Rough start for U.S. Republicans on first day of Trump-era Congress

Well, the Republicans have now made if official...with them in charge, it is all pay to play. No pretending to be honest, decent or ethical. And this was their first act...the hallmark of the new, ever more corrupt Republican Congress. Nothing more important than graft.

It seems that no republican could be any more president for a while in the future if trump messed up everything for 4 years and world may say Americans are so stupid as to themselves be not able to choose right president.

"Well, the Republicans have now made if official...with them in charge, it is all pay to play."

You want to see pay to play, Crazy? See "Clinton Foundation."

Trump: the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it may be

Why did he say that? 'Unfair'?

Washington, well, most politics, is pay to play. We'll see if Trump can drain the swamp.

All the far right crazies are giddy with excitement to pass the laws they've only dreamed about, but which are supported by a small minority of citizens. They just can't help themselves. At some point, Trump might get pissed off and then things will get interesting.

"Even before Trump’s tweet, many House Republicans, including top leaders, had opposed the measure and worried about its ramifications."

...and this is what worries me the most about this. Most of the republican house leaders were against this. President-elect Trump is against this. I'm all for "drain the swamp", but it seems most of those neck-deep in murky water don't want to see one drop of swamp water drained. It's been a weird end to 2016, and here at the start of 2017, I'm cheering the republican house leaders and Donald Trump on their integrity. My belief in parallel universes and alternate timelines has risen in recent months...

The GOP suffers from being drunk on power. They won't be fiscally conservative when they're the majority power. They'll try to eliminate anything that is necessary for oversight for corruption unless it's for their partisan benefit...

Greed leads to corruption, and corruption ultimately leads to destruction.

turbotsat: Why did he say that? 'Unfair'?

And why isn't the press analyzing this bit? The GOP rank-and-file just all of a sudden decided to rein in an office that is supposedly 'fair and bipartisan'?

“With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it may be, their number one act and priority,”

Translation: "Why couldn't you guys have waited a bit, until maybe at least several months of me being in office? You've made it too obvious by being hasty, and they'll pin the blame on me!".

Commence the lefty-loony head explosions.

Trump is leading in his own style. Better get used to it.

This is assembly of House Republicans doing this behind closed doors in secret without any prior discussion, not the Senate

You want to see pay to play, Crazy? See "Clinton Foundation."

Dead squirrel beating. It's 2017. Given your concerns expressed ad infinitum about conflicts of interest, favoritism, cronyism, nepotism and corruption, no doubt you'll be closely watching what the incoming administration does and you'll keep a keen eye sharply focused on their actions and inactions to ensure the peasants are treated fairly. You should be able to find lots of youtube videos to support you. Amirite?

Why did he say that? 'Unfair'?

Parsing Trump's Tweets is a bit like Kremlinology - better get used to it. He has zero sympathy for congressional members because he is not one and is incapable of empathizing with anyone but himself - and he has his own objectives and is not so dense as to be unable to see how this boneheaded GOP midnight, no debate vote would hinder his chances of achieving them. Yet he threw them a bone with the "unfair" comment: He's saying, boys, we'll get that pesky public off your back at some point - but priorities!

Doesn't that make you feel better?

Laguna: Doesn't that make you feel better?

No. Read further down this thread and find:

turbotsat: And why isn't the press analyzing this bit? The GOP rank-and-file just all of a sudden decided to rein in an office that is supposedly 'fair and bipartisan'?

I googled around and didn't find much. That doesn't mean they don't have a point. But the press is supposed to interview them, and tell us what their points are. That's why the press claims they're necessary. It kind of goes out the door when the press ignores one narrative.

All the far right crazies are giddy with excitement to pass the laws they've only dreamed about, but which are supported by a small minority of citizens.

How do you know? Did you take a poll?

They just can't help themselves. At some point, Trump might get pissed off and then things will get interesting.

Yeah, but at least he won't be sneaky about like Obama, if Trump gets pissed, we all will see it.

turbotsatJAN. 04, 2017 - 09:05AM JST Why did he say that? 'Unfair'?

Because he wants to leave the door open to reining in the watchdog when it interferes with his corruption, but doesn't want to make it look like he's a part of Congress's corruption at the moment.

How do you know? Did you take a poll?

But, but, we all know polls can't be trusted.

But, but, we all know polls can't be trusted.

Exactly! Now we're on the same page.

Exactly! Now we're on the same page.

So, you're asking for aomething, know full well that even if you received, you wouldn't accept it? No, we really aren't on the same page.

So, you're asking for aomething, know full well that even if you received, you wouldn't accept it? No, we really aren't on the same page.

Meaning, we don't know either way. Skepticism runs both ways.

gelendestrasse: "We'll see if Trump can drain the swamp."

Hahaha! DRAIN it? No, he took a long dump in it, covered it with thick saran wrap, and turned up the sunlight.

Hahaha! DRAIN it? No, he took a long dump in it, covered it with thick saran wrap, and turned up the sunlight.

Which is fine with Trump supporters, too. Either way they'll defend the outcome.

In the same way that a monkey with a typewriter will eventually re-write the works of Shakespeare, it is inevitable that Trump will occasionally get something right by accident. This seems to be an example of it. But was it the random hum of tweets emanating from the orange one that led to this change of course, or was it angry constituents asking the Republican congress members what on earth they thought they were up to?

I would start checking the republicans who tried to pass this bill as they are up to no good and are obviously corrupt. Why else would they try to pass a rule to cover corruption

SuperLib: "Either way they'll defend the outcome."

Exactly. In fact, it's quite funny to see some of them do 180s and say, "Well, why wouldn't he hire seasoned politicians? It's common sense!"

Republican-controlled congress makes overt and conspicuous move toward corruption, allowing Republican president-elect with over-hanging shadow of corruption to send angry tweet that makes it seem like he's making good on his anti-corruption promises weeks before his inauguration. Not fishy at all.

, allowing Republican president-elect with over-hanging shadow of corruption to send angry tweet that makes it seem like he's making good on his anti-corruption promises weeks before his inauguration. Not fishy at all.

That is exactly what happened. It is good fodder for the radicals that still believe Trump will be swamp draining, but as is clear from his cabinet picks - he's merely changing the slime to suit his own version of the swamp. These angry people aren't going away, the impotent rage will turn and good luck with that Republicans......

Which is fine with Trump supporters, too. Either way they'll defend the outcome.

Now Obama lovers understand the frustration, now you guys can relate.

Republican-controlled congress makes overt and conspicuous move toward corruption, allowing Republican president-elect with over-hanging shadow of corruption to send angry tweet that makes it seem like he's making good on his anti-corruption promises weeks before his inauguration. Not fishy at all.

8 years of corruption with Obama and complete silence, when Trump does something which doesn't sit well with Democrats it's called "over-hanging shadow of corruption?" As usual, I'm not in the least bit surprised by the liberal minds.

Am I the only person here that believes change is good? Change is healthy. If Clinton was in, there would be no change at all, and the stock market would have crashed.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Trump is doing things his own way, and that causes libtards' heads to explode.

“With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it may be, their number one act and priority,” he said on Twitter on Tuesday. “Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!”

Other than maybe the questionable comment on unfairness, he's right with this comment. Whether or not tax reform and healthcare mean the same thing to him as the rest of us is still unknown, but congress shouldn't be spending day one trying to weaken a watchdog that is there to watch them, it should be getting to work and making things better for the American people.

I'm still skeptical about him, but doing things like this is a good thing.

In other news, I just watched the new Celebrity Apprentice with Schwarzenegger as the boss. I wonder how long until the Governator elicits a snarky tweet from Trump. Because there is absolutely no way whatsoever he isn't watching it.

“With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it may be, their number one act and priority,” Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday. “Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!”

Hear, hear!

Term limits for Congress can't come soon enough!!!

They are not there to do anything -- they are there to stuff lobbyists' cash into their pockets.

Strangerland: Other than maybe the questionable comment on unfairness

I think that has to do with the fact that a claim can be made anonymously and Congressmen have to answer to it, and I believe the office can release info about the claim. That opens it up to abuse with false claims.

But instead of fixing it, the GOP decided to take control over it with the ability to cancel any investigation at any time. Which, obviously, is ripe for abuse on their end. It's just another example of the GOP claiming there's a problem and the solution is scorching the earth instead of fixing a program that needs to stay.