Second ('Third') Trump Presidency Thread

[Jaw]

A big part of the appeal that Trump has is his willingness to get in the mud to get things done. It’s easy to forget the way McCain and Romney just stood there while being used for target practice during their campaigns, with the Candy Crowley debate being the most obvious example. That little preplanned attack that Obama and Crowley pulled on Mitt stopped him dead in his tracks and ended his campaign. Trump would have lashed out in reply and not only thrown them off their game, but shifted the focus to the accuracy of the “fact check” and the morality of the moderator using data given to them by the campaign to do it.

Guys like that will be unlikeable enough that they never get all they want, but he does use chaos and misdirection, sometimes masterfully, to move things in the direction he wants. Anyone who thinks normal politics would have resulted in the Greenland deal hasn’t been paying attention. He’s used ICE in focused raids to draw more attention to deportations. That’s made millions self deport and millions more cancel plans to come here. When was the last time anyone complained about the border wall improvements? How many countries have given concessions in order to avoid tariffs that Trump just created out of thin air? Does anyone believe that Jeb would have had the balls to cancel emissions restrictions on the auto industry, or that Marco would have droned drug smuggling boats? They would have been called way too many mean names to ever consider it.

 

[thethe]

Not acknowledging the current reality will always make you miss the mark on evaluating Trump.

 

[sturg33]

Not acknowledging the current reality will always make you miss the mark on evaluating Trump.

The current reality is a choice. An omnibus spending bill is not required. It could be changed tomorrow but MAGA isn't interested

If dems controlled the house, I would be more sympathetic. Trump has the opportunity to change the current reality and the public supports that change but status quo is preferred

 

[sturg33]

A big part of the appeal that Trump has is his willingness to get in the mud to get things done. It’s easy to forget the way McCain and Romney just stood there while being used for target practice during their campaigns, with the Candy Crowley debate being the most obvious example. That little preplanned attack that Obama and Crowley pulled on Mitt stopped him dead in his tracks and ended his campaign. Trump would have lashed out in reply and not only thrown them off their game, but shifted the focus to the accuracy of the “fact check” and the morality of the moderator using data given to them by the campaign to do it.

Guys like that will be unlikeable enough that they never get all they want, but he does use chaos and misdirection, sometimes masterfully, to move things in the direction he wants. Anyone who thinks normal politics would have resulted in the Greenland deal hasn’t been paying attention. He’s used ICE in focused raids to draw more attention to deportations. That’s made millions self deport and millions more cancel plans to come here. When was the last time anyone complained about the border wall improvements? How many countries have given concessions in order to avoid tariffs that Trump just created out of thin air? Does anyone believe that Jeb would have had the balls to cancel emissions restrictions on the auto industry, or that Marco would have droned drug smuggling boats? They would have been called way too many mean names to ever consider it.

Criticism of Trump is not saying good he has done nothing good. He's preferable to kamala and some other republicans.

But he had the opportunity to make real lasting operational change and he has declined to do so.

When he leaves, his legacy is over

 

[thethe]

The current reality is a choice. An omnibus spending bill is not required. It could be changed tomorrow but MAGA isn't interested

If dems controlled the house, I would be more sympathetic. Trump has the opportunity to change the current reality and the public supports that change but status quo is preferred

No - We need money to deport the 10-20M people that came during the autopen regime.

We need to reindustrialize the nation.

We need to defeat the CCP/Communism in our hemisphere.

Those re the things that matter - The economy is roaring man. Its only going to get better.

 

[thethe]

Criticism of Trump is not saying good he has done nothing good. He's preferable to kamala and some other republicans.

But he had the opportunity to make real lasting operational change and he has declined to do so.

When he leaves, his legacy is over

And some Republicans? Give me a break....

Trumps legacy will be discussed in history books for centuries.

 

[sturg33]

No - We need money to deport the 10-20M people that came during the autopen regime.

We need to reindustrialize the nation.

We need to defeat the CCP/Communism in our hemisphere.

Those re the things that matter - The economy is roaring man. Its only going to get better.

Ok, pass a spending bill for deportations

Then pass a spending bill for industrial funding

That way we can do those things while also cutting funding for fraud in California and Minnesota. And USAID goes away too!

Why youre not interested in that is so bizarre to me.

Well its not really ... wanting that means you'd have to acknowledge Trump failed to produce it

 

[chop2chip]

You started a threat about cautious optimism

I was with you. DOGE, project 2025, different personnel

Just a massive missed opportunity

And the most religious are telling me that Lindsey Graham is the answer

This was the crux of whether 47 would be good or not.

He’s done things I like. Secure the border. Changed the narrative on immigration enforcement. Focused the country on winning the AI race against China. All massively positive, and I think these will have staying power post his presidency.

But the Donroe Doctrine, whip lash tariff policy (I don’t think this survives even if R wins in 2028), foreign policy that’s out of the Lindsay Graham playbook, abandonment of fiscal restraint, etc. Once in a century opportunity wasted

At the end of the day, Donald Trump is uniquely influential. He has shaken up the Republican Party, rooting out the establishment and bringing neglected issues to the forefront. However, his ability to inspire loyalty is a double-edged sword. He could use it to bring meaningful reform, but it also risks encouraging authoritarian tendencies. My hope is that he channels his influence toward strengthening our institutions and protecting individual freedoms, rather than undermining them.

 

[thethe]

Ok, pass a spending bill for deportations

Then pass a spending bill for industrial funding

That way we can do those things while also cutting funding for fraud in California and Minnesota. And USAID goes away too!

Why youre not interested in that is so bizarre to me.

Well its not really ... wanting that means you'd have to acknowledge Trump failed to produce it

I'm interested in getting things done quickly. You seeem to want a strategy that will draw out for months/years.

 

[thethe]

This was the crux of whether 47 would be good or not.

He’s done things I like. Secure the border. Changed the narrative on immigration enforcement. Focused the country on winning the AI race against China. All massively positive, and I think these will have staying power post his presidency.

But the Donroe Doctrine, whip lash tariff policy (I don’t think this survives even if R wins in 2028), foreign policy that’s out of the Lindsay Graham playbook, abandonment of fiscal restraint, etc. Once in a century opportunity wasted

You don't like forcing the CCP out of our hemisphere? Really?

 

[Jaw]

Criticism of Trump is not saying good he has done nothing good. He's preferable to kamala and some other republicans.

But he had the opportunity to make real lasting operational change and he has declined to do so.

When he leaves, his legacy is over

Oh I agree. There is plenty to criticize. I’m less upset about the lack of lasting impact because I fully expect the game to be broken when Dems capture full control in 2028. For all the frustration about what he hasn’t done, he has been effective enough that they won’t risk anyone being able to follow him. We should all prepare for new states, lots of new SC justices, noncitizens voting, more House seats, and whatever else they can think up to guarantee decades of power.

Anyone who doesn’t believe it should really take a look at VA. Some of those idiots actually believed they were voting for a moderate Dem.

 

[sturg33]

I'm interested in getting things done quickly. You seeem to want a strategy that will draw out for months/years.

Of course! Give the left everything they want in exchange for a few deportation dollars

Here's the reality

The house can pass a spending bill with a simple majority. So nothing should stop MAGA Mike Johnson.

And I would LOVE to force Shumer to go on camera to say he refuses to fund law enforcement without his fraud payments in Minnesota. What an ad for Republicans!

Alas, status quo instead.

 

[sturg33]

Oh I agree. There is plenty to criticize. I’m less upset about the lack of lasting impact because I fully expect the game to be broken when Dems capture full control in 2028. For all the frustration about what he hasn’t done, he has been effective enough that they won’t risk anyone being able to follow him. We should all prepare for new states, lots of new SC justices, noncitizens voting, more House seats, and whatever else they can think up to guarantee decades of power.

Anyone who doesn’t believe it should really take a look at VA. Some of those idiots actually believed they were voting for a moderate Dem.

This is precisely why his going along with status quo is problematic.

He had the opportunity to change the game and how we operate and he declined. Dems will not be so kind

 

[thethe]

Of course! Give the left everything they want in exchange for a few deportation dollars

Here's the reality

The house can pass a spending bill with a simple majority. So nothing should stop MAGA Mike Johnson.

And I would LOVE to force Shumer to go on camera to say he refuses to fund law enforcement without his fraud payments in Minnesota. What an ad for Republicans!

Alas, status quo instead.

What Trump is doing will destroy the left for good

 

[chop2chip]

You don't like forcing the CCP out of our hemisphere? Really?

Eh disagree with the framing, but acknowledge that outcome as positive.

 

[thethe]

Eh disagree with the framing, but acknowledge that outcome as positive.

How could you disagree with the framing? That is whats happening all over.

 

[chop2chip]

How could you disagree with the framing? That is whats happening all over.

Having objections with military operations where the Executive branch orders the abduction of a president of another country does not mean I want the CCP to take over the Western Hemisphere.

 

[thethe]

Having objections with military operations where the Executive branch orders the abduction of a president of another country does not mean I want the CCP to take over the Western Hemisphere.

But said dictator was working lock step with the ccp.

 

[sturg33]

Grok wrote a nice 2 minute press announcement the President could deliver that would be entirely unifying. You're welcome, President Trump. now go make congress to their job!

Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow Americans—thank you, thank you. It's great to be here with you all. You know, I've always fought for you, the hardworking people of this country. And today, I'm making a big announcement: No more massive omnibus bills from me. That's right—those thousand-page monsters stuffed with pork, waste, and fraud? I'm done signing them. They're a disaster, folks. A total disaster.

Think about it: These omnibus bills are like a giant Christmas tree loaded with ornaments nobody asked for. Billions of your tax dollars going to ridiculous projects—bridges to nowhere, studies on shrimp treadmills, or funding for special interests that line the pockets of lobbyists and bureaucrats. Waste, fraud, abuse—it's everywhere. Remember that time we found out millions were funneled to foreign countries for "gender studies" while our veterans wait in line for care? Or how about the earmarks snuck in at midnight, hidden so deep you need a flashlight to find them? It's not Republican waste or Democrat waste—it's American waste, and it hurts every single one of us. Republicans hate it, Democrats hate it, independents hate it. We're all paying for it!

That's why I'm calling on Congress—both sides—to step up and pass single-item spending bills. One bill, one purpose. Transparent, accountable, and voted on separately. No more hiding the junk behind the must-pass stuff. If you want to fund the military, great—let's vote on that. Roads and bridges? Absolutely, put it to a vote. But if some politician wants to slip in billions for their pet project or wasteful giveaway? They'll have to go on record. No more excuses. Democrats in Congress, if you love those bad policies so much, own them! Vote yes and explain it to your voters back home. Republicans too—let's all be honest with the American people.

This is about draining the swamp, saving your money, and making Washington work for you—not the other way around. Together, we can fix this broken system. It's common sense, it's fair, and it's what America deserves. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America! Thank you!