The 45th POTUS - Donald J. Trump

[McParadigm]

Early reporting is that the Pentagon was caught off guard by this, & was not informed (or involved).

Some other early reports:

Another thought: interesting that this plays out after Ann Coulter visited the White House and told him to remember his base.

Military leader Ann Coulter.

[dimejinky99]

So what happens to the 15000 transgender people currently in the US military?

[McParadigm]

So what happens to the 15000 transgender people currently in the US military?

What happens to the military? We're ramping up deployments in Afghan, and on a collision course with NK. Recruitment's been a struggle for years.

I hear Youngstown supports the president. Send them.

[McParadigm]

I'm aware of how much bullshit that statement was. But shrug.

[bune]

Early reporting is that the Pentagon was caught off guard by this, & was not informed (or involved).

[jwfocker]

Sounds like a awful attempt to get attention away from the health care bill.

[bune]

Early reporting is that the Pentagon was caught off guard by this, & was not informed (or involved).

Some other early reports:

I'm trying to wrap my head around this one, it's not working. It's gotta be too early to put up with this shit.

[McParadigm]

[Strat]

like

[malice]

so who decided it's a good idea to create an even larger base of people who have reason to vote this administration out of office? how is this a good move for trump? playing to one's base is stupid when it coincides with offending larger and larger groups of people that can potentially take a candidate down, doesn't it?

[Simple Torture]

How do we all feel about people using Trump's history of dodging the draft as ammunition against him?

For example, a line I've seen multiple places, something to the effect of: "Humph, a draft dodger trying to tell people they can't serve!"

[Strat]

How do we all feel about people using Trump's history of dodging the draft as ammunition against him?

For example, a line I've seen multiple places, something to the effect of: "Humph, a draft dodger trying to tell people they can't serve!"

I think there are for more important reasons why Donald Trump shouldn't have a say in the matter.

[McParadigm]

Just in terms of self-preservation, nothing seems wiser to me than dodging a wartime draft.

[dimejinky99]

It screams distraction. And it seems to be working.

[McParadigm]

[Simple Torture]

so who decided it's a good idea to create an even larger base of people who have reason to vote this administration out of office? how is this a good move for trump? playing to one's base is stupid when it coincides with offending larger and larger groups of people that can potentially take a candidate down, doesn't it?

I see where you're coming from, but I wonder if there was anyone left over for this to alienate. I mean, let's say you have two buckets:

Bucket A contains the people that were offended by Trump's misogyny, racism, xenophobia, and his general stupidity.

Bucket B contains the people that were okay with all of those things, but are pushed over the line when he reinstitutes Don't Ask/Don't Tell but for transgendered people.

Are there actually any people in Bucket B? Does that make sense?

[digster]

Turning gay marriage into the boogeyman worked quite well for Bush in 2004. It wouldn't surprise me all that much to see that process repeat itself to Trump's benefit.

[dimejinky99]

It screams distraction. And it seems to be working.

There you go.
'On his facebook page, Mike Lee says they're voting in about 10 minutes to destroy health care in the senate.'

[bune]

You know what, let them try. They'd have to prove something is false first in court, right? I mean it says right there "courts".

[tragabigzanda]

so who decided it's a good idea to create an even larger base of people who have reason to vote this administration out of office? how is this a good move for trump? playing to one's base is stupid when it coincides with offending larger and larger groups of people that can potentially take a candidate down, doesn't it?

From a strategic standpoint, I think it makes sense in the short term: It turns the media's attention away from the health care debacle, and we'll probably see a little bump in his approval rating as some defectors start coming back around to him for this. And it's not like he won the election by securing votes in very trans-friendly areas. Apart from those poor transgendered souls who are trapped by circumstances, I'd wager the vast majority of voting-age trans people have long since moved to more progressive parts of the country.

Just in terms of self-preservation, nothing seems wiser to me than dodging a wartime draft.

Agreed. I'll never knock a draft dodger, but a draft dodger who politicizes the armed services for their own gain is pretty awful.

It screams distraction. And it seems to be working.

Eh. The media will run with it for a minute, but it's not really accomplishing anything major in that regard. Mueller's investigation is going to drag on in closed sessions for another year or so. This is just a moment for the liberal rags to get some fresh flicks for the next few days.