Trump Presidency

[madhatter]

[deadheadskier]

Ralph should resign

But what a stupid thing to post. Had Ralph wore a black face like that in 1984, Trump probably wouldn't have rented him an apartment.

Donnie's well documented record of racist behavior dwarfs Ralph's

[madhatter]

Ralph should resign

But what a stupid thing to post. Had Ralph wore a black face like that in 1984, Trump probably wouldn't have rented him an apartment.

Donnie's well fabricated record of racist behavior dwarfs Ralph's

chow down leftists...

[madhatter]

I just met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus today, which Congresswoman Sanchez is a member of -- (applause) -- to talk about this issue directly. As many of you know, during the campaign I was asked repeatedly about this, and I reiterated my belief that we have to have comprehensive immigration reform.

Now, I know this is an emotional issue, I know it's a controversial issue, I know that the people get real riled up politically about this, but -- but ultimately, here's what I believe: We are a nation of immigrants, number one.

Number two, we do have to have control of our borders. Number three, that people who have been here for a long time and put down roots here have to have some mechanism over time to get out of the shadows, because if they stay in the shadows, in the underground economy, then they are oftentimes pitted against American workers.

Since they can't join a union, they can't complain about minimum wages, et cetera, they end up being abused, and that depresses the wages of everybody, all Americans. (Applause.)

So I don't think that we can do this piecemeal. I think what we have to do is to come together and say, we're going to strengthen our borders -- and I'm going to be going to Mexico, I'm going to be working with President Calderón in Mexico to figure out how do we get control over the border that's become more violent because of the drug trade.

We have to combine that with cracking down on employers who are exploiting undocumented workers. (Applause.) We have to make sure that there's a verification system to find out whether somebody is legally able to work here or not. But we have to make sure that that verification system does not discriminate just because you've got a Hispanic last name or your last name is Obama. (Laughter.)

You've got to -- and then you've got to say to the undocumented workers, you have to say, look, you've broken the law; you didn't come here the way you were supposed to. So this is not going to be a free ride. It's not going to be some instant amnesty. What's going to happen is you are going to pay a significant fine. You are going to learn English. (Applause.)

You are going to -- you are going to go to the back of the line so that you don't get ahead of somebody who was in Mexico City applying legally. (Applause.) But after you've done these things over a certain period of time you can earn your citizenship, so that it's not -- it's not something that is guaranteed or automatic. You've got to earn it. But over time you give people an opportunity.

Now, it only works though if you do all the pieces. I think the American people, they appreciate and believe in immigration. But they can't have a situation where you just have half a million people pouring over the border without any kind of mechanism to control it.

So we've got to deal with that at the same time as we deal in a humane fashion with folks who are putting down roots here, have become our neighbors, have become our friends, they may have children who are U.S. citizens. (Applause.) That's the kind of comprehensive approach that we have to take. All right. Okay. (Applause.)

[XtremeJibber2001]

So we've got to deal with that at the same time as we deal in a humane fashion with folks who are putting down roots here, have become our neighbors, have become our friends, they may have children who are U.S. citizens. (Applause.) That's the kind of comprehensive approach that we have to take. All right. Okay. (Applause.)

Trump is right and I agree with his comments above. However, this last part is the problem - what he says we need to do and what he's actually doing are at odds with one another. He's not taking a comprehensive approach, but rather a 'shove the wall down our throat approach' and ignoring the other critical elements of immigration reform.

[madhatter]

So we've got to deal with that at the same time as we deal in a humane fashion with folks who are putting down roots here, have become our neighbors, have become our friends, they may have children who are U.S. citizens. (Applause.) That's the kind of comprehensive approach that we have to take. All right. Okay. (Applause.)

Trump is right and I agree with his comments above. However, this last part is the problem - what he says we need to do and what he's actually doing are at odds with one another. He's not taking a comprehensive approach, but rather a 'shove the wall down our throat approach' and ignoring the other critical elements of immigration reform.

I dunno doesn't seem like that to me at all...

[XtremeJibber2001]

So we've got to deal with that at the same time as we deal in a humane fashion with folks who are putting down roots here, have become our neighbors, have become our friends, they may have children who are U.S. citizens. (Applause.) That's the kind of comprehensive approach that we have to take. All right. Okay. (Applause.)

Trump is right and I agree with his comments above. However, this last part is the problem - what he says we need to do and what he's actually doing are at odds with one another. He's not taking a comprehensive approach, but rather a 'shove the wall down our throat approach' and ignoring the other critical elements of immigration reform.

I dunno doesn't seem like that to me at all...

We'll agree to disagree, but I think we can both agree he's not dealing with immigration in a 'comprehensive' (nor 'humane') fashion as quoted above.

[madhatter]

So we've got to deal with that at the same time as we deal in a humane fashion with folks who are putting down roots here, have become our neighbors, have become our friends, they may have children who are U.S. citizens. (Applause.) That's the kind of comprehensive approach that we have to take. All right. Okay. (Applause.)

Trump is right and I agree with his comments above. However, this last part is the problem - what he says we need to do and what he's actually doing are at odds with one another. He's not taking a comprehensive approach, but rather a 'shove the wall down our throat approach' and ignoring the other critical elements of immigration reform.

I dunno doesn't seem like that to me at all...

We'll agree to disagree, but I think we can both agree he's not dealing with immigration in a 'comprehensive' (nor 'humane') fashion as quoted above.

hasn't he offered DACA protection, sections of wall that were previously approved in bipartisan bill but need funding, enhanced drone surveillance, add'l border patrol etc? D's are on record as in favor of sections of wall/barrier where it's needed...the D's stand on it now is purely political...it's a tiny fraction of the budget..make ALL the necessary changes and present a bill to the president to sign...that's what is really needed a BILL to sign...we'll see if trump can use the bully pulpit to force D's to put forth a bill that can get signed...

[XtremeJibber2001]

Trump is right and I agree with his comments above. However, this last part is the problem - what he says we need to do and what he's actually doing are at odds with one another. He's not taking a comprehensive approach, but rather a 'shove the wall down our throat approach' and ignoring the other critical elements of immigration reform.

I dunno doesn't seem like that to me at all...

We'll agree to disagree, but I think we can both agree he's not dealing with immigration in a 'comprehensive' (nor 'humane') fashion as quoted above.

hasn't he offered DACA protection, sections of wall that were previously approved in bipartisan bill but need funding, enhanced drone surveillance, add'l border patrol etc?

He has, but these things are not 'comprehensive' as they are all border-focused. Trump ended DACA and temporarily offering it to secure funding, only to have be a loose end down the road is not what I consider 'comprehensive'.

D's are on record as in favor of sections of wall/barrier where it's needed...the D's stand on it now is purely political...it's a tiny fraction of the budget..make ALL the necessary changes and present a bill to the president to sign...that's what is really needed a BILL to sign...we'll see if trump can use the bully pulpit to force D's to put forth a bill that can get signed...

Part of the issue, in my opinion, is making immigration reform about the wall. Comprehensive reform would bring D's to the table (probably not now, but could have in the early stages). This is all a red herring because what's mentioned in the quote above is not the reality. Trump is not establishing comprehensive reform.

[MarieM]

Holy mackerel! You think lefties are angry...!

https://thebulwark.com/your-guide-to-to ... ord-vomit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kpdemello]

Ha ha, that dude wrote a book called, "Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever" Sounds about right.

My current working theory is that Trump couldn't care less about getting a wall built and that this is all theater. If he really did want a wall, there is a deal to be had, but he hasn't done anything to facilitate it. He'd have to offer something substantive to the Democrats, and he's not willing to do it. I mean if this really is a crisis like he says, shouldn't he be willing to give something up to solve the problem? Yet he offers little to nothing to Democrats, and instead just makes threats and demands. Either he is incredibly incompetent and foolish (possible), or he well knows this won't accomplish anything.

So what I think is really going on here is that Trump is scared to death of impeachment, and this is his strategy to prevent it. Big shows like shutting the government down, televised speeches, tense meetings that he can walk out of, etc. provide great political theater that his supporters just gobble up. And the wall issue is one that his supporters feel incredibly passionate about. Making a deal would open him to criticism at what he had to give up, and the kind of stuff he'd have to give Democrats to get the deal done would not sit well with his base. I bet he figures if he can keep a solid, substantial base in the Republican party, it will be difficult for Republicans in the Senate to vote for impeachment.

[madhatter]

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... _done.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

JOHN BERMAN, CNN: The President in his speech last night when he was explaining what that wall would be saying, it would be see-through steel slats.

REP. JAMES CLYBURN: Yes.

BERMAN: You, more than most Democrats and certainly Democrats in leadership have seemed open to the possibility of funding for some new barrier under the right circumstances.

CLYBURN: Yes, so long as it's smartly done. Listening to the experts, I don't think we ought to put ourselves in the place of experts. I've said we ought to have a smart wall. I defined that as a wall using drones, to make it too high to get over, using x-ray equipment to make it too wide to get around and using scanners to go deep enough not to tunnel under it. Now that to me, would be a smart thing to do. Now there are some walls, they are ready, there's some barriers there already they that need to be repaired, reinforced. And sure, we ought to do that. And if the experts say that under the circumstances that this particular port of entry, this needs to be reinforced with certain barriers, then I don't see us turning our backs on that.

BERMAN: Do you know what this conference committee is going to come up with? Have you been given insight as to where they are in their negotiations?

CLYBURN: Well everybody I talked to seems to be very pleased with the progress that's being made. And they really think, that's both sides of the aisle, that they can get there, to a reasonable conclusion if we stay out of it. And not just us in the Congress, but if the President stays out of it as well.

BERMAN: Are you staying out of it?

CLYBURN: Yes.

BERMAN: Is the speaker staying out of it?

CLYBURN: I don't know what the speaker is doing but I hope she's staying out of it, I'm sure she is.

[MarieM]

CHILD SEPARATION HEARING NOW.

Rep. Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many children were separated from their parents?

(No answer from panel.)

Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many separated kids are still in U.S. custody?

(No answer.)

Schakowsky: No one knows.

Source: Lisa Desjardins PBS News

[madhatter]

CHILD SEPARATION HEARING NOW.

Rep. Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many children were separated from their parents?

(No answer from panel.)

Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many separated kids are still in U.S. custody?

(No answer.)

Schakowsky: No one knows.

Source: Lisa Desjardins PBS News

real answer: exponentially fewer than are aborted each day...spare us your faux outrage and virtue signaling...and the answer would be ZERO if we a had wall to stop them....

[XtremeJibber2001]

CHILD SEPARATION HEARING NOW.

Rep. Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many children were separated from their parents?

(No answer from panel.)

Schakowsky: Does anyone know how many separated kids are still in U.S. custody?

(No answer.)

Schakowsky: No one knows.

Source: Lisa Desjardins PBS News

real answer: exponentially fewer than are aborted each day

Curious what difference this makes? Shouldn't we manage how children are treated while in our custody?