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Trump Timeline ... Trumpocalypse
- Thread starter CdnGuy
- Start date
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin praised President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, describing the American presence there as illegitimate and the Islamic State as largely defeated on the ground.
Putin told journalists at his annual year-end news conference that the Islamic State has suffered “serious blows” in Syria.
“On this, Donald is right. I agree with him,” Putin said.
It seems that a perverse contest has been taking place among the last three presidents of the United States, with each vying for the dishonor of having the worst Middle East policy.
George W. Bush, of course, still has the edge with his catastrophic, profoundly misguided and destabilizing invasion of Iraq. Barack Obama takes the special jury prize for fecklessness, offering high-minded speeches and largely ruminating himself into indecision amid the alienation of all of America’s allies in the region.
But Donald Trump has only been in office two years, and with his recent decision to ignore the advice of his advisors and the national interest of both the U.S. and our allies in the region combined with his pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal and kowtowing to despots, tyrants and wannabes from Putin to Erdogan to MBS to Benjamin Netanyahu, he seems like he is positioning himself for a run for the title.
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Quite apart from the bizarre personalization of the announcement (it was about him rather than about the country), it was also not only inconsistent with the views of his team, it was based on a lie. The Islamic State is not defeated. They are still active in Northern Syria and there is no doubt that the pull out of U.S. troops will create conditions that might actually lead to their regaining strength.
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Further, he has shown absolute disregard for the human costs of the wars in Syria and Yemen, of Saudi or Turkish or Egyptian abuse of dissidents, of the harshness of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people or the likely Erdogan crackdown on the Kurds.
It is a formula both for the further empowerment of bad actors like the Russians, Assad, Iran, MBS and of extremists of every stripe from Israel and across the region. It raises the possibility of further brutality in Syria, war with Iran, and political unrest.
And at the same time, because Trump is so polarizing a figure at home and his ties to the worst figures in this world are so caught up in scandal and compromise, those allies he has chosen will find themselves under political attack in the U.S. and their cases viewed - largely by their own choice - in highly partisan and damaging terms.
Suddenly pulling out of Syria without any rhyme or reason is not an error on the scale of Iraq. But Trump is an especially bad president: not just the most corrupt in American history, but the least competent. And so this move should not be seen in isolation, but rather as a harbinger of potentially very unhappy events to come.
I will be going on book leave soon — today is my last column for a while because of the holiday schedule — to write what I believe to be the most important thing that I’ve ever written.
No, it’s not about Donald Trump, just in case you were wondering.
But since I have written almost exclusively about Trump for more than two years, please allow me this parting assessment: It is so much worse than I thought.
My original objections to Trump, the things that pushed me into the Resistance, were his immorality, dishonesty, fraudulence and grift.
I freely admit now that I was seeing only the pointy edge of an enormous machine. I had no idea how immoral Trump actually is.
WTFU ...
FOUNDATION OF FRAUDS
https://claytoonz.com/2018/12/20/foundation-of-frauds/
Upon being fraudulently elected president, Donald Trump attempted to shut down his fraudulent charity, The Trump Foundation. Being that Trump’s charity is as much of a charity as his university was a university, the state of New York stopped him and froze the foundation. The state’s Attorney General wanted oversight of documents and assets of the foundation and has been engaged in a two-year investigation of the scam, I mean organization.
Trump claimed he wanted to shut down the foundation himself to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. Yes, Trump who has placed his daughter and son-in-law on his staff, is currently profiting from foreign dignitaries pumping thousands if not millions into his hotels, and forces the U.S. government to spend taxpayer money at his golf resorts wants to avoid any appearances of conflict.
Foundation lawyer and spokesgoon, Alan S. Futerfas said, “The foundation has been seeking to dissolve and distribute its remaining assets to worthwhile charitable causes since Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election. Unfortunately, the N.Y.A.G. sought to prevent dissolution for almost two years, thereby depriving those most in need of nearly $1.7 million.” In actuality, Mr. Fuckerface, I mean Futerfas, the only needy that will be deprived of foundation giving is Donald J. Trump.
New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood accused the foundation of “functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests,” and of engaging in “a shocking pattern of illegality” that included unlawfully coordinating with Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Basically, Trump wanted to shut down the foundation to avoid any government oversight.
Now, the foundation has agreed to and give away all its remaining assets under court supervision. The case isn’t closed. The Attorney General is pursuing a lawsuit that will bar Trump for ten years, and his three oldest children, Don Jr, Eric, and Ivanka for one year, from the boards of other New York charities, as well as force the payment of millions in restitution and penalties. New York is stating that the president of the United States, the guy currently holding our nuclear codes, can’t be trusted to run a charity.
Trump and Republicans have spent years attacking the Clinton Foundation, an actual charity, of being corrupt, without ever providing any substance to their claims. Everything Trump has accused others of has been a projection of himself, so of course his foundation was a personal piggy bank and the Clinton Foundation is still rolling along doing actual charity work.
The activity of Trump’s foundation was to coordinate its givings (with none of Trump’s personal funds as he stopped donating to his own charity in 2008) with his presidential campaign. Campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski directed the foundation to make disbursements in Iowa only days before the state held its presidential nominating caucuses. In an email to the foundation’s treasurer, he wrote, “Is there any way we can make some disbursements (from the proceeds of a fund-raiser) this week while in Iowa? Specifically on Saturday?” Would anyone be surprised to discover hush money to pornstars and Playmates were from the foundation?
Trump signed annual filings with the Internal Revenue Service attesting that the foundation did not engage in political activity. Trump lied to the IRS, which I’m so sure were the only times.
It did more than engage in political shenanigans. The AG office said in a court filing this year that the foundation had entered into a number of “prohibited self-dealing transactions that directly benefited Mr. Trump or entities that he controlled.”
The foundation purchased a $10,000 portrait of Trump that was displayed at one of his golf clubs, probably near all those fake Time Magazine covers. The value of the painting has depreciated to zero.
One transaction was revealed by a note in Trump’s handwriting that said $100,000 of Trump Foundation money should be directed to another charity to settle a legal dispute between the Town of Palm Beach and his Mar-a-Lago resort.
It once made a $25,000 political donation to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. They claimed they donated to Bondi’s PAC out of mistaking it for a charity with a similar name, but of course, they never did make a donation to that charity.
The foundation once paid $5,000 to the DC Preservation League for its annual gala for an ad in their program, but the ad didn’t mention the foundation. Instead, the ad mentioned…wait for it…the Trump Hotel. I know, you’re shocked.
The foundation once spent $12,000 on an autographed Tim Tebow football helmet for Trump. I’m sure he looks great in it.
It once paid $264,631 for the refurbishment of a New York fountain outside one of his hotels, which of course benefits Donald Trump.
The smallest gift it ever paid was a $7 donation to the Boy Scouts in 1989, the same amount it cost at the time to register a new Scout. Donald Jr. was 11 at the time. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence and the foundation felt very strongly that the Boy Scouts really needed seven dollars. There’s no way billionaire Donald Trump would be that cheap, right? Right? The evidence it did not pay member dues for Junior Trump is the fact that Don Jr. doesn’t exhibit any of the morals one gains by being a Boy Scout.
Though Trump stopped donating to his own charity, which is unusual for rich people who have charities, he’d often claim to the press that actual donations from it were from him personally.
It may also have been a tax dodge, as Trump would often take payment from sources like People Magazine (exclusive pics of Barron), Comedy Central (that stupid roast), and Norwegian Cruise Lines (appearance fee for Melania) to the foundation instead of himself. But, if he was using that money for his personal uses, business, or legal debts, then it could be a way of not paying taxes on payments.
Trump is operating the presidency just like he did his charity, which is all for his personal benefit. He never cared about charitable causes just like he doesn’t care about the interest of this nation, or about you. Donald Trump only cares about Donald Trump. Trump is corrupt, a conman, and a grifter. On top of all that, he’s probably also a traitor.
New York knows Donald Trump and that he’s not the kind of guy to trust with other people’s resources. This is not the state’s only investigation into Trump’s fraud. It’s not even just the second. Unfortunately, there’s still a large section of this nation that is ignoring what New York is telling us.
The state wants to ban him Donald Trump being involved with charities. The nation needs to ban him from the White House.
https://claytoonz.com/2018/12/20/foundation-of-frauds/
Upon being fraudulently elected president, Donald Trump attempted to shut down his fraudulent charity, The Trump Foundation. Being that Trump’s charity is as much of a charity as his university was a university, the state of New York stopped him and froze the foundation. The state’s Attorney General wanted oversight of documents and assets of the foundation and has been engaged in a two-year investigation of the scam, I mean organization.
Trump claimed he wanted to shut down the foundation himself to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. Yes, Trump who has placed his daughter and son-in-law on his staff, is currently profiting from foreign dignitaries pumping thousands if not millions into his hotels, and forces the U.S. government to spend taxpayer money at his golf resorts wants to avoid any appearances of conflict.
Foundation lawyer and spokesgoon, Alan S. Futerfas said, “The foundation has been seeking to dissolve and distribute its remaining assets to worthwhile charitable causes since Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election. Unfortunately, the N.Y.A.G. sought to prevent dissolution for almost two years, thereby depriving those most in need of nearly $1.7 million.” In actuality, Mr. Fuckerface, I mean Futerfas, the only needy that will be deprived of foundation giving is Donald J. Trump.
New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood accused the foundation of “functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests,” and of engaging in “a shocking pattern of illegality” that included unlawfully coordinating with Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Basically, Trump wanted to shut down the foundation to avoid any government oversight.
Now, the foundation has agreed to and give away all its remaining assets under court supervision. The case isn’t closed. The Attorney General is pursuing a lawsuit that will bar Trump for ten years, and his three oldest children, Don Jr, Eric, and Ivanka for one year, from the boards of other New York charities, as well as force the payment of millions in restitution and penalties. New York is stating that the president of the United States, the guy currently holding our nuclear codes, can’t be trusted to run a charity.
Trump and Republicans have spent years attacking the Clinton Foundation, an actual charity, of being corrupt, without ever providing any substance to their claims. Everything Trump has accused others of has been a projection of himself, so of course his foundation was a personal piggy bank and the Clinton Foundation is still rolling along doing actual charity work.
The activity of Trump’s foundation was to coordinate its givings (with none of Trump’s personal funds as he stopped donating to his own charity in 2008) with his presidential campaign. Campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski directed the foundation to make disbursements in Iowa only days before the state held its presidential nominating caucuses. In an email to the foundation’s treasurer, he wrote, “Is there any way we can make some disbursements (from the proceeds of a fund-raiser) this week while in Iowa? Specifically on Saturday?” Would anyone be surprised to discover hush money to pornstars and Playmates were from the foundation?
Trump signed annual filings with the Internal Revenue Service attesting that the foundation did not engage in political activity. Trump lied to the IRS, which I’m so sure were the only times.
It did more than engage in political shenanigans. The AG office said in a court filing this year that the foundation had entered into a number of “prohibited self-dealing transactions that directly benefited Mr. Trump or entities that he controlled.”
The foundation purchased a $10,000 portrait of Trump that was displayed at one of his golf clubs, probably near all those fake Time Magazine covers. The value of the painting has depreciated to zero.
One transaction was revealed by a note in Trump’s handwriting that said $100,000 of Trump Foundation money should be directed to another charity to settle a legal dispute between the Town of Palm Beach and his Mar-a-Lago resort.
It once made a $25,000 political donation to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. They claimed they donated to Bondi’s PAC out of mistaking it for a charity with a similar name, but of course, they never did make a donation to that charity.
The foundation once paid $5,000 to the DC Preservation League for its annual gala for an ad in their program, but the ad didn’t mention the foundation. Instead, the ad mentioned…wait for it…the Trump Hotel. I know, you’re shocked.
The foundation once spent $12,000 on an autographed Tim Tebow football helmet for Trump. I’m sure he looks great in it.
It once paid $264,631 for the refurbishment of a New York fountain outside one of his hotels, which of course benefits Donald Trump.
The smallest gift it ever paid was a $7 donation to the Boy Scouts in 1989, the same amount it cost at the time to register a new Scout. Donald Jr. was 11 at the time. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence and the foundation felt very strongly that the Boy Scouts really needed seven dollars. There’s no way billionaire Donald Trump would be that cheap, right? Right? The evidence it did not pay member dues for Junior Trump is the fact that Don Jr. doesn’t exhibit any of the morals one gains by being a Boy Scout.
Though Trump stopped donating to his own charity, which is unusual for rich people who have charities, he’d often claim to the press that actual donations from it were from him personally.
It may also have been a tax dodge, as Trump would often take payment from sources like People Magazine (exclusive pics of Barron), Comedy Central (that stupid roast), and Norwegian Cruise Lines (appearance fee for Melania) to the foundation instead of himself. But, if he was using that money for his personal uses, business, or legal debts, then it could be a way of not paying taxes on payments.
Trump is operating the presidency just like he did his charity, which is all for his personal benefit. He never cared about charitable causes just like he doesn’t care about the interest of this nation, or about you. Donald Trump only cares about Donald Trump. Trump is corrupt, a conman, and a grifter. On top of all that, he’s probably also a traitor.
New York knows Donald Trump and that he’s not the kind of guy to trust with other people’s resources. This is not the state’s only investigation into Trump’s fraud. It’s not even just the second. Unfortunately, there’s still a large section of this nation that is ignoring what New York is telling us.
The state wants to ban him Donald Trump being involved with charities. The nation needs to ban him from the White House.
President Trump has a reputation for unpredictability, but maybe it’s only that everybody else just has a short memory. As the walls close in on his long history of malfeasance, you can be sure of one thing. That one thing is not, of course, that the malfeasance will stop. It is that Trump will try to change the subject. It is not clear whether he cares what the new subject is, just that it is sufficient in size to get people talking about something other than how bad things look for him.
Manifest corruption, cronies falling like dominoes, indictments, confessions, guilty verdicts and plea deals add up to a big heap o’ bad news to distract from. What this situation called for was announcing a precipitous move to destabilize as much as possible of the least stable part of the world — with an apparent betrayal of our erstwhile friends the Kurds in the bargain. And it worked. Not the policy, which may be actual policy or not (subject to revision or reversal without notice, by tweet). First things first. Trump got everybody talking about what he wants them to talk about, for a while anyway.
What this gets him is not entirely clear. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/putin-warns-expiration-of-nuclear-arms-control-pact-would-be-bad-for-humanity/2018/12/20/f9d51136-0391-11e9-958c-0a601226ff6b_story.html?utm_term=.e1971efece4e&wpisrc=al_world__alert-world--alert-politics&wpmk=1 (Maybe) it’s the quid, or the quo, for Russia. Maybe not. But give him this, his oleaginous ability to slide out of one predicament into another one has gotten him pretty far. How we let him ooze into the center of our democracy is a question we will need to be asking ourselves for some time to come. The other thing we should probably be asking is whether Trump is willing to do this much destabilizing to distract from some ominous legal precariousness, what might he be willing to do if faced with actual indictment, conviction and/or pending removal from office.
The mind reels.
