Trump's Game of Chicken with Border Security
More Fake News from All the President's Men
In an effort to get the Democrats to fund the border wall, fence, barrier, electronic detection (call it whatever you want), President Trump presented more fake news and lies to the American people in a primetime speech geared to "freak" out Americans. The crisis on the border is ONLY in the minds of Trump's zealots and in Trump and his yes men. Yes, there is a real problem, but it is not even close to being a national emergency in real terms, say, like a nuclear armed North Korea, or the recent comments from China's Xi telling his military to "prepare for war" over Taiwan or South China Sea, the most likely flashpoints with America!
Trump is using the media as his own weapon to frame and influence public opinion in hopes to shame the U.S. Congress unwilling to give him his $5 billion dollars. Even to a reasonable Trump supporter, there are no real facts that support Trump claims. Yet, Trump who is not remotely being hurt by the shutdown that he is proud of could care less about the Americans out of work because of the shutdown. This whole pathetic event in American history is just about Trump and how he will do anything, hurt anyone, to win. He wants his supporters to blame the American Congress, when Trump could have avoided the shutdown be agreeing to 2.5 billion for the wall.
Facts show that far more illegal immigration does not happen across the U.S. border but does happen with the millions of people who remain here with expired visas, lost in country. That IS a real fact. But, why did not Trump get the funding for wall when the Republicans controlled the Senate and Congress in the last two years? Fact is, not all Republicans fully supported Trump's claim and when it came to vote for the funding, it failed.
When Trump and his surrogates claim the crisis on the border, even fact checks by Fox (his news media) do not support what the President claims. When reporters has for the facts and their sources, the response is to obfuscate or they try to make the crisis fit weak facts.
Trump's reasoning for the wall is child-like. Yes, a barrier is good and does help and there is need for it in some areas of the border. But, so are more border patrol personnel, drones, infrared devices, judges to resolve issues. The crisis along the border is a false alarm made by a false prophet. The situation has not got worse and just because images show large groups approaching the border, they're not getting through judging from the large detention camps.
The wall is just a symbol to Trump and his followers, some perverted way of thinking that it will solve America's complex immigration mess. It does not even if Trump goes there for a photo op. This is nothing more than a PR blitz so Trump can win.
I think most Americans are smarter than Trump when it comes to his wall.
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Let's hope, although I will not be surprised he will do it again. Simply put, he's not the type who learns from his mistakes.
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Now that Trump finally caved in and reopened the federal government, maybe cooler heads will prevail by Feb. 15.
- AUTHOR
crazy as it just unwinds....
Hey Perrya, you're spot on. Don't worry what the kool-aid drinkers have to say. Don the con has cried wolf so many times, that it really doesn't matter how much vitriol his supporters will dish out at you. Just kick back and grab some popcorn and be entertained by their antics.
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There is such thing as a pattern of behavior that eventually creates suspicion to those willing to be see it. Its seems you are not one of them but yet, another blind follower. Let's see where it all leads...
The way I see it Trump did you a favor. Now you can just make up whatever conspiracy ideas you may want to put forth. BTW- "God" in that context requires a small "g."
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Day 25 of shutdown, now we find out that during Trump's summit with NATO last year, he sounded others out about pulling the US out of NATO. This could not have made Putin happier. Then, Trump met with Putin with zero documenting personnel as what was said and Trump took the notes of the American transcriber and discarded them. What kind of red flag needs to wake up the Republicans who think Trump is a God? Sometimes, two and two is 4.
Leland: Because 12 years ago, we needed a wall and from that period on, they were building the wall in small sections. Now it needs to be improved, but we don't need a new wall. We need to improve the border security system.
You are so right, Perry, which is why it is so very wrong of Schumer and Pelosi to deny funding to the same project they voted for and had signed into law in 2006. Could you please furnish a reason as to why they would do this and subject federal employees to an unnecessary hardship?
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Using the federal employees as a bargaining chip to get Trump's way is just ethically and morally wrong, especially if you are one that is impacted. Why not just bargain without using them as a pawn? Trump cannot relate to anyone who works from check to check, he just does not give a shit because he wants to win.
There you go again, Mike; simply not true. Firstly, all fed employees will get paid and I think you know that. You're distorting the facts. This will amount to a nice vacation for most of them, not saying it doesn't hurt some, but they will all be paid for sure, plus if Dems care so much about the furloughed workers why don't they just give the president what they gave president Bush in 2006. See how nicely you keep skirting that point? If we don't need a wall, why did Dems vote for one in 2006?
Leland: We don't need a wall. We already have a wall. In Trump's campaign, he said he was going to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. He exaggerates with superlatives every chance he gets without any knowledge of what he is talking about, then when he finds out that he was wrong, he denies he even said it, even though when he said it originally it is recorded for posterity and the world to see and hear.
He now wants to declare a national emergency and take money from Puerto Rico to pay for his wall. The irony is 800,000 federal workers are not going to get paid, many of whom are in vital positions for our safety. That is the real national emergency, not Trump's wall.
Mike: You're talking about it right now. Pelosi, Biden, Obama, Schumer, and many other Dems voted for a wall on our border with Mexico in a bill from 2006. George W. Bush signed that bill into law, so this whole deal seems like a nonsequitor to me. There's already a law in place, supported by the already listed Dems, signed off by a former president, and reflects a mandate of the people. Again, this is all political posturing from the left. One of the central themes of Trump's campaign was border security and the construction of a wall. He isn't posturing, he's fulfilling a campaign promise. Everytime Trump says anything the left instinctively engages in so much knee jerk reactions I'm surprised you're not all bow-legged.
Leland: The only people I know of who are talking about a wall are Trump and his supporters. When he said he was going to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it, we already had a wall, albeit it needs repairs and improvements, but the wall already exists, except in Trump''s mind.
This debate should be framed in terms of improving border security systems which includes improvements to the wall, more staffing, more land and sea assets, and high tech sensors. That is what Pelosi and the democrats proposed, but Trump is fixated on a wall that is going to cost 5.7B. He is currently holding federal workers hostage until he gets his 5.7B and is almost at the point at putting this country at national risk. He doesn't care who are what he hurts during this period along as he gets his way.
As far as your video goes, it was created by Tucker Carlson. I don't trust him as far as I could throw Trump. This video came from the DC Caller, a right wing propaganda machine. Here is what the About Page of the DC caller says.
"Founded by Tucker Carlson, a 20-year veteran of print and broadcast media, and Neil Patel, former Chief Policy Adviser to Vice President Cheney, The Daily Caller is committed to providing its audience with original reporting, in-depth investigations, thought-provoking commentary, and breaking news."
Mike- one reason I don't trust Schumer, Pelosi, et al, is because they supported a barrier, wall, fence, call it what you will it's all semantics, back in 2006. George Bush even signed it into law. Illegal immigration wasn't as bad then as it is now, and they supported the wall back then. Only when Trump got behind the idea did they oppose it. I'll provide the 3 min video footage proving that point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkgXPtDR-xQ
Leland: If you would take the time to read what I posted, it would show you at the bottom of the articles, what the sources are. It is also the same thing with Snopes. Again you are reacting to right wing rhetoric. By the way what are your sources for your great knowledge of Trump?
"Like I said, they tend to be accurate unless the issue is political at which point their leftist leanings show."
So in other words you are saying if they don't agree with your political opinions, then they are leftist leaning. What a great way to rationalize your knowledge of the truth.
"Just out of curiosity, where do you stand when it comes to believing Chuck Schumer, Pelosi, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Are they trustworthy in your opinion?"
I have no reason not to trust Schumer and Pelosi.You don't have to bother with Bill and Hillary. I already know what you think and are going to say. But nice try at trying to re-frame the narrative and to distract from the main discussion.
Please give me your right wing rhetoric of why you do not trust Schumer and Pelosi and the sources for your claims.
That's not correct Mike. You study information that fits your preconceived narrative. You don't research the issues. You search for information that reinforces what you already believe. I've studied issues Snopes declared to be incorrect and it was Snopes that got it wrong. Like I said, they tend to be accurate unless the issue is political at which point their leftist leanings show. Just out of curiosity, where do you stand when it comes to believing Chuck Schumer, Pelosi, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Are they trustworthy in your opinion?
Leland: You just proved my point instead of checking the validity of Trump's claims, you would rather just accept them. That is typical of his supporters.
They really don't want to know the truth by digging any deeper. What is rattling around in my head is based on the research and analysis to try to learn where the truth is.
I don't trust anything that Trump says, simply because he lies constantly and changes his story to fit whatever is politically expedient at the moment. And then when it is pointed out that he changed his original claims, he denies them even if it is played on a video right in front of his face.
Mike- I can't promise you I'll look at the links. I'm more of an idea guy, you know? I mean, who's checking "fact check" and "Snopes" a very left leaning site. They usually get it right as long as the issue is a-political. I enjoy hearing what's rattling around in your head vs. reading a lot of dubious links. Thanks though.
Leland: If you really want to know the truth about Trump's 500 businesses, read this;
https://wapo.st/1OHWwb2?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.66...
Trump has made cameo appearances in movies and his has been on many tv news shows.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_in_popu...
Here is what Fact Check says about many of Trump's claims.
Perry- I'll have to do more research on the whole 4,000 figure. I don't believe the State Department is obligated to divulge sensitive issues of national security to the public. Ultimately, I think it comes down to trusting the people you listen to. One of the people I listen to is a very close friend who is a border agent, formerly in Arizona. He supports President Trump's policies regarding illegal immigration. As far as you wondering what planet I'm on- I'm speaking to you from planet earth, but you are hard to understand sometimes because it sounds like the anti-Trump crowd speaks from Uranus.
Hi Mike- Nooooooo, I don't get cable so I rarely even have an opportunity to watch, though I do when I can. You must watch it too since you seem to be so familiar with what they report?? Thanks, by the way, for copying everything I wrote verbatim- though it sort of makes my case that you just tend to regurgitate what you've heard or read. I noticed you didn't furnish any contrary information to the stats I quoted, just an ominous "wow!" How about I give you one example...last week I paid $1.77 for gas. I live in a moderate sized city in Michigan, about 50,000 people. Why don't you do a little fact checking and see if the $1.77 figure checks out. I think that's the one that's probably the most difficult for you to believe. As far as your citing of the Dunning-Freddie-Kruger affect, I'm not questioning whether or not it's actually a condition, just to your non-clinical application to our president.
Leland: Wow! "He has owned over 500 successful businesses, appeared in over 30 films and TV shows, and had his own #1 rated TV series; Trump has caused unemployment to drop to it's lowest rate in 40 years and that includes for African Americans and Hispanics. His allowance for more drilling has caused a decrease in crude oil $ per barrel which has seen gas prices drop below $2 for the first time in 15 years. Experts (people I'm sure you would deem as competent) insisted Trump would start WW3 if he stood up to N. Korea."
Did you even check out any of those claims for truthfulness or are you just accepting what Trump and Fox News says on blind faith? I suspect it is the latter. You see the Dunning-Kruger effect. applies not only to Trump but also to his supporters. Please read this from Psychology Today.
You're "not sure" of more than you realize. Trump has affected the release of hostages from N. Korea and nuke testing has ceased in that nation. How callous of you not to acknowledge that fact and give credit where it is due. You're right about nukes being out of the barn, I'll give you that, but that's true- not just for N. Korea, but for all nuclear nations. It isn't really about whether or not we can get anyone to surrender their arsenals. That's just not realistic. However, by showing strong leadership and an actual backbone like Trump has, our enemies change their behavior. I don't believe KJU was serious about threatening the US with nukes. I think he wanted us to be fearful that he MIGHT be serious, but Trump called his bluff saying, "We have a lot more than he does." We cannot let other nations push us around anymore. Why are you in favor of unfair business practices? The US paying 90% of UN dues and being the near sole financial support of NATO? Why are you more for other countries than for your own? Strange times in which we are living.
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Not sure what planet the Trump supporters are on, but N Korea still has up to 50 nukes and we all know that wishful thinking that they will give them up is just that, Trump is not going to change that. Notice how Trump did not say that 4000 invaders crossed the border in his speech when his own department indicated the 4000 terrorists were not that in fact, only 12 were and security had got all of them.
Mike- I don't think your assessment of our president is remotely possible of being accurate since he has owned over 500 successful businesses, appeared in over 30 films and TV shows, and had his own #1 rated TV series. Incompetent??? Wow! I wish I was that incompetent! Understand something- a person isn't incompetent because you don't like them. Trump has caused unemployment to drop to it's lowest rate in 40 years and that includes for African Americans and Hispanics. His allowance for more drilling has caused a decrease in crude oil $ per barrel which has seen gas prices drop below $2 for the first time in 15 years. Experts (people I'm sure you would deem as competent) insisted Trump would start WW3 if he stood up to N. Korea, but again Trump was right and your competent experts were wrong. You'd think people would start getting it by now, but alas, they/you don't. Why is that? I think it's because you succumb to the mass media and swamp members Trump opposes. Come out of the swamp, Mike. It's nice on the dry land of Sane-ville.
Perrya: We have to forgive Trump. I'm afraid he is suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect. This is where incompetent people think they know everything, but it turns out because they are so incompetent, they can't even realize they are incompetent.
That's why Trump says all the crazy crap that he does because he has no experience and knowledge, except as a real estate con artist. He has never lived in the real world of various domestic experiences.
That why he thinks that people can adjust to a long term shutdown and that you have to show your ID when you shop at a grocery store. He has never done those things. The first time he said he was going to build a wall, he made it sound like there was no wall because in his experience, the wall never existed.
Here is an article that explains the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Perry- do you mean the N. Korea that Trump disarmed? I bet you'd feel differently about border security if someone you loved had happen to them what officer Ronin Singh had happen to him. Thousands of Americans have been murdered by illegals, tons of drugs, tens of thousands of women and children forced into human/sex trafficking. Doesn't that constitute an emergency in your mind?
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