US Politics Mega-thread - Page 7241

On April 01 2017 13:19 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:


Isn't that table just stating that Obama left those categories better than how he received them from GWB?

CBS News has learned that U.S. investigators are looking into whether Trump campaign representatives had a role in helping Russian intelligence as it carried out cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and other political targets in March 2016.

This new information suggests that the FBI is going back further than originally reported to determine the extent of possible coordination. Sources say investigators are probing whether an individual or individuals connected to the campaign intentionally or unwittingly helped the Russians breach Democratic Party targets.

...

Now, one year after the Russian operation began, sources say the FBI’s investigation is nowhere near over. It involves dozens of agents in Washington, New York and London. The NSA and CIA are also gathering intelligence from inside Russia.

...

Law enforcement sources say one theory is that Trump associates could have been motivated by money. But sources tell us the FBI wants to get the investigation absolutely right so that the public will trust the result, whatever that turns out to be.

In a White House where President Donald Trump commands reverence, Jared Kushner often refers to the president by one name: Donald. And while cable TV can dominate the president’s mood and set the agenda for senior administration staff, Kushner usually keeps his large flat-screen TV in his office turned off, a stark departure from other top aides.

Kushner, the president’s 36-year-old son-in-law and White House senior adviser, does essentially what he wants, having the benefit of not only Trump's ear but — as a family member — his implicit trust.

That trust has resulted in a vast portfolio that so far includes negotiating an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, helping oversee relations with Canada, China and Mexico and, as of this week, reinventing the federal government through the new White House Office of American Innovation.

But Kushner's status as the big-issue guru has stoked resentment among his colleagues, who question whether Kushner is capable of following through on his various commitments and complain that his dabbling in myriad issues and his tendency to walk in and out of meetings have complicated efforts to instill more order and organization into the chaotic administration. These people also say Kushner can be a shrewd self promoter, knowing how to take credit — and shirk blame — whenever it suits him.

“He's saving the government and the Middle East at the same time,” one senior administration official quipped.

In addition to being arguably the president’s most trusted and influential adviser, Kushner also serves as Trump’s unofficial hatchet man. And all eyes are on Kushner as White House insiders predict a broader staff shakeup amid rising tensions between Kushner and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Kushner would like to present Trump a plan for improving the White House within weeks, around the 90-day mark, according to a person familiar with the plan.

In a move that's alarming the West Wing's hardline conservatives, Kushner is increasingly aligning himself with national economic adviser Gary Cohn, who’s participating in Kushner’s innovation office and a Democrat whose moderate political positions in some ways mirror Kushner’s own.

Kushner, the person familiar with his plans said, wants fewer zealots and less ideology in the West Wing — and is frustrated with the constant leaking and infighting that have characterized the administration’s early days.

“Everyone is jealous,” said one person close to the White House. Kushner is “the ultimate decider. Mostly people are jealous."

This account of Kushner's role is based on more than a dozen interviews with senior White House officials, allies, donors, lawmakers and others.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said Kushner has been an asset to the Trump administration. “Jared has been a top advisor to the president from the beginning. Using his wealth of private-sector experience, he is always finding innovative solutions to our country’s biggest problems.”

Kushner spends his days bopping from meetings on Capitol Hill to pacing the Oval Office with Trump to calling Trump's friends and potential media allies, like morning show host Joe Scarborough. He involves himself in high-level discussions on all manner of policy priorities, ranging from health care and tax reform to trade policy. In foreign policy, he’s been publicly tasked with solving Middle East peace, while also handling Canada, China and Mexico issues.

He created the innovation office last week — which is amorphous but designed to save the government money, improve technology and reduce bureaucracy, officials say. He is particularly interested in large infrastructure projects, a senior administration official said.

The creation of the office added to a perception around the White House that Kushner’s portfolio is almost impossibly ambitious, and that he prefers big-picture discussions to the sometimes mundane and detail-oriented work involved in carrying out policy changes.

On Wednesday, White House staffers and outside allies passed around a story from the parody website The Onion indicating that Kushner had “quietly moved the task ‘solve Middle East crisis’ to his to-do list for next week” because “there was simply too much on his plate right now to bring stability to the fractious region by end of day Friday.” Kushner did not see the piece, a person close to him said.

On April 02 2017 03:12 Zambrah wrote:


On what day did he announce this?

A senior adviser to President Donald Trump on Saturday urged a primary challenge against a House Freedom Caucus member.

Dan Scavino Jr., director of social media and senior White House adviser, tweeted that Michigan Rep. Justin Amash is a "big liability" for the state and encouraged a GOP primary opponent to oust him in 2018.

".@realDonaldTrump is bringing auto plants & jobs back to Michigan. @justinamash is a big liability. #TrumpTrain, defeat him in primary," Scavino wrote.

Trump has waged an ongoing battle with leaders and members of the hardline Freedom Caucus following the defeat of the American Health Care Act, the bill backed by Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan that aimed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

The president blamed caucus members including Rep. Mark Meadows, Rep. Jim Jordan, and Amash, as well as Democrats, after the bill was pulled as a result of the lack of lawmakers' support.

Amash responded to Scavino Saturday afternoon, saying: "Trump admin & Establishment have merged into #Trumpstablishment. Same old agenda: Attack conservatives, libertarians & independent thinkers."

Amash, a four-term congressman, hit back at Trump this past week after the president criticized the Freedom Caucus.

"It didn't take long for the swamp to drain @realDonaldTrump. No shame, Mr. President. Almost everyone succumbs to the D.C. Establishment," Amash tweeted Thursday.

Amash has been a consistent thorn in the side of establishment Republicans, who have tried to oust the 36-year-old lawmaker before, notably when Republican leaders backed businessman Brian Ellis over the incumbent in the 2014 primary. Amash bested Ellis 57 percent to 43 percent.

On April 02 2017 03:23 Zambrah wrote:


I can't say I'd be SHOCKED to see George Takei run for office, he certainly is popular and he has strong opinions and such, but I'm hazarding my guess that he isn't serious and that most anything vaguely potential a joke is a joke because of the day and all, lol

On April 02 2017 03:36 LegalLord wrote:
Hey, if one celebrity can beat a shitty politician to become president, beating another shitty one for Congress should be doable.