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Focus now on what Trump does that is in the dictator’s playbook, the playbook of lies and demonizing he used to get elected.

Today there is a report that he wants to seize control of the Fed. Yesterday a report he is pressuring the Senate to do his bidding. Today a report on doing to more schools what DeSantis did to the New College in Florida. Keep your eyes on the courts and the threats on the media. Twitter is now a tool of Trump as is Fox.

We can predict what will be done next by looking at how other dictators took over democracies. We must not stop calling out fascism because he won the election. Remember how he won. This is all going to continue because it works.

Don’t be surprised if we soon see Youth in uniform for America, military parades, and a rallies with burning crosses.

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You are so far out in left field you aren’t even in the stadium!

Good grief!

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Watch. Talk to me in a few weeks.

Tell me where I am wrong.

(I hope I am wrong).

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I hope you're wrong too but I think you're at least partially right. I think the first move will be mass deportations. Then we'll see,

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founding

If Elise goes to the UN, does the NY governor appoint a replacement or is there a special election? This could be consequential if the House majority is tight.

A few weeks ago a good friend was raving about how sane trump is and how he is going to put all the good people in his administration and we had nothing to worry about.

His # 1 example...the aforementioned Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley!

Won't get fooled again? Oh yes they will. They'll be led down the path and then get tied up into pretzels trying to explain him as normal. If it wouldn't cause so much damage to the country, it would actually be fun to watch.

People are going to die and the world will suffer and our economy will be in danger. But the crazy black lady won't be in the White House. They sure showed us who's boss.

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IMO, any president should have a cabinet that are going to be loyal to him/her. A president wants people they can trust to do their best to support his/her agenda and help protect the United States. However, Trump being who he is, does not surround himself with people that will protect the United States, he has a clown car of sycophants that back his fascism. The agenda starts at the top and everyone else has their marching orders, taking us over the cliff. We are all going to suffer from this authoritarian mindset. Hang on, it is going to get worse before it gets better.

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TDS

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Hi Dutch, I'm autistic and don't understand what you're trying to say. Are you saying Elaine has Trump Derangement Syndrome? If so, how is she displaying it? From what I see Elaine is describing what he did in his first administration.

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Clap clap . We await the reply. from a fellow ND.

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Just imagine if Trump was your parent.

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😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

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I should have been more clear. The 😱 comment was in response to “Just imagine if tRump was your parent.”Eeek!

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This comment was meant for ‘King Donald.

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For all the hand wringing by Democrats, other than defending individual rights as Trump attacks them, all they really have to do is hold Trump to account for decreasing standards of living, increasing the national debt and increasing inflation and the price of eggs which his policies are sure to do. His last time as President wasn’t good. Even though no one can seem to remember that lol

I dont believe Trump will be successful or will be more popular than he is now.

Also, winning election doesn’t give him the right to persecute Americans he does not like.

100 days to decrease the price of eggs Donald. Get to it.

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This obsession with Hunter as schadenfreude doesn’t remove Trump’s appallingly bad behavior. Trump has 100 days to reduce the price of eggs, home mortgages and reduce the national debt. You really think he can do that do you? lol

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While he's deporting 12, 15, 20 million people, stopping wars (already late with that promise. What happened to the phone calls to friends the day he won? ), convincing oil barons to lower their prices by 50%, and throwing everyone who didn't agree with him in jail. It would be funny if it wasn't so disastrous. Our news is talking about the negative effect a Trump WH will have on my country. No ones saying YAY , Trumps elected clap clap clap The gloom ripples are spreading.

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Completely agree. Winning an election decisively doesn’t give Trump a license for thuggery. Hitler was also elected democratically, but again, that didn’t justify what he did to his fellow Germans / Austrians.

As long as Trump follows the law and the constitution, that’s fine, as distasteful as that is. The problem with having 250 year old vague rules is that the unscrupulous take advantage of them for their own ends.

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I see I missed the "old vague rules" part. I did mention the ND brain ! Stay safe :)

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I hear what you're saying but the clanger is in the "as long as". IMO Trump doesn't believe "the laws" apply to him and the highest court in your land and a staggering number of Americans don't either. As for the constitution, I see no reason why he'll show it any respect unless it suits a personal agenda which changes with unstable moods now further emboldened. But what about

bout the "checks and balances"?? They appear to work only in a space where honour is required. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I could use all the hope you can give me. Again IMHO, your constitution could do with some tweeking, a tidy up of interpretation by decent adults who believe in a healthy, prosperous in all ways , America. IMHO it your constitution hasn't always served the people well and sadly the requirements for amendments appropriate for the kind of America that seeks to support all its citizens , appear insurmountable, especially now. I began my fascination with American political and social landscapes the day we realised the hollywood tapes weren't going to be the nail in Trump's coffin. I've learned a lot from Americans. Some of it very depressing and I continue to say WTAF a lot.

( not my usual Grandmotherly language. Frustration and anger can do that, apparently) but also that there is hope that people who align with values of decency and intregrity will learn from this election. I cite the latest Hartman Report about "bold change" for a boost in that regard. I've tuned out of news channels to my protect my mental health but I'm still I'm drawn to forums like this. They remind me their are decent intelligent humans who may still save America from what I consider is the dark side. The world will be better for that also. Trump is the poster boy for all that I loathe in humans. I hurt for fellow humans who will suffer the consequence of a Trump Administration. I'm angry at how Americas has such a huge influence over my own democracy and economy. At a gut level, cliched as it is, it was the fight of good over evil for me. Character matters. I'm mindful, having just experienced a local election where 15% of the electorate in a large regional town of 50,000 people voted for a group whose first job in the council was to try to ban books in our library, that the self interested and ill informed , are in my own back yard . People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I know. I believe we should learn from others, who both agree and disagree , and try to be our best selves. I'm angry. It will pass , I hope because leaning in to my hopeful self is healthier and far more productive. I'm a work in progress. Thanks for your reply. Thanks for listening if you still are ;) My neurodivergent brain doesn't do succinct :)

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I would prefer that he focus on immigration in his 1st hundred days. I think fixing that whole system would have huge impact to the USA in general long term.

Biden actually had the right policies on many economic factors and we need to let them play out some more.

If Trump wants to work on the economy then he can focus on deregulation.

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I've read some very interesting articles on the history of deregulation in America. With respect, I'm not feeling your optimism. Adding to the impact it has on small business and the middle class in favour of the top end of town, may I suggest you only drink bottled water. Toxic chemicals will be back on the menu. Unfortunately that will also impact the environment :( I can't see the wins on the dergulate deregulate deregulate but I'm willing to listen to your point of view.

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It’s partly optimism and partly hedging. For example, I would like to I see immigration reform that goes beyond the wall and deportation. Something that considers the entire system of skilled and non - skilled labor, multi - entry medium term visas on mass scale, etc. I’m being hopeful that as a wild card that Trump will push Congress to right size immigration even if it starts with a deportation theme.

Capitalism is about responding to scarcity with capital and labor. Labor has been getting screwed for some time now. If we’re lucky Trump be the vessel to force DC to confront issues ignored for two generations.

I understand the apprehension when it comes to regulation. I would prefer smart regulation. I fear there will be major deregulation without considering the long term consequences. Change in practices usually lag policy changes so deleterious things can be mitigated by other levers or the next administration.

Maybe a few positive surprises along the way.

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I'll look out for the positive surprises :)

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Optimism. Not a lot of that going around in the anti Trump world, for good reason especially when you consider the depressingly low calibre of his cabinet choices. I just deleted a long reply on what I really thought. It wasn't very helpful. Just problems, no solutions.

One shiny not shiny lining . Mass deportation, aside from destroying America's reputation which is already damaged, probably beyond repair, for decades, was never an intention IMO . It was a campaign strategy. I'm hopeful the number of people used cruelly enough in the media circus to satisfy Trump's people will be relatively low. Their personal cost unfathomable. Enough now. I'm doing it again.

Thank you for the food for thought. If I'm honest , I'm not feeling the same vibe from my country over the ocean and neither is anyone I know from both sides of politics and those generally not engaged in it at all. Same from much of the press, who are not afraid to speak honestly. Thanks for trying to lift me up. :) Sorry for being a Debbie Downer. Stay safe.

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I’d like to see state police evicting ICE. States rights are superior to federal rights

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lol. Just imagine if Trump was your parent and Americans didn’t use whataboutism deflection in an attempt to negate my point.

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So we have to strictly imagine your hypothetical of Trump as our Dad and any deviation in this ridiculous exercise is deflection and what aboutism?

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Hunter could have used a better Dad.

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Fred could have used a condom.

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Did Hunter use a condom when he had sex and smoked crack with his dead brother’s wife?

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Good thing you are a perfect human being. You can all help us be just like you.

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Let he who hasn’t smoked crack and slept with their dead brother’s wife cast the first stone.

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founding

Sounds very similar to the mafia 😊

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Aghhhh, yeah! Of course you want people around you that you are comfortable with and trust. If that’s surprising, I’m surprised by that!

In your conversation today with Chuck Todd PLEASE ask him what he was thinking when he said he’d rather be VP Harris than President Trump a week before the election! I’m still totally amazed by that! Be so curious to hear his response!

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Trump demands personal loyalty. When the then FBI director replied that his oath was to the Constitution, Trump ended up firing him.

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Yeah I saw that! After the election he’s got all the answers?!?

On this very site one week b4 the election, if you remember, Chuck Todd proudly stated he’d rather be VP Harris than President Trump! Amazing! Guy missed a landslide/mandate by miles & miles. He’s the political expert from NBC! Cmon man!

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I don’t know that I would say 50.4% popular vote win is a landslide, or even the 312 electoral college votes. As to a mandate, every President says they have a mandate. In this case the argument for a mandate would be in the likely event the GOP also wins the House. But IMHO the only mandate is for change, voters wanted a change, and they got it.

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You say 🍅 I say 🍅, anyway a W is a W! GOP gonna win the house rather EZ at this point!

Lots for President Trump to do, no obstructionist, results to follow….

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He has immunity to do whatever he wants. Could he brings false charges against a Supreme Court Justice? Seems so. If he could murder someone in 5th Avenue as president and be immune, then he is a king.

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Just clarification. The President has a role in ensuring elections are conducting fairly according to Federal laws. That’s been a principal function of the Department of Justice to enforce the voting rights act and other laws affecting the conduct of elections. That IS a role of the Executive branch in the conduct of elections. The President, nor the Executive Branch does NOT have a role in “conducting” Presidential elections. That responsibility entirely resides with the States and the Electoral College voters.

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Re-read the thread. Again, it is nonsensical to assert that the executive branch has NOTHING to do with the electoral college when it is in Article 2 of the Constitution. Finally, you are still struggling to grasp the reality that Pelosi’s spitefulness to impeach Trump derailed the criminal case against Trump. Of course she can impeach for a misdemeanor, but it was stupid and impetuous.

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Such a ridiculous statement. You obviously are lying about the ruling. You are also failing to grasp that Pelosi impeaching Trump for January 6th took away any criminal case.

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Read the Supreme Court arguments on how immunity works now. Trump will test it. It will go to courts. Then up to SCOTUS again to see how far Trump can go. Before Trump we had Republic with democracy. Now we are slowly flipping to a Republic with illiberal democracy. We're shifting away from Constitution to a very strong centralized Executive Branch.

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I disagree with Biden’s refusal to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling on student loans. If Trump were to weaponize the DOJ to charge Biden with “conspiracy to defraud the US government”, I would be against this action and former President Biden would be correct to cite the immunity clause. Had Biden-Garland not gone after a former president, there would be no need for the ruling.

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I disagree with Biden’s refusal to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling on student loans. If Trump were to weaponize the DOJ to charge Biden with “conspiracy to defraud the US government”, I would be against this action and former President Biden would be correct to cite the immunity clause. Had Biden-Garland not gone after a former president, there would be no need for the ruling.

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I disagree with Biden’s refusal to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling on student loans. If Trump were to weaponize the DOJ to charge Biden with “conspiracy to defraud the US government”, I would be against this action and former President Biden would be correct to cite the immunity clause. Had Biden-Garland not gone after a former president, there would be no need for the ruling.

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What I'm hearing is that's you're OK with a lawless President so long as it's the one you elected. As a global citizen of the free world, I take extreme exception to top secret documents being hoarded and shared by your former soon to be again President. Did you know NATO provided intelligence to America after 9/11? I'm thinking the sharing might not be as available in the future a long as you have a President who shows such little regard for the national and international intelligence. They're secrets for a reason and they should not be stored scattered around you toilet and through your home, for a reason. Others have been jailed for far less but Americans are OK with Trump to get a pass?

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As a global citizen, your concern should be about European and Canadian commitment to NATO. Despite Russian aggression, how many NATO countries are meeting their 2% GDP pledge? Afghanistan was a NATO mission. 2300 Americans died fighting while many NATO “allies” withdrew or refused to take part in fighting. If NATO is your jam, America is not the weak link.

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I take your point. It was an achievement of Trumps was to pressure NATO countries to increase their monetry pledge. It could also be argued one of Biden's was to increase NATOS commitment and make it NATO stronger, much to the chagrin of Trump's friend Putin who will be overjoyed at the results or your election. I'm gutted for the people of Ukraine, who continue to fight so courageously for their freedom. IF Trump "does a deal" with his friend Putin it will one that favours the aggressor and not the defender of freedom. I get that many American's don't want to be the protector any more but it goes with being "the greatest nation in the world" narrative. Character also plays a role in international reputations and you've taken a significant hit there also. Time will tell if Trump walking away from commitments to allies will be in its best long term interest. For those who took notice of and evaluated the reasons for the voices in the intelligence community and high level military showing no respect for Trump and fear for another Trump term, there is little confidence in his leadership in volatile times. As for Trump the past peacemaker. The "No wars in my time" I alone can fix it guy, I wonder how many who believe have done any reading about what was actually going on in the world while Trump was President and the part he played. I hope I'm wrong but IMO and the opinion of people who operate in more than just feeling, the instability of his character and personality doesn't support the belief in the global world kumbaya he's promised and so many are imagining. Happy to continue the conversation. From others we learn. Stay safe.

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I said the complete opposite. I disagree with President Biden on his refusal to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling. I believe there are processes available by the judicial and legislative branches. Per what I wrote, I am against the incoming President prosecuting the former administration meaning the Supreme Court immunity ruling is principled

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The Supreme Court's ruling that a President is above the law, came well after The DOJ 's decision to hide Trump legally accountable. It was in fact BECAUSE of Trumps legal problems that his Supreme court gave him immunity.As for Biden. I appreciate you think that the DOJ did his bidding because that was Trump's game. Consider this. If Biden wanted to "go after" trump he wouldn't have chosen Garland who dragged the chain so long he missed the opportunity to have a jury decide Trumps guilt or innocence. I believe that was Biden's biggest mistake. Choosing a slow old spaniel when he should have chosen a rottweiler to protect the country and the world from another dictator wannabee with no regard for the law .

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You have no idea what you're talking about. First it was the House -- not "Pelosi" -- who impeached Trump. Second, it didn't do anything to prevent a criminal case. Indeed, if he had lost the election he'd be facing a criminal trial for just that.

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On 1/13/20, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi named 9 impeachment managers where the house adopted one article of impeachment for insurrection. By choosing (breaking tradition to attempt to convict a President of impeachment after office) Pelosi set a precedent that Trump was acting as the President rather than an individual. The Supreme Court ruling affirmed that a President has immunity for official actions. Pelosi spitefully impeaching a former President sabotaged future legal actions. Throw in her sabotaging of the 2024 DNC and election. She is the best speaker ever.

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The president of the US has no official acts regarding elections or counting or confirming election votes or confirming elector votes. Zero. He was acting as a candidate, not as prez.

The impeachment was for illegally trying to overturn the rightful election results.

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Article 2 “Executive Branch” covers the electoral college. You really need to read the Constitution

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I see nothing in article 2 that gives the exececutive branch any role in the electoral college other than being elected by that electoral college. Perhaps you can quote the relevant passage to prove your claim?

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You really need to have someone explain it to you. I have a law degree. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

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I wonder what plum position Marjorie Taylor Greene will get. 😏

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Apparently, Trump thinks she's too crazy for even him! Seriously! So, we now know there is a limit to the insanity. 😉🤦‍♂️🤣😂

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What are Elise Stefaniks qualifications to be UN ambassador? Being over the top hawkish re her support for Israel? Maybe. And if so, I imagine those one issue Gaza supporters who voted for Trump will soon be filled with regret.

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Waiting to see when the Project 2025 playbook gets opened up. That is when things will start to get interesting because that will impact supporters and some of those impacts will be adverse.

Tariffs for instance will definitely cause issues with his supporters when they finally realize that THEY ARE PAYING, not the foreign government. The "Mexico will pay for the Wall" BS got pawned off by Trump saying that he was negotiating with Mexico over the wall which placated the supporters. Since the Wall costs were buried in the Federal Budget, people did not see a direct impact on their wallets. However, tariffs will be an entirely different thing because those will directly impact people's wallets.

What I am really curious about is what Trump's supporters will do when things start to NOT go their way? When they come to the realization that they have been "played". Remember, these are people that tried to seize the Capitol and were willing to hang Mike Pence. What are they going to do when their "Savior" starts sh*tting on them? Are they just going to roll over and take it? Or, are they going to be uncontrollable?

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He's also looking to bypass Senate confirmations, getting all three of the toadies running for Majority Leader to endorse "recess appointments."

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Nov 11·edited Nov 11

Over the years, both parties have used recess appointments. Trump will try to take it to a new level with a new Senate Majority Leader.

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This article assumes that none of these choices have talent or merit! It also is a slap in the face to Wiles! She led and won an extremely campaign for Trump’s reelection. Why would she not stay on as her chief of staff? BTW Think how ridiculous it is about silence of Wiles success and her historical appointment!

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author

Not my intent. Wiles clearly proved her abilities! And she is a historic choice! My only point is that loyalty is all (or almost all) of what matters to Trump in making these picks

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Thanks for your thoughtful response. I feel adding Wiles success and role provides more context in that her appointment was merit based. This is also true with Homan’s deep ICE resume. Stefanik’s appointment “role” is a huge surprise but could be a flag on Trump’s opening move with regard to UN with respect to Israel and Gaza.

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I give her six months.

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I concur. Ms. Wiles will find that herding cats is easier than managing Trump and a Republican Congress.

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founding

that long? I'll bet she'll be slamming her head on the table after a few weeks. She'll stay because she can't risk the indignity of being the first woman and then quitting. But it will be a ride for her. She's going to find out that ruling dictator DonOld is far different than candidate DonOld.

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Of course Trump can do what he wants. He could even appoint Alex Jones as head of communication. If he wants to ignore the Constitution then he can. Voters gave him carte blanche to do anything.

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It seems to me that Trump is picking a lot more political hacks this time than the generals and goofballs he picked in round one ...

My guess: they all want to perceive their political viability so they won't turn on him like Kelly or Bolton did. Even Nikki Haley came around.

That's probably better, since some of these people at least have a clue. Probably.

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Trump appointments have always been a revolving door. This time will be no exception. He likes them until he doesn’t,then, they’re stupid and terrible. Just ask any former Trump “associate” who got kicked to the curb….

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Why on earth doesn't Substack have a block feature?

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Damn fine question!

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I do not have a warm fuzzy about any of this but then I never have had that feeling about TFG's actions. I'm still so gutted by his election that I'm having a hard time being positive about any response in opposition.

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