There are 130 comments.

1. Thatcher
   Instugator

   @Instugator

   

   6:37 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   Vice-Potentate (View Comment):
   Haven’t had time. I’ll get around to it when I get a sec. This is what I read http://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/us/politics/trump-iran-suleimani.html

   Accounting for Gell-Mann amnesia, I stand by what I said earlier.

   Tactical warning does not come from the White House.

   The best assessment is that the tactical indications appeared in both places at the same time. The AADC would have been the one to trigger the take shelter command.

2. Lincoln
   JuliaBlaschke

   @JuliaBlaschke

   7:01 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   Bob Thompson (View Comment):

   JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

   For me, NeverTrump means not voting for him. I haven’t yet and seeing as he can’t seem to stop talking like a fool, it is probable that I never will.

   If only he could follow up the good things he does with reasonable, adult behavior. But he can’t, or won’t. So I remain NeverTrump while recognizing that he did the right thing … before he said the wrong thing.

   Sad to have one claiming your political positioning not willing to recognize and acknowledge publicly the foolish and childish reaction and behaviors the political opposition to President Trump’s election as POTUS has visited on him for three years. In the meantime, he has done great things and there might be much more there without the Democrat games. I doubt there is another potential candidate out there who would survive what President Trump has had to endure. I hope you will vote for him in 2020.

   Oh the Democrats and the media are awful too, but Trump makes it easy for them.

   No I won’t vote for him. Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be President. He shoots himself in the foot constantly. I won’t vote for a Democrat either, but I will vote for Republicans down ticket. Please spare me the binary argument. Given two bad choices I will pick “none of the above”.

   And Trump hasn’t had to endure anything. He is not a victim. He loves all the attention. Even the bad attention.

3. Thatcher
   Instugator

   @Instugator

   

   7:10 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
   Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be President.

   He is the most conservative President since Silent Cal.

   Most accomplished too.

4. Member
   Western Chauvinist

   @WesternChauvinist

   

   8:01 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   Spin (View Comment):

   Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
   All because Orange Man Bad.

   Well, no. Mike Lee and Rand Paul have been beating this drum for a long time. This isn’t because it’s Trump, not for them.

   I was referring to the idea that the executive and legislative have to agree on such actions now that Donald Trump is performing them, not that Mike Lee disapproves of Trump.

5. Lincoln
   JuliaBlaschke

   @JuliaBlaschke

   8:04 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   Instugator (View Comment):

   JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
   Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be President.

   He is the most conservative President since Silent Cal.

   Most accomplished too.

   Nonsense.

6. Thatcher
   Instugator

   @Instugator

   

   8:49 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

   Instugator (View Comment):

   JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
   Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be President.

   He is the most conservative President since Silent Cal.

   Most accomplished too.

   Nonsense.

   From the Washington Examiner as of 2018.

   The list:

   Economic Growth

   • 4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
   • For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

   Jobs

   • 4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
   • More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
   • Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
   • The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
   • Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
   • Unemployment claims at 50 year low
   • African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
     • African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
     • Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
     • Asian-American unemployment at record low of 2 percent.
   • Women’s unemployment recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
     • Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
   • Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
     • July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
   • Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
     • July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
   • Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
   • Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
   • Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
   • Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
     • 68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
   • Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
   • Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
     • Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
   • Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
     • Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
   • 100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

   American Income

   • Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
   • Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
   • Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
   • Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
   • Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
   • Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
     • Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
   • Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

   American Optimism

   • Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
     • NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35 year-old record in August.
     • SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
   • Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
     • 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
   • Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
   • 12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
   • Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

   American Business

   • Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
     • Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
   • Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
   • ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
   • Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
   • Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
   • Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
     • Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

   Deregulation

   • Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
   • Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
   • Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
   • Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
   • Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

   Tax Cuts

   • Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
     • Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
     • Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
     • Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
     • Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
     • Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
     • Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
     • Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
     • Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
   • 9 in 10 American workers are expected see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
   • More than 6 million of American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
   • Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
   • Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
   • Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

   Worker Development

   • Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
   • Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
   • Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
   • Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

   Domestic Infrastructure

   • Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
   • Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
   • Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
   • Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

   Health Care

   • Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
   • Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
   • Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
   • Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
   • FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
   • Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
   • Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
   • Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
   • Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
   • Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
   • USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
   • Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
   • Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
   • HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
   • Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
   • Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

   Combating Opioids

   • Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
   • Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
   • $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
   • DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
   • Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
   • Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
   • Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
   • Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
   • Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
   • Led two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
   • $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
   • Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
   • DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
   • Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
   • Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

   Law and Order

   • More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
   • Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
   • Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
     • Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
   • Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
   • Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
   • Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
   • Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
   • Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
   • $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
   • Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
   • Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
   • Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
   • Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
   • Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
   • New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

   Border Security and Immigration

   • Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
   • Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
   • Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
     • ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
     • Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
     • Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
   • Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
     • ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
     • ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
     • ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
     • Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
     • Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
     • DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
     • DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
   • Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
   • Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
   • Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
     • These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
   • ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
     • ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
   • In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
     • Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
     • More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
     • More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
     • More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
     • More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
     • Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
   • Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
   • More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

   Trade

   • Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
     • Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsides.
     • Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
     • Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
     • Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
     • Negotiated an historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
     • Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
     • Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
     • Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
   • Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
   • Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
   • Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
     • 25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
     • Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
     • Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
   • Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
   • Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
     • Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
     • Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
     • Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
     • Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
     • Opened up Argentina to American pork experts for the first time in a quarter-century
     • American beef exports have returned to china for the first time in more than a decade
   • OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

   Energy

   • Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
   • Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
   • Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
   • Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
   • Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
   • Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
   • Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
   • U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
   • United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
   • U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
   • Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
   • Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
   • Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
   • Proposed an expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the above energy strategy
     • Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
   • Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
   • Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

   Foreign Policy

   • Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
   • Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
     • Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
     • Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
     • All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
   • Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
     • The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
     • North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
     • Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
   • Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
   • Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
   • Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
     • Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
     • Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
     • Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
   • New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
     • Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
   • Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
     • ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
     • ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
     • All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
   • More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
   • Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
     • Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
     • Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
     • Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
     • Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
     • Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
     • Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
   • Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
   • Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

   Defense

   • Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
   • $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
   • Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
   • Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
   • Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
   • New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
   • Administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
   • Released an America first National Security Strategy.
   • Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
   • Encouraged North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agree-upon levels.
     • In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
     • Every member state has increased defense spending.
     • Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
     • NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
   • Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

   Veterans affairs

   • Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
   • Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
   • Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
   • Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
   • VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
     • Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
     • Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
     • Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
     • Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
     • Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
     • Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
   • Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in addition funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
   • Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades old priority.
   • Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
   • Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
   • Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
   • Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
     • Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
   • Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
   • VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
   • Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

   Your turn.

7. Member
   The Cloaked Gaijin

   @TheCloakedGaijin

   10:03 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   rgbact (View Comment):

   Mark Camp (View Comment):

   The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
   The Republican establishment largely supported flooding the country with more immigration,

   If that claim about what the position of your opponents is true, then it is obvious to every reasonable person that you were right. You’ve framed the position of those who disagree with you in a way that there is no need to for you to offer any rational argument for your position.

   It’s a common technique of debate.

   I call it the “trueCon” debating tactic….where anyone an inch more moderate than you are is a complete and utter tool of the Left. See anything Michelle Malkin writes for more examples.

   Numbersusa.com 2016 candidate ratings:

   https://www.numbersusa.com/content/elections/races/presidential/2016-presidential-hopefuls.html

   Oppose work permits for illegal immigrants: Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Ben Carson were rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

   Support overall reduction in annual immigration: Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, and Rand Paul were rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton with even Bernie Sanders rated a bit better.

   Reduce unfair work-visa competition: Marco Rubio was rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton with even Bernie Sanders rated much better.

   End automatic birthright citizenship: John Kasich was rated Abysmal with Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, and Marco Rubio rated Very Harmful.

   I think Cruz, Santorum, and Trump were the only GOP candidates of the later stages of the race to have favorable ratings.

   …

   However, when I say establishment, I also largely mean donors and those few Republicans living within the Washington DC area.

8. Inactive
   Vice-Potentate

   @VicePotentate

   Post author

   10:32 PM EST ⋅ Jan 10, 2020

   The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):

   rgbact (View Comment):

   Mark Camp (View Comment):

   The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):
   The Republican establishment largely supported flooding the country with more immigration,

   If that claim about what the position of your opponents is true, then it is obvious to every reasonable person that you were right. You’ve framed the position of those who disagree with you in a way that there is no need to for you to offer any rational argument for your position.

   It’s a common technique of debate.

   I call it the “trueCon” debating tactic….where anyone an inch more moderate than you are is a complete and utter tool of the Left. See anything Michelle Malkin writes for more examples.

   Numbersusa.com 2016 candidate ratings:

   https://www.numbersusa.com/content/elections/races/presidential/2016-presidential-hopefuls.html

   Oppose work permits for illegal immigrants: Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Ben Carson were rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

   Support overall reduction in annual immigration: Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, and Rand Paul were rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton with even Bernie Sanders rated a bit better.

   Reduce unfair work-visa competition: Marco Rubio was rated Abysmal, the same as Hillary Clinton with even Bernie Sanders rated much better.

   End automatic birthright citizenship: John Kasich was rated Abysmal with Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, and Marco Rubio rated Very Harmful.

   I think Cruz, Santorum, and Trump were the only GOP candidates of the later stages of the race to have favorable ratings.

   …

   However, when I say establishment, I also largely mean donors and those few Republicans living within the Washington DC area.

   Can’t be a Conservative and support increases in number and ease of immigration? Would you characterize any increase as ”flooding the country with immigrants.” If yes, then fair enough.

9. Member
   Western Chauvinist

   @WesternChauvinist

   

   4:49 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

   Vice-Potentate (View Comment):
   Can’t be a Conservative and support increases in number and ease of immigration? Would you characterize any increase as ”flooding the country with immigrants.” If yes, then fair enough.

   Well, I don’t get to decide what “conservative” means, but until we have the borders under control, I definitely do not want to increase the number of immigrants we take in. And, why increase the number at all? We’re seeing that having more jobs than workers, for example, is a benefit to workers here — with high demand and lower supply, their wages are going up. Huh. Whodathunk?

   Also, the problem with making it easier to immigrate is cultural. Having a rigorous immigration process weeds out the uncommitted. I don’t want more immigrants. I want better ones — immigrants committed to becoming American. I would do away with the tolerance of dual citizenship, for example. You come here to live permanently? You adopt our (founding) principles and outlook on free enterprise, hard work, and distaste for government dependence.  You’re here to do your part to make (keep) America great. 

10. Inactive
    Spin

    @Spin

    6:40 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    All because Orange Man Bad.

    Well, no. Mike Lee and Rand Paul have been beating this drum for a long time. This isn’t because it’s Trump, not for them.

    I was referring to the idea that the executive and legislative have to agree on such actions now that Donald Trump is performing them, not that Mike Lee disapproves of Trump.

    All right.

11. Inactive
    rgbact

    @romanblichar

    7:06 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):

    Numbersusa.com 2016 candidate ratings:

     

    I think Cruz, Santorum, and Trump were the only GOP candidates of the later stages of the race to have favorable ratings.

    Kudos on a well sourced argument. That said, its still lots of “truecon”.  NumbersUSA based Trumps grade on nothing more than his rhetoric in a GOP primary…..which surprise surprise…..is more truecon than what others who have been actually close to enacting legislation have said. Giving people credit for supporting ideas that can’t/won’t be enacted isn’t too helpful for the overall cause.

    Bottom line, outside of ending birthright citizenship( good luck) and lowering immigration levels(which even Trump has reversed on)…the GOP field wasn’t too disimilar and WAY right of the Democrats.

12. Member
    Mark Camp

    @MarkCamp

    7:31 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Instugator (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    Instugator (View Comment):

    He is the most conservative President since Silent Cal.

    Most accomplished too.

    Nonsense.

    From the Washington Examiner as of 2018.

    The list:

    Economic Growth

    • • ….

    • [More economic statistics follow]

    • …..Women’s unemployment recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
      • Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.

    Your turn.

    Your factual premises

    • have no logical connection with first assertion–you give only a non sequitur argument. ‘Event A occurred, therefore the ideology of B must be C.’
    • simply do not support your second assertion.

     

     

13. Thatcher
    Instugator

    @Instugator

    

    8:18 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Instugator (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    Instugator (View Comment):

    He is the most conservative President since Silent Cal.

    Most accomplished too.

    Nonsense.

    From the Washington Examiner as of 2018.

    The list:

    Economic Growth

    • • ….

    • [More economic statistics follow]

    • …..Women’s unemployment recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
      • Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.

    Your turn.

    Your factual premises

    • have no logical connection with first assertion–you give only a non sequitur argument. ‘Event A occurred, therefore the ideology of B must be C.’
    • simply do not support your second assertion.

    Sorry Mark. I said that he is the most conservative President since Silent Cal. Julia called BS.

    I then gave you a list of accomplishments showing “Conservative” outcomes.

    So yes. Conservative outcomes when associated with an individual Presidency does lead to the conclusion that one is “The Most Conservative President”.

    My argument was not “Most Conservative individual” or “Conservative Person”.

    Don’t read more into what is already there.

14. Lincoln
    JuliaBlaschke

    @JuliaBlaschke

    9:11 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Your turn.

    He’s impeached and he gave them the ammunition to impeach him out of his own stupid mouth. For every good thing he has done, he says ten stupid things. He stands a good chance of not getting re-elected, even with that record, because he can’t get out of his own way. He should be a certainty to win with a landslide and he would be if he could just stop acting like a fool. If he loses it is his own fault.

     

15. Member
    Mark Camp

    @MarkCamp

    9:13 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Instugator (View Comment):

    Sorry Mark. I said that he is the most conservative President since Silent Cal. Julia called BS.

    I then gave you a list of accomplishments showing “Conservative” outcomes.

    So yes. Conservative outcomes when associated with an individual Presidency does lead to the conclusion that one is “The Most Conservative President”.

    My argument was not “Most Conservative individual” or “Conservative Person”.

    Don’t read more into what is already there.

    Instugator,

    Thanks for your reply.

    Our goal is to understand each others ideas, and we are making only negative process, so I suggest we set this effort aside for now.

     

16. Inactive
    Spin

    @Spin

    9:20 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Mark Camp (View Comment):
    Our goal is to understand each others ideas

    I thought our goal was one-upmanship?  Well, that’s mine anyhow.  Consider yourself one-upped.  😂

17. Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin

    @TheCloakedGaijin

    9:27 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    rgbact (View Comment):

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):

    Numbersusa.com 2016 candidate ratings:

    I think Cruz, Santorum, and Trump were the only GOP candidates of the later stages of the race to have favorable ratings.

    Kudos on a well sourced argument. That said, its still lots of “truecon”. NumbersUSA based Trumps grade on nothing more than his rhetoric in a GOP primary…..which surprise surprise…..is more truecon than what others who have been actually close to enacting legislation have said. Giving people credit for supporting ideas that can’t/won’t be enacted isn’t too helpful for the overall cause.

    Bottom line, outside of ending birthright citizenship( good luck) and lowering immigration levels(which even Trump has reversed on)…the GOP field wasn’t too disimilar and WAY right of the Democrats.

    I don’t know what a truecon is.  It sounds like a disparaging remark which contains the word con — an instance of deceiving or tricking someone such as with a con artist.  Google says that truecon refers to a Powercon True1 Truecon Female NAC3FX, Viking Lighting.  Does this mean I am a Viking Lighting?  A valkyrie?

    the GOP field wasn’t too disimilar and WAY right of the Democrats.

    If that were true, Marco Rubio or perhaps Jeb Bush would be president today.  Remember that Marco Rubio only won 11% of the presidential primary vote in 2016 while Jeb won less than 1% of the presidential primary vote.  Rubio even lost his home state of Florida and 66 of the 67 counties in Florida — after former Florida governor Jeb Bush had already left the race.  Even Ted Cruz and John Kasich won their home states by over 10 percentage points.  Rubio lost his home state by almost 20 percentage points.  What other big issues would have caused Rubio to perform so badly other than the immigration issue?

    Most elected Republicans had been ignoring the issue of enforcing the border for years.  One could say that this goes all the way to President Eisenhower as the other elected Republican presidents had been from the two large Mexican border states of Texas and California; even Eisenhower was born in Texas, and Gerald Ford moved to California.

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott seems to be a bit different as he has just announced Texas’s refusal to accept any additional refugees for fiscal year 2020.  He is one of only 9 Republican governors to do this as the rest essentially seem to be owned by low-wage business lobbies who seem to care little about the fabric of the country or its communities.

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-texas-governor-abbott-boldly-rejects-additional-refugee-resettlement

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/01/03/the-list-17-gop-governors-approve-more-refugees-for-their-states/

18. Member
    Western Chauvinist

    @WesternChauvinist

    

    9:35 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    he gave them the ammunition

    Now who’s talking nonsense? They’ve got nuthin‘. They would be trying to impeach any Republican who beat Hillary Clinton and they’d use any excuse to do it. Know your enemy. It isn’t Trump.

19. Lincoln
    JuliaBlaschke

    @JuliaBlaschke

    10:02 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    he gave them the ammunition

    Now who’s talking nonsense? They’ve got nuthin‘. They would be trying to impeach any Republican who beat Hillary Clinton and they’d use any excuse to do it. Know your enemy. It isn’t Trump.

    They should have nothing. They have plenty because Trump made a stupid phone call when he KNEW they were listening. They would try to impeach any Republican but they HAVE impeached Trump. They don’t have to try with Trump. He gives them what they want every time. 

    Trump is not my enemy. He is his own worst enemy. Luckily for him the Democrats are putting up just about the worst bunch of candidates possible. So Trump might pull off the inside straight again. But if he had enough sense to NOT talk to a foreign leader about Joe Biden, he’d be in a much better position. But he simply is not smart enough. 

    Trump could have done all the good things and not the BS coming out of his mouth. Why doesn’t he? 

     

20. Inactive
    Randy Webster

    @RandyWebster

    10:12 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    he gave them the ammunition

    Now who’s talking nonsense? They’ve got nuthin‘. They would be trying to impeach any Republican who beat Hillary Clinton and they’d use any excuse to do it. Know your enemy. It isn’t Trump.

    They should have nothing. They have plenty because Trump made a stupid phone call when he KNEW they were listening. They would try to impeach any Republican but they HAVE impeached Trump. They don’t have to try with Trump. He gives them what they want every time.

    Trump is not my enemy. He is his own worst enemy. Luckily for him the Democrats are putting up just about the worst bunch of candidates possible. So Trump might pull off the inside straight again. But if he had enough sense to NOT talk to a foreign leader about Joe Biden, he’d be in a much better position. But he simply is not smart enough.

    Trump could have done all the good things and not the BS coming out of his mouth. Why doesn’t he?

     

    Well, I’d rather have the good things and the BS than not have the good things or the BS.

21. Member
    Western Chauvinist

    @WesternChauvinist

    

    10:19 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    made a stupid phone call

    Totally disagree. Why is it not in America’s interest to find out if the former VP was engaged in quid pro quo in Ukraine for the benefit of his ne’er do well son with a notoriously corrupt energy company? Does running for high office exempt one from investigation into one’s potentially corrupt foreign dealings? Apparently, only if one is running as a Republican. It certainly shielded Hillary and now it’s shielding Biden. Sad.

    Trump could have bypassed the Ukrainian investigation and just asked the FBI to look into it. . .

    I think you’re wrong about Trump’s methods being bad for Trump. He has roughly 90% approval with Republicans and even blacks and Latinos are giving him props. It looks like he’ll dramatically increase support among minorities in the next go around.

    Trump’s boorishness makes all the right heads explode. Don’t be one of them.

    Edited to add: It is completely within the president’s (any president’s) right to determine if foreign aid is a good use of American tax dollars. Trump was doing his job on that phone call.

22. Member
    Western Chauvinist

    @WesternChauvinist

    

    10:29 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    It also takes some hubris to call a man as successful as Trump, “stupid.” He obviously has a form of intelligence Nevers don’t appreciate. Too bad.

23. Member
    Bob Thompson

    @BobThompson

    10:40 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    he gave them the ammunition

    Now who’s talking nonsense? They’ve got nuthin‘. They would be trying to impeach any Republican who beat Hillary Clinton and they’d use any excuse to do it. Know your enemy. It isn’t Trump.

    They should have nothing. They have plenty because Trump made a stupid phone call when he KNEW they were listening. They would try to impeach any Republican but they HAVE impeached Trump. They don’t have to try with Trump. He gives them what they want every time.

    Trump is not my enemy. He is his own worst enemy. Luckily for him the Democrats are putting up just about the worst bunch of candidates possible. So Trump might pull off the inside straight again. But if he had enough sense to NOT talk to a foreign leader about Joe Biden, he’d be in a much better position. But he simply is not smart enough.

    Trump could have done all the good things and not the BS coming out of his mouth. Why doesn’t he?

     

    I am glad to have roused a new voice for these discussions. You do have an understanding that good things are happening with Trump in the White House. The things that he says mostly, as opposed to does, that you call stupid really help the opposition to DO stupid things. He has been impeached, bad on the record of any POTUS, but it is a shameful act wholly on the part of the Democrats. We can hope it hurts them as it should. Welcome to the discussions.

24. Inactive
    Spin

    @Spin

    10:41 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    and not the BS coming out of his mouth. Why doesn’t he? 

    All the “BS”, as you call it, a lot of people like that “BS”.  And we need them voting for him, instead of the other side.  

    The funny thing is, every time someone says Trump said something really stupid, every time I go and I look and I find that, in context, no it isn’t.  It might be crude, un-rehearsed, a bit rough, but it is never what they said it was.  So I’ve quit listening to them.  

25. Thatcher
    Instugator

    @Instugator

    

    10:59 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):
    He’s impeached and he gave them the ammunition to impeach him out of his own stupid mouth.

    I disagree that he is impeached on technical grounds, but for the sake of argument I’ll go along.

    Since when is what someone says a “high crime or misdemeanor”?

    My point is that they had an election coming up and campaign promises to fulfill so they voted on party lines to impeach. They have rendered impeachment meaningless.

    Still – if that is the worst thing he has done, then I rest my case.

    Reagan gave us amnesty. Bush elder gave us taxes. Bush junior gave us medicare part D. 

    President Trump has managed to avoid two of those traps. The third isn’t on the table.

26. Member
    Mark Camp

    @MarkCamp

    11:37 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Spin (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):
    Our goal is to understand each others ideas

    I thought our goal was one-upmanship? Well, that’s mine anyhow. Consider yourself one-upped. 😂

    You’re one-upped, I declare no come-backs, Dome of Silence so I can’t hear you, and it’s made of unbreakable laser-proof plastic.

     

27. Inactive
    Randy Webster

    @RandyWebster

    11:49 AM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):
    Our goal is to understand each others ideas

    I thought our goal was one-upmanship? Well, that’s mine anyhow. Consider yourself one-upped. 😂

    You’re one-upped, I declare no come-backs, Dome of Silence so I can’t hear you, and it’s made of unbreakable laser-proof plastic.

     

    I think you meant the “Cone of Silence.”  Do you also have a shoe phone?

28. Inactive
    Spin

    @Spin

    12:01 PM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    Mark Camp (View Comment):
    Our goal is to understand each others ideas

    I thought our goal was one-upmanship? Well, that’s mine anyhow. Consider yourself one-upped. 😂

    You’re one-upped, I declare no come-backs, Dome of Silence so I can’t hear you, and it’s made of unbreakable laser-proof plastic.

     

    But I invoke the UnBlock of Upmanship, which prevents all of your no-come-back defenses.

29. Inactive
    Spin

    @Spin

    12:04 PM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    Instugator (View Comment):
    Reagan gave us amnesty.

    I hate this.  The amnesty that you refer to was and is the defecto norm.  Reagan didn’t give them to us;  he went along with something that he probably shouldn’t have.  But the legislature gave it to us.

    Instugator (View Comment):
    Bush elder gave us taxes.

    Same goes for this.  Only congress can raise taxes.  Would that Bush would have stood his ground on shutting the government down.  But again, your ire is better directed at Congress.  

30. Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens

    @BryanGStephens

    

    12:50 PM EST ⋅ Jan 11, 2020

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    JuliaBlaschke (View Comment):

    I’m as NeverTrump as they come ….Trump did the right thing

    One of these things is not like the other. It might just be that you are not as NeverTrump as they come.

    Oh yes I am. I am just not a Democrat pretending to be a NeverTrump Republican.

    This made me smile