful wallets and the Commander-in-Chief's ear -- continues to expand.

Here is a running list of every billionaire member of Trump's inner circle -- from cabinet members to economic advisers and inaugural committee members -- in alphabetical order. Forbes will update it as new information becomes available.

Sheldon Adelson: The casino titan controls Las Vegas Sands Corp. and is a member of Trump's inauguration committee alongside his wife, Miriam.
Trump connection: A political heavyweight who spent more than $100 million trying to elect a Republican in 2012, Adelson apparently committed just $5 million to Trump's campaign. He also owns the Las Vegas Review-Journal, one of the only newspapers in the country to endorse Trump.

Andrew Beal: The Texas investor and founder of Beal Bank is a member of Trump's economic advisory council.
Trump connection: He squared off against Trump in 2009, when he and Carl Icahn unsuccessfully tried to take control of Trump Entertainment Resorts -- which owned Trump's Atlantic City properties -- during bankruptcy. In September Beal gave $2 million to a super PAC he helped set up to support Trump.

Betsy DeVos: Daughter-in-law of billionaire Amway cofounder Richard DeVos, she was named Trump's pick for Secretary of Education.

Harold Hamm: The most successful fracking pioneer, the chairman and CEO of Continental Resources is rumored to be in the running for either energy or interior secretary.
Trump connection: Hamm has been advising Trump on oil and gas for years, earning him a prime speaking slot at the GOP convention in July, where Hamm said Trump would "restore America's rightful place as the energy leader of the world."

Diane Hendricks: The cofounder of roofing giant ABC Supply is America's wealthiest self-made woman and a member of Trump's economic advisory and inaugural committees.
Trump connection: A longtime GOP donor and ardent supporter of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Hendricks switched to team Trump after originally giving $5 million to a super PAC supporting Walker's bid for the presidency.

Jon Huntsman, Jr.: The son of billionaire Huntsman Corp. founder Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor and 2012 presidential candidate is rumored to be under consideration for Secretary of State.
Trump connection: Huntsman, Jr. endorsed Trump in May but called on him to bow out of the race in October after audio showed Trump bragging about committing sexual assault in 2005 (Trump dismissed it as "locker room talk").

Carl Icahn: The activist investor's wife, Gail, serves on Trump's inaugural committee.
Trump connection: Icahn has done deals with Trump for more than 25 years -- he was the biggest bondholder in Trump's Taj Mahal casino during its early-90s bankruptcy, then unsuccessfully attempted to take control of Trump Entertainment Resorts with Andrew Beal in 2009 before successfully taking it over in 2014. In August he reportedly declined an offer to join Trump's economic advisory council.

Linda McMahon: The wife of World Wrestling Entertainment billionaire Vince McMahon, she was named Trump's pick for administrator of the Small Business Administration
Trump connection: The McMahons have given at least $5 million to the Donald J. Trump Foundation; Trump once shaved her husband's hair in the ring during a WrestleMania tournament held at the Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City.

John Paulson: The hedge fund manager, who is best known for betting against subprime mortgages at the peak of the 2007 credit bubble, is a member of Trump's economic advisory council.
Trump connection: As of May 2016 Trump had $3 million to $15 million invested in Paulson's funds and Trump bought his Miami resort, Doral, from a group that included Paulson in 2011.

Isaac Perlmutter: The reclusive Marvel Entertainment chief executive's wife, Laurie, serves on Trump's inaugural committee.
Trump connection: The Perlmutters initially supported Marco Rubio -- giving $2 million a pro-Rubio super PAC in 2015 -- before coming around to Trump.

Todd Ricketts: The son of billionaire TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts and co-owner of The Chicago Cubs was named Trump's pick for deputy commerce secretary.
Trump connection: The Ricketts family initially opposed Trump -- enraging the candidate -- but eventually donated $1 million to his campaign.

Wilbur Ross: The distressed-asset investor was named Trump's pick for Secretary of Commerce.
Trump connection: Ross helped save Trump's bankrupt Taj Mahal casino in the early 90s as a representative of bondholders and is also Trump's neighbor in both Palm Beach and Manhattan.

Steven Roth: The chairman of real estate investment trust Vornado Realty is a member of Trump's economic advisory council.
Trump connection: Trump and Vornado are partners on two of Trump's most valuable buildings: 1290 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan and 555 California Street in San Francisco. Vornado owns 70% of each; Trump has the remaining 30%.

Phil Ruffin: The Las Vegas investor owns the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino and serves on Trump's inauguration committee.
Trump connection: Ruffin and Trump are partners in Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, with each owning half. A big Trump backer, Ruffin was an early donor and spoke on behalf of Trump at the GOP convention in July.

Stephen Schwarzman: The chairman and CEO of private equity giant Blackstone, Schwarzman will chair Trump's "President's Strategic and Policy Forum" -- a group of top CEOs which will advise Trump on how government policies will affect the economy.

Peter Thiel:  The PayPal cofounder and first big Facebook investor is an informal advisor to Trump's transition effort.
Trump connection: Thiel -- the only Silicon Valley billionaire to publicly support Trump -- was a delegate for the candidate in California and donated $1.25 million to his campaign in October. He also spoke in favor of Trump at the GOP convention.

Steve Wynn: The casino magnate founded Mirage Resorts and then Wynn Resorts, and is a member of Trump's inauguration committee.
Trump connection: Trump and Wynn feuded throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s as rival Atlantic City resort owners. Now friends, Wynn brokered a meeting in his Manhattan home between Trump and Republican strategist Karl Rove in May 2016 -- but never publicly endorsed Trump, claiming to be undecided as recently as August.

[J70]

Rick Perry for Energy Dept. it seems.

He once promised to close it down.

Is the main qualification to lead a government department or agency under Trump complete and utter hostility towards and contempt for the mission of that agency or department?

Was the Walter White spoof that far off the mark?

[Declan]

https://t.co/c2Dr76wsCA?ssr=true

Anyone following the Standing Rock pipeline protest might be interested in this.

[seafoid]

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/government-employees-on-trump-everything-is-fucked-1789095563

[Oraisteach]

Donald Trump appoints Willie Frazer as Armagh GAA County Chairman and Cruella DeVille to head RSPCA.

[seafoid]

Donald Trump appoints Willie Frazer as Armagh GAA County Chairman and Cruella DeVille to head RSPCA.

The Wolf has been appointed to Agriculture
The Pied Piper of Hamelin is given Education

[Declan]

In new @YouGovUS poll, Republican voters view Vladimir Putin more favorably than any Democrat leader in the poll.  https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/ro9rimrce9/econTabReport.pdf ...