Front Office Football Central - The Trump Presidency

DOLA:

Solid take on the whole North Korea/Trump situation from a fairly impartial writer. North Korea is doing what it always has done and Trump isn’t going to change things any more than Clinton or Obama did when they tried.

https://thefederalist.com/2018/03/12...th-korea-just/

RainMaker

03-12-2018 05:10 PM

I don't know if it should be a separate thread but the Russians using a chemical weapon on British soil seems like a big story. May had a pretty harsh statement today.

Theresa May's ultimatum to Putin: Explain yourself in next 24 hours or face retaliation

AlexB

03-12-2018 05:43 PM

I bet Putin is shaking at the prospect of the severe tutting he’s about to get

Groundhog

03-12-2018 06:16 PM

Come on guys, the Russians have already said it wasn't them, what more do you want.

Atocep

03-12-2018 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhog (Post 3198281)

Come on guys, the Russians have already said it wasn't them, what more do you want.

I don't know why everyone doesn't want better relations with them.

Thomkal

03-12-2018 07:28 PM

Looks like the Republicans on the House Committee on Russia are ready to follow Trump right off the cliff:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/12/polit...ons/index.html

Atocep

03-12-2018 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198288)

Looks like the Republicans on the House Committee on Russia are ready to follow Trump right off the cliff:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/12/polit...ons/index.html

Pretty sure Nunes thinks he's part of Trump's secret service.

Thomkal

03-12-2018 08:04 PM

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 15m15 minutes ago

THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAS, AFTER A 14 MONTH LONG IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION, FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION OR COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA TO INFLUENCE THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Edward64

03-12-2018 10:11 PM

Let me say that I don't know much about the merits of Broadcom & Qualcomm merger/acquisition and if the Trump admin really should have an issue.

However I do agree, in principle, with preventing the acquisition of key US companies by foreign companies e.g. Chinese company buying Oracle or Microsoft.

Trump blocks Broadcom's $117 billion Qualcomm bid over national security - Mar. 12, 2018

Quote:

The White House has blocked Broadcom's $117 billion bid for Qualcomm due to national security concerns.

In an order Monday, President Donald Trump wrote that there is "credible evidence" that Broadcom and its affiliates "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."

He said the two companies must "immediately and permanently abandon the proposed takeover."

Broadcom said in a statement late Monday that it is reviewing the order and that it "strongly disagrees that its proposed acquisition of Qualcomm raises any national security concerns."

Broadcom's hostile takeover of Qualcomm (QCOM) — the latter company rejected the bid — would have combined two computer chip makers. It had been under investigation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS. The inter-agency panel is chaired by the Treasury Department and vets deals that could give a foreign investor control of a US business.

Broadcom (AVGO)primarily makes chips for wired broadband communications, such as modems, Wi-Fi, switches and routers.

mckerney

03-13-2018 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198288)

Looks like the Republicans on the House Committee on Russia are ready to follow Trump right off the cliff:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/12/polit...ons/index.html

It's amazing what you can't find when you're not looking for it.

Groundhog

03-13-2018 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198293)

Another issue we can put to rest!

Ben E Lou

03-13-2018 08:00 AM

Bye-bye, Rex!

JPhillips

03-13-2018 08:09 AM

You can do anything but criticize the Russians.

BYU 14

03-13-2018 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPhillips (Post 3198340)

You can do anything but criticize the Russians.

Saw some saying that these comments came after he knew he was getting fired, so apparently you can do anything but have balls when you work for Trump.

Thomkal

03-13-2018 08:48 AM

wonder if he will come forward and take acceptance of the "f&*&ing moron" quote now. Or if he has anything interesting to share with Mueller.

Yes yes no chaos in the White House.

Thomkal

03-13-2018 08:49 AM

And don't worry Donald, the media hasn't forgotten about that special election in PA today...

cartman

03-13-2018 08:59 AM

If he wanted to keep his job, he should have brought back Obama's birth certificate when he visited Kenya.

digamma

03-13-2018 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand (Post 3156325)

I know there are more sexy things to fret over, but at some point, doesn't the horrifying lack of actual leadership in government matter? We've seen this in bits and pieces... of the top jobs at the State Department, they have filled something like one of 100... of all these senior US Attorneys fired for being Obama holdovers simply have not been replaced... and so forth. It's pretty clear (regardless of what side you're on, I'd think) that this President and Administration have less interest than usual in the actual day-to-day conduct of government business, and I guess we knew we were getting that. But doesn't this actually matter at some point? Or is this just yet another left/right talking point where the true believers will tell us that since the sun continue to rise in the East, that's evidence that we don't actually need a true State Department, and can get by with an occasional official visit somewhere from Ivanka instead? (and so on and so forth)

Just going to bump this one. FROM MAY 2017!!!!

JPhillips

03-13-2018 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU 14 (Post 3198344)

Saw some saying that these comments came after he knew he was getting fired, so apparently you can do anything but have balls when you work for Trump.

Who knows with these clowns.

Ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson found out that he had been fired from the tweet from President Trump on Tuesday, according to Steve Goldstein, Undersecretary for public diplomacy, @eliselabottcnn reports.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 13, 2018

Thomkal

03-13-2018 10:18 AM

Tillerson wasn't the only one getting fired today...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-...red-1520945928

molson

03-13-2018 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198347)

wonder if he will come forward and take acceptance of the "f&*&ing moron" quote now. Or if he has anything interesting to share with Mueller.

I think it's just as likely a lot of these people bought their jobs in the Trump administration to accomplish something specific - get access to important information or people, influence some government action that will benefit their business going forward - and then they're fine to leave and be away from the microscope.

whomario

03-13-2018 10:46 AM

Just yesterday: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...by-about-a-day

“Due to demands in the secretary’s schedule he is returning to the U.S. one day early, after concluding official meetings in Chad and Nigeria,” said Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Steve Goldstein.

Just the latest proove of Trump's utter ignorance with regards to diplomacy and foreign policy.

So he basically sent a lame duck to the "shithole countries" to mend some fences ? I bet they are ecstatic that they just wasted their time discussing/negotiating with him and now are back to square one on whatever was achieved/agreed upon. I mean, the good thing about his ignorance to these countries is that he cares too little to bother firing/replacing the ambassadors apointed by Obama. So, glass half full maybe.

China pretty much has a standing corps of diplomats, business people and technical experts in most every african country.

Meanwhile, the State Department is getting absolutely gutted at every level and the US still has no ambassadors in Australia, Germany, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, among others.

John Oliver on this: Trump vs. The World: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) - YouTube

NobodyHere

03-13-2018 11:31 AM

I thought Trump only hires the BEST people.

Maybe it just takes him a few tries?

henry296

03-13-2018 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198349)

And don't worry Donald, the media hasn't forgotten about that special election in PA today...

I did my part today in that election.

digamma

03-13-2018 11:34 AM

This is quite a day, even by Trump standards.

miami_fan

03-13-2018 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by molson (Post 3198371)

I think it's just as likely a lot of these people bought their jobs in the Trump administration to accomplish something specific - get access to important information or people, influence some government action that will benefit their business going forward - and then they're fine to leave and be away from the microscope.

I agree with this 1000% especially the bold portion.

Fair play on them though.

Thomkal

03-13-2018 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPhillips (Post 3198368)

Who knows with these clowns.

And the guy who put out that info about when Tillerson was fired, Steve Goldstein? Now fired as well.

Thomkal

03-13-2018 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henry296 (Post 3198381)

I did my part today in that election.

Glad to hear it-if you voted for Lamb of course :)

cartman

03-13-2018 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomkal (Post 3198391)

And the guy who put out that info about when Tillerson was fired, Steve Goldstein? Now fired as well.

It is like the opening credits of Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

JPhillips

03-13-2018 12:49 PM

I expect he'll be gracious, but Tillerson's 2 pm statement could be magical.

PilotMan

03-13-2018 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman (Post 3198393)

It is like the opening credits of Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

To be a fly on the wall.

whomario

03-13-2018 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miami_fan (Post 3198388)

I agree with this 1000% especially the bold portion.

Fair play on them though.

Great Severance Package too, i would assume.

cartman

03-13-2018 01:21 PM

That was underwhelming from Tillerson.

Ben E Lou

03-13-2018 01:55 PM

He would run into a building to save children from a shooting, but he is too much of a coward to fire his Secretary of State face to face.
— The Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) March 13, 2018

mckerney

03-13-2018 02:29 PM

The media has been speculating that I fired Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving soon - FAKE NEWS! He’s not leaving and while we disagree on certain subjects, (I call the final shots) we work well together and America is highly respected again!https://t.co/FrqiPLFJ1E
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 1, 2017

RainMaker

03-13-2018 02:41 PM

Tillerson was a garbage Secretary of State. I don't know if the next guy will be better but Tillerson is trash.

whomario

03-13-2018 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker (Post 3198426)

Tillerson was a garbage Secretary of State. I don't know if the next guy will be better but Tillerson is trash.

As if Trump cares about job performance as measured by normal standards or about the state of the State Department:

Trump's Deep Cuts to State Department Budget Hurt Diplomacy - Bloomberg

Then again, he did play the good soldier promoting the insanity:

Rex Tillerson: state department can be cut as we will soon solve global conflicts | US news | The Guardian

But then again, you gotta take the money for even more military spending from somewhere. So why not the department that is in a way responsible for preventing to have to use the military. Win-Win.

RainMaker

03-13-2018 03:32 PM

I mean I know he got fired over his stance on Russia but he was still shit at everything.

Never thought I'd see America become another country's bitch like this.

Groundhog

03-13-2018 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker (Post 3198434)

I mean I know he got fired over his stance on Russia but he was still shit at everything.

Never thought I'd see America become another country's bitch like this.

And in all probability it's because of your president's business interests, or possibly video footage of him peeing on prostitutes. Maybe both.

BBT	03-13-2018 07:13 PM

Considering everything that's already come up on Trump regarding his "love-life," I doubt a pee tape would really make a dent.

More than likely, Putin has Trump where it hurts...his wallet in some way.

digamma

03-13-2018 08:43 PM

PA-18 going down to the wire.

Thomkal

03-13-2018 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digamma (Post 3198479)

PA-18 going down to the wire.

It sure is. Lamb has been up all night but Saccone is just 1000 votes or so behind now with 95% counted.

JPhillips

03-13-2018 09:09 PM

Crazy how 50.1-49.9 Lamb will mean Trump and the GOP are toast and 50.1-49.9 Saccone will mean a resurgent Trump and GOP.

I kind of miss the time when special elections would get a mention on the next night's evening news and we'd all move on rather quickly.

digamma

03-13-2018 09:13 PM

In a congressional district that is being redrawn. So this has 8 months of any consequence...

Thomkal

03-13-2018 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digamma (Post 3198486)

In a congressional district that is being redrawn. So this has 8 months of any consequence...

yeah the two guys will be in different districts with the new map. Crazy.

JPhillips

03-13-2018 09:42 PM

There are @7000 absentee ballots that won't get counted tonight, so everyone can go to bed. This won't be decided for a bit.