Trump as Lame-Duck

[mobilija]

I'm done with Trump's "voter fraud" distraction...No evidence, no change in the election outcome, and plenty of money raised to support Trump...maybe you disagree and you can post that in the Election Day thread but otherwise, Lets move on.

What is Trump doing in his Lame Duck end of his presidency? Presidents often use this time at the end of their presidency to aggressively push forward their agenda, set-up the incoming administration (be it for gain or failure) and hand out pardons.

Please post links to the end of this administration's actions and your comments/evaluation/2 cents.

[Neurotic Guy]

Trump's focus as a lame duck seems to be on:

1. Making sure that the 2020 presidential election is perceived (especially by his base so that he can maintain their support and their attention once he's out of office)  as fraudulent.

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/11/29/trump-on-election-fraud-the-doj-and-fbi-are-missing-in-action/

2. Making sure that he (and not Biden) gets credit for the vaccine.  Note that prior life-saving vaccines (polio, small pox, measles...) have not been credited to presidents, but rather to the scientists who played major roles in developing them.  Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin were household names in my home growing up.  They were considered the heroes who (virtually) ended polio. No one (at least not in my home) credited FDR with the vaccine.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2020/12/01/trump-takes-credit-for-vaccine-created-by-others-including-immigrants/?sh=756668cd374c

3. Pardons.  Trump seems pretty focused on who he'll pardon, some of whom proactively, prior to leaving office. This includes the possibility that he could proactively pardon himself family members and political friends.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/24/politics/presidential-pardons-explainer/index.html

4. Though I suspect these are fleeting thoughts, Trump seems to want to do something with the Middle East in his time remaining in office.  My guess is that this is not his primary focus but that he has occasional ideas about things he can do with regard to Iran and Israel before he leaves office.

https://www.jta.org/2020/11/30/politics/will-trump-leave-biden-a-war-in-the-middle-east-the-iran-assassination-explained

5. Sabotaging the next administration.  It seems Trump may be spending some of his time thinking about how he can make things difficult for his successor in office.  It may be that he thinks that it will reflect well on himself if Biden's administration experiences some failure.  Of course, I don't know what goes on his mind but it would not surprise me if the lack of invitation to briefings, his desire to make a dramatic play in Iran, his sowing of division and chaos at a time when most lame ducks are supporting a smooth and peaceful transition are evidence that his intention is to actively decrease the likelihood of a successful transition.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/politics/what-matters-november-18/index.html

6. Fund-raising. Trump seems to be spending some time and energy thinking about his presidential after-life -- specifically how he'll maintain attention and how he'll fund activities moving forward.  This includes paying down accrued campaign debt.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-trumps-fundraising-could-benefit-his-post-white-house-political-life/ar-BB1bi9UZ?ocid=uxbndlbing

[Surferdad]

Neurotic Guy, definitely agree with those points.  #4 (Middle East) seems a bit curious and as you said, it may just be a fleeting thought.  I wonder though what would motivate him to do something which doesn't seem to feed his ego in any direct sort of way.  I suspect he would have wanted to start a war with Iran as he has not taken the opportunity to be a Commander-In-Chief in wartime.  Is there a non-selfish reason in his Middle East interest?  I don't think so.

[heyvik]

I'm done with Trump's "voter fraud" distraction...No evidence, no change in the election outcome, and plenty of money raised to support Trump...maybe you disagree and you can post that in the Election Day thread but otherwise, Lets move on.

What is Trump doing in his Lame Duck end of his presidency? Presidents often use this time at the end of their presidency to aggressively push forward their agenda, set-up the incoming administration (be it for gain or failure) and hand out pardons.

Please post links to the end of this administration's actions and your comments/evaluation/2 cents.

Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, calls for Trump to declare Martial Law, suspend the Constitution and have a NEW  election with the military overseeing the results.

[mobilija]

Thanks for responding NG!

3.Pardons. I absolutely hate the idea of presidential pardons and am amazed at the "you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours" extremity. Its an invitation to do the wrong thing for a sitting president with the knowledge that you won't be prosecuted for any crimes. In regards to Trump's pardons...pardoning his family members before they've actually been accused or found guilty of a crime? That's next level. I would hope he at least has to name the crime he is pardoning them for. Pardoning himself?!? That's next next level!

4&5. The one thing I can regularly feel positive about the four years of Trump is that he kept us out of foreign wars. He routinely pulled troops from foreign soil (for better or worse is beyond my understanding of those nuanced situations) and seemed to be actively preventing foreign physical conflict. Though his blustery, bully like interactions with foreign powers made me worried, much like his presidency as a whole, the end result was much ado about nothing and kept us from engaging in military action. However, he suddenly seems ready to poke the hornets nest of Iran. Again his muscle flexing has me worried and I do wonder if it's just to set up a conflict for when Biden is president. What an awful and evil thought, that someone could be setting up a military showdown with several lives in the balance just to weaken a political rival.

[blink]

I'm done with Trump's "voter fraud" distraction...No evidence, no change in the election outcome, and plenty of money raised to support Trump...maybe you disagree and you can post that in the Election Day thread but otherwise, Lets move on.

What is Trump doing in his Lame Duck end of his presidency? Presidents often use this time at the end of their presidency to aggressively push forward their agenda, set-up the incoming administration (be it for gain or failure) and hand out pardons.

Please post links to the end of this administration's actions and your comments/evaluation/2 cents.

Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, calls for Trump to declare Martial Law, suspend the Constitution and have a NEW  election with the military overseeing the results.

I didn't hear about that so I needed to check it out.  Flynn statements are such absolute garbage.  Here is a link to the story.  Amazing how low the Trump administration gets.  Jan 20th can't get here soon enough.

https://www.newsweek.com/michael-flynn-call-martial-law-comes-amid-violent-threats-trump-election-defeat-1551769

[mobilija]

Slightly old news but...

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/28/939629348/trump-administration-moves-to-sell-drilling-rights-to-alaskas-arctic-national-wi

Trump is pushing through the sale of oil drilling rights in Alaskan Arctic Wildlife Refuge, about 1.5 million acres. Guess he has to try and earn back some of the national debt he created.

[heyvik]

Trump's focus as a lame duck seems to be on:

1. Making sure that the 2020 presidential election is perceived (especially by his base so that he can maintain their support and their attention once he's out of office)  as fraudulent.

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/11/29/trump-on-election-fraud-the-doj-and-fbi-are-missing-in-action/

2. Making sure that he (and not Biden) gets credit for the vaccine.  Note that prior life-saving vaccines (polio, small pox, measles...) have not been credited to presidents, but rather to the scientists who played major roles in developing them.  Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin were household names in my home growing up.  They were considered the heroes who (virtually) ended polio. No one (at least not in my home) credited FDR with the vaccine.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2020/12/01/trump-takes-credit-for-vaccine-created-by-others-including-immigrants/?sh=756668cd374c

3. Pardons.  Trump seems pretty focused on who he'll pardon, some of whom proactively, prior to leaving office. This includes the possibility that he could proactively pardon himself family members and political friends.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/24/politics/presidential-pardons-explainer/index.html

4. Though I suspect these are fleeting thoughts, Trump seems to want to do something with the Middle East in his time remaining in office.  My guess is that this is not his primary focus but that he has occasional ideas about things he can do with regard to Iran and Israel before he leaves office.

https://www.jta.org/2020/11/30/politics/will-trump-leave-biden-a-war-in-the-middle-east-the-iran-assassination-explained

5. Sabotaging the next administration.  It seems Trump may be spending some of his time thinking about how he can make things difficult for his successor in office.  It may be that he thinks that it will reflect well on himself if Biden's administration experiences some failure.  Of course, I don't know what goes on his mind but it would not surprise me if the lack of invitation to briefings, his desire to make a dramatic play in Iran, his sowing of division and chaos at a time when most lame ducks are supporting a smooth and peaceful transition are evidence that his intention is to actively decrease the likelihood of a successful transition.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/politics/what-matters-november-18/index.html

6. Fund-raising. Trump seems to be spending some time and energy thinking about his presidential after-life -- specifically how he'll maintain attention and how he'll fund activities moving forward.  This includes paying down accrued campaign debt.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-trumps-fundraising-could-benefit-his-post-white-house-political-life/ar-BB1bi9UZ?ocid=uxbndlbing

#4 It's the pardon's that do it for me. I think I read somewhere there's an ACTIVE investigation into pay for pardon scheme going on. That' is the lowest of lows....
#5 - The top Iranian scientist got assassinated, but it was weird circumstances. He was in a bulletproof car, heard gunshots, got out of his car, and then was shot by a machine operated gun on a vehicle, that then self-destructed. In any case, he's dead and I think Iran will retaliate in some way on Israel.
#6 Sabotaging - I have NO doubt that  inTrumps mind, harming the next administration is good for him. When something goes wrong in 2021-2025, he can point to that's not how I left it and other things that 'look good' in revisionist history. HE. WILL. DO. THIS!

[Surferdad]

Thanks for responding NG!

3.Pardons. I absolutely hate the idea of presidential pardons and am amazed at the "you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours" extremity. Its an invitation to do the wrong thing for a sitting president with the knowledge that you won't be prosecuted for any crimes. In regards to Trump's pardons...pardoning his family members before they've actually been accused or found guilty of a crime? That's next level. I would hope he at least has to name the crime he is pardoning them for. Pardoning himself?!? That's next next level!

4&5. The one thing I can regularly feel positive about the four years of Trump is that he kept us out of foreign wars. He routinely pulled troops from foreign soil (for better or worse is beyond my understanding of those nuanced situations) and seemed to be actively preventing foreign physical conflict. Though his blustery, bully like interactions with foreign powers made me worried, much like his presidency as a whole, the end result was much ado about nothing and kept us from engaging in military action. However, he suddenly seems ready to poke the hornets nest of Iran. Again his muscle flexing has me worried and I do wonder if it's just to set up a conflict for when Biden is president. What an awful and evil thought, that someone could be setting up a military showdown with several lives in the balance just to weaken a political rival.

Why do you give him credit?  I bet he was chomping at the bit to start a war, any war, but was talked out of it by actual adults in the room.

T deserves no credit for anything, he is a purely destructive force.  The vaccine would have been developed anyway.

[ManchesterCelticsFan]

Thanks for responding NG!

3.Pardons. I absolutely hate the idea of presidential pardons and am amazed at the "you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours" extremity. Its an invitation to do the wrong thing for a sitting president with the knowledge that you won't be prosecuted for any crimes. In regards to Trump's pardons...pardoning his family members before they've actually been accused or found guilty of a crime? That's next level. I would hope he at least has to name the crime he is pardoning them for. Pardoning himself?!? That's next next level!

4&5. The one thing I can regularly feel positive about the four years of Trump is that he kept us out of foreign wars. He routinely pulled troops from foreign soil (for better or worse is beyond my understanding of those nuanced situations) and seemed to be actively preventing foreign physical conflict. Though his blustery, bully like interactions with foreign powers made me worried, much like his presidency as a whole, the end result was much ado about nothing and kept us from engaging in military action. However, he suddenly seems ready to poke the hornets nest of Iran. Again his muscle flexing has me worried and I do wonder if it's just to set up a conflict for when Biden is president. What an awful and evil thought, that someone could be setting up a military showdown with several lives in the balance just to weaken a political rival.

Why do you give him credit?  I bet he was chomping at the bit to start a war, any war, but was talked out of it by actual adults in the room.

T deserves no credit for anything, he is a purely destructive force.  The vaccine would have been developed anyway.

Even for some things his administration may have done that may be good (but certainly do not outweigh the bad things Trump himself has done), it's likely due to the best help/brains money can buy doing it for Trumps administration, not Trump himself.

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm done with Trump's "voter fraud" distraction...No evidence, no change in the election outcome, and plenty of money raised to support Trump...maybe you disagree and you can post that in the Election Day thread but otherwise, Lets move on.

What is Trump doing in his Lame Duck end of his presidency? Presidents often use this time at the end of their presidency to aggressively push forward their agenda, set-up the incoming administration (be it for gain or failure) and hand out pardons.

Please post links to the end of this administration's actions and your comments/evaluation/2 cents.

Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, calls for Trump to declare Martial Law, suspend the Constitution and have a NEW  election with the military overseeing the results.

As a Veteran Michael Flynn embarrasses me.

[celts10]

Why do you give him credit?  I bet he was chomping at the bit to start a war, any war, but was talked out of it by actual adults in the room.

T deserves no credit for anything, he is a purely destructive force.  The vaccine would have been developed anyway.

How many wars has Trump gotten the US involved in? None. Trump is anti-war. Biden, like Obama and Bush, is a warmonger. His 47-year history in Congress and as VP clearly shows that. I'll take the candidate that promotes peace over war every time.

[mmmmm]

It seems like selling pardons to the highest bidder might also be on the agenda:

https://apnews.com/article/us-probe-potential-bribery-scheme-pardon-271f7536f7ba3d1bd6887b21e7549287

He's also working hard to solidify massive and convoluted damage to the regulatory systems that protect people and our environment.   

https://www.brookings.edu/interactives/tracking-deregulation-in-the-trump-era/

A lot of these changes have been rammed through very recently.

Biden may not have time in one term to unwind all the damage here.

[GreenFaith1819]

Why do you give him credit?  I bet he was chomping at the bit to start a war, any war, but was talked out of it by actual adults in the room.

T deserves no credit for anything, he is a purely destructive force.  The vaccine would have been developed anyway.

How many wars has Trump gotten the US involved in? None. Trump is anti-war. Biden, like Obama and Bush, is a warmonger. His 47-year history in Congress and as VP clearly shows that. I'll take the candidate that promotes peace over war every time.

On the OTHER hand Trump's time in office has frayed international relations with our allies, he's sown division and discourse at home, set a pee-poor example for leadership with his Mask-mocking and events flouting CDC guidelines......among other things.

You say "Tomato", I say "Tomahto".

[Diggles]

Thanks for responding NG!

3.Pardons. I absolutely hate the idea of presidential pardons and am amazed at the "you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours" extremity. Its an invitation to do the wrong thing for a sitting president with the knowledge that you won't be prosecuted for any crimes. In regards to Trump's pardons...pardoning his family members before they've actually been accused or found guilty of a crime? That's next level. I would hope he at least has to name the crime he is pardoning them for. Pardoning himself?!? That's next next level!

4&5. The one thing I can regularly feel positive about the four years of Trump is that he kept us out of foreign wars. He routinely pulled troops from foreign soil (for better or worse is beyond my understanding of those nuanced situations) and seemed to be actively preventing foreign physical conflict. Though his blustery, bully like interactions with foreign powers made me worried, much like his presidency as a whole, the end result was much ado about nothing and kept us from engaging in military action. However, he suddenly seems ready to poke the hornets nest of Iran. Again his muscle flexing has me worried and I do wonder if it's just to set up a conflict for when Biden is president. What an awful and evil thought, that someone could be setting up a military showdown with several lives in the balance just to weaken a political rival.

Why do you give him credit?  I bet he was chomping at the bit to start a war, any war, but was talked out of it by actual adults in the room.

T deserves no credit for anything, he is a purely destructive force.  The vaccine would have been developed anyway.

Nice...   To bad he does get credit for avoiding wars.   If you take your emotional response out of it.   I give him credit for the and I don't even like the guy.    do what is right and not what feels right.  Because if we did go to war it would have been because he said too.    The hate in this world is real...      Be kind!