Never realized how bad it was to live in your country. What a mess, but he will make it great.

Watched it. Thought he supposed to try to unite. There was some of that but I perceived more throwing out red meat to his base. My thoughts were that the tea party won the election.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

I thought Trump made a good speech, very much in line with the reason he won, focusing on the problems with a small group in Washington at the expense of the public.

Obama made similar comments so only time will tell if he can actually deliver but now he has the chance to prove himself.

I think it was very good.

Oh the humanity!

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Made me wonder why a person that has everything the world has to offer would want the job. Somehow this gives me hope about his presidency.

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_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

tea party? Bernie Sanders could have written a large part of the speech. Bernie supporters should have been cheering.

I think it was very good.


It was a toned down version of the stump speech that he had given for the past year.

It sounded like campaign speech.

It had the same style as on the Trump campaign - focus on negativity , darkness and how bad things are because I'm going to, Make America Great Again. Of course this belies the fact that a number of key metrics in the U.S. are actually VERY good even great right now! Not saying it's perfect, but - it's certainly not that dark, terrible world (I think Trump used the word "Carnage" - perhaps the first time that, that word has been heard in an Inauguration address!) that Trump goes on and on about.

Oh well . . here we go! Hang on. It's going to be a wild ride! :)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I missed the speech but will check it out later. I did catch the benediction/prayers and was reminded just how different my vantage is from Franklin Graham's & how different he is from his father.

No surprise, I was not a Trump voter and am not a fan of anyone with such little decorum. (Wasn't a Hillary voter either, FTR.) However, it's where we're at and I'm wishing him the best and hoping he surprises us with a new face of tact, patience, a listening ear, and an awareness of the interests of our country as a whole over narrow interests. And I hope he keeps our troops safe and out of unnecessary conflict.

Made me wonder why a person that has everything the world has to offer would want the job.

I was thinking the same. If I was 70 and had billions of dollars, the last thing I would want is that pressure cooker job. I bet there will be a lot of nights ahead where he asks the same question.

Somehow this gives me hope about his presidency.

I think a lot of people will feel that way today. You have a 70 year old billionaire who lives for public approval and headlines. The only way he will get it is to make radical changes and prove his detractors wrong, something Trump lives for and will not be shy about sharing.

I think he will make some big decisions on Monday.

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You said it better than me.

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_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Haven't watched the whole speech yet but here's what I see so far.



WTF, tinypic.com in now sponsored by fucking Mackeeper.

 
It had the same style as on the Trump campaign - focus on negativity , darkness and how bad things are because I'm going to, Make America Great Again.

I didn't watch, but read a transcript. (https://www.nytimes.com/...eech-transcript.html)

It comes across to me as a lot like his speech at the convention- paints a portrait of an apocalyptic America. I wonder how much of that is style, though. Some of the problems he describes are very real. Crime is down, but it has always been and continues to be a massive, destructive force in many of our communities. Job loss and the economic stagnation is a very real, very serious problem. I think the hyperbolic terms he puts those issues in, next to his pandering to his base (a righteous people and a righteous public) make his speeches come across as overly melodramatic.

Didn't care for it, though. I think he raises some legitimate issues, but I don't think he's going to solve them. Willing to give him a chance with that, but the bigger issue is that style matters, because I think that style reflects his attitude and world view. Contrast his style with Reagan's, for example. Similar substance, arguably, totally different approaches.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

And I hope he keeps our troops safe and out of unnecessary conflict.

His talk about "Radical Islamics", and using those words, just put those troops and the rest of the western world in a higher state of risk. Apparently, Trump had been advised in security briefings to NOT use those words as it actually incites Radical Islamics - get's them fired up! Why give them verbal oxygen??


And just generally Trumps position on Muslims, has most likely increased the risk for U.S. troops in those regions and again for the whole of the west. I would say the world is perhaps a bit LESS safe, with Donald Trump as President today than it was yesterday.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

What? It's not on March 4? When did that change?

These things make me really nervous in that everyone who's in charge is there in one place. Easy target. Good thing Russia is back on our good side.

I burned about 1,400 calories on the elliptical watching it, so it wasn't time misspent.

The MSNBC coverage was unintentionally hilarious. Audible sighs punctuated the commentary, and culminated with Rachel Maddow literally sobbing off camera during former President Obama's departure.

Surreal event overall, but the most interesting season finale I've seen in a while.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

I feel that way during the State of the Union. I know there's always one Cabinet member off-site in case of disaster, but if someone blows up the Congress during the address, I'm not particularly reassured that the Interior Secretary or the Postmaster General is ready to take the helm.

What's so hard to understand about the words, "secret plan"?

“IF I run, and IF I win, I don’t want the enemy to know what I’m doing. Unfortunately, I’ll probably have to tell at some point, but there is a method of defeating them quickly and effectively and having total victory.”

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14llAWjyS6Q

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Missed the speech, but I have a list of do's and don'ts about inaugurations...

1.) No one should be required to "hope the President succeeds". If he wants to do stuff you think is a bad idea then, of course, you hope that he fails. The rest of us need to get over it.
2.) At the same time, the media's focus on the inauguration should be on the people that hope he succeeds -- their stories, their happiness, and their victory. That's just the way it's done. Every feel good Trump story doesn't need to be matched with a feel bad story.
3.) Caveat to #1... While it's OK to be against the President, it's in bad taste to be overly melodramatic about it, and expect your grief to become the news.

I know right. We should just stay quiet and watch like a good cuckold . You fucking pussies are priceless. Weakness puts our troops at risk not calling a spade a spade.

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~
"You lie!" The Prophet Joe Wilson

The riots have begun. Wow.

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Suffer Well.

Damn. Wish I had recorded that. I love live TV drama.

I would have broken out the popcorn. Watching off and on hoping to see a nice protester beat down.

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~
"You lie!" The Prophet Joe Wilson

I knew MSNBC would be the place to watch today. Did not disappoint.

Also, Rick Perry was seated next to a super hottie during the ceremony. Pretty sure that wasn't his wife.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Some traditions need to change. This one, more than likely, started back before the rifled cannon was invented. Geez.

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_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

I see this. Visions of giving the republic back to the people.

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

Says who?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

"Apparently" according to who? Advised by who, exactly (name names)?


Again, who is saying this and what evidence do they have that this true?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Not sure how much worse she gets than this but I enjoyed this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJURJUjk7CA

Fake news.

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________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

Uh, yeah, we're gonna give government back to the people. Just as soon as all these billionaires get their piece of the pie, you get everything left over.

Gonna be great again, for some of them

I listened to the speech and then read it. I thought it was meh at best. A bunch of hypocrisy and emptiness. Not shocked that it wasn't all the different than his campaign, just hoped that in the past 2 months someone had his ear and he would come off better than that.

You don't seriously believe the people want the govt back? The people have shown time and time again they don't want it, just look at who they have elected over the last 20 years and what the results have been for them. If my next door neigbor treated me as badly as our nationally elected officials he'd be watching the smoldering ruins of his house from a cardboard box. Do you see that kind of anger from the people? Face it, as long as you can order pizza and there's sports or porn on the tube nothing is going to change until it's too late.

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"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

Face it, as long as you can order pizza and there's sports or porn on the tube nothing is going to change until it's too late.

I was wondering what to do with my weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!

True. Very true.

From what I've been told (granted 3rd hand) this is a guy who absolutely loves and thrives in high-pressure environments. If that's the case then he picked the perfect "job".

Oh yeah, I'm sure ISIS will really take the gloves off now. After all, they've shown so much restraint up to this point...

I wasn't the one saying give it back. Drumpf is. But no one's getting it anyway, except the billionaire administration

Why does Trump tie his ties so long?

And also has his jacket open all the time?

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Or try the 1950's.

Because he's literally Hitler.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Hitler didn't get El Chapo. Trump got El Chapo (dammit....can't stop....)

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

This could make an interesting premise for a TV series, maybe

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Brian

Gonna buy a fast car, put on my lead boots, take a long, long drive
I may end up spending all my money, but I'll still be alive

Except he doesn't know what he's doing and our enemies know it.

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“Read the transcript.”

Just how badly does your life suck? If sucks I'm sorry, but how much of that suckage do you insist on pinning on government? The vast bulk of personal "suckage" is due to the person that looks back at you from the mirror every morning. Blaming the government endlessly for everything is kind of pitiful (and wildly at odds with reality for almost everybody in the LR).

Hitler buttoned his jackets

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

Trump is such an idiot he can't even Hitler correctly.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Three pages and still no post about the biggest travesty of the day?

Duffy already hit ithe. Twice.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

The highlight of the day...



Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha h aha aha ah !

Is that Kleenex?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

It was worth the last year of putting up with the Trump nonsense, just to see that guy screaming.

Guy? I think it's a girl. Or a xe.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

I watched some of the lead up to it while I was on the treadmill. I probably would have watched the rest of it, but am on a job interview (well, headed home now :-) I'm not a Trump supporter but it has the same draw as a roadside accident.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Guy? I think it's a girl. Or a xe.


Ha ha. I watched it again, it is a woman...I think.

"They" all look alike.

His responses have always been measured for appropriateness so I'm confident this will happen. Say what you want about the guy, but his retaliation is never over the top.

I think it was the teacher from Orange College or whatever school. The one that had her anti Trump classroom rant go viral.

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

I totally would. I love politics and rocket pops.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Finally had an opportunity to listen and read the transcript. Two observations:

(1) He's really not a gifted orator. I hadn't paid that much attention to it before and not that it's necessary for good leadership, but it's a contrast to how good & skilled Reagan and Obama were in this department. Then there was Bush Dos.

(2) I really don't recognize the America he described. It sounds like an awful place. If I believed it were that bad, I guess I'd be pissed off, angry, and fearful myself. It could have been summed up in one sentence "Absolutely everything is bad, everything is broken, nothing is good, it's all burned to the ground, but I'm going to fix it."

it's almost like we don't live in one of the best places at the best time in history.

Eating out and they had the parade on. Nothing to do with Trump but I thought it looked crappy, rather than something put on by the richest nation in world history.

Piss poor lighting, etc.

"Absolutely everything is bad, everything is broken, nothing is good, it's all burned to the ground, but I'm going to fix it."

The best job to inherit is one that is fucked up because you can only go up. So this is how he sets the opening scene.


t's a contrast to how good & skilled Reagan and Obama were in this department.

Obama was OK in the beginning but then that hesitation thing he does really started to bug me. Bill C was much better IMO. Hitler could also get a crowd going.

That's Michael Moore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heqgnf-3YMc

What are the people protesting? Half of the country voted for him and our Electoral College process was officially validated. He is the legitimate POTUS.
It could have gone the other way but didn't. I really don't get it.

watch the link I put up from Michael Moore. He is on "the majority" didn't vote for him. Better he acknowledges the EC victory and that the EC is in the constitution. Then says EC was put in the constitution to placate slave holding states!!

I don't live in it, but I know people who do. Being out of work for 2 years, not getting promoted because of affirmative action, insurance costs doubling, taxes going up with worse service. (I do live the last one)

But what do these protesters want? There lives have not changed today as a result of the election. I really don't see what they hope to accomplish by protesting. There was more to protest from the 2000 election than now. Trump is the president.
I don't think the Republicans would be behaving this way of Hilary had won.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FliGdEGBoIw

Oh my.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQgq_R13V3s

Have these celebrities moved out of the country yet?

I don't either, but I believe we've being going in the wrong direction for a long time and it's largely the fault of government and big business/lobby influence. I wholly agree with Trump that government should work FOR its citizens, but ours has only enriched the bureaucratic machine, paying lip service to 'helping the poor and needy'. We don't help the poor and needy, we give them handouts and enable them, making things worse and creating bubbles along the way. So while I don't think our country is a dreadful place to live, per the picture Trump was painting, I think it's frustrating as hell to see where things have gone. Almost $20T in debt and what, really, do we have to show for that money spent by our government?

People point to metrics like the stock market and unemployment rate and say 'hey things are great, thanks Obama!' but this is another set of metrics someone put together, and I think it largely reflects what Trump voters are angry about (note: Pres Obama is not the cause of these numbers being where they are, I'm not saying that at all. But he, and our Congressional leaders, certainly have a large hand in them):

"Absolutely everything is bad, everything is broken, nothing is good, it's all burned to the ground, but I'm going to fix it."


I thought his speech was good because it was consistent with his entire campaign and people voted for him based on those words. For those people, America is broken and he addressed that, as promised.


Trump is not a great orator and is not someone who will ever be as eloquent as Reagan, Clinton or Obama but I think it was important for him to stick with what got him elected and not suddenly change into someone he hasn't been for the last 2 years. He was elected to change Washington and that is exactly what he said he will do.


Now he has the chance to do that for real and the people can judge him accordingly. Obama made a lot of eloquent promises. I think it was a smart choice for Trump not to try to copy that. He has to stick to being himself and the people can judge the results in 4 years.

The problem with politics is the presidential race is turning into the Superbowl. If your team loses, you start throwing shit because your mad your team lost. It's almost like the issues don't matter for a lot these people. People don't know how to handle losing these days. People need to grow the fuck up.

to express their FEELINGS

I agree

Serious question: what about the Tangerine Tyrant makes you think he will "fix" the debt problem?

He wants lower taxes, increased military, a brand new wall, massive infrastructure spending. How does that add up to anything except more debt? There is no math that makes sense in that.

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Proud member of the MSF (Maple Syrup Mafia)

Serious answer: I didn't say I support Trump. :) I believe his populist message rang true to many people and that's why he was elected, but what they failed to do is listen to his solutions and decide if they actually make sense. I don't think they do, but we'll see.

That said, you're only listing part of the equation. He also wants to roll back globalization and create an economic climate that encourages businesses to move back to the US. Less spending on foreign/global causes, less support for other nations, a more US-centric approach to our budget. Does the calculus work if businesses do come back and we spend a lot less on international causes? What if the tax reform includes closing loopholes /eliminating some credits?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but that isn't what my post--that you replied to--was aimed at anyway. Trump's doom-and-gloom inauguration speech was aimed at the anger and fear of many in this country, and in many respects I agree with them.

Thanks for your reply.

I can completely understand and appreciate that response. Things are more challenging and life for the average American has regressed in certain ways, on each side of the political aisle. I'm still a couple years away from 40 so it wasn't that long ago, but I was able to work nearly full time, take a little extra time in school, and finish university with little student loan debt (~$8k-ish, could have been less had someone taught me about sound money management before I finished school!). That wouldn't be possible today at the same university; inflation has destroyed that option.

Of course there's insane health care expenses, driven up for inflated administrative and care costs. We could list a thousand things.

Culturally I think we sometimes forget how sound we have it overall. Even our poor are wealthy on a global spectrum, with some truly experiencing poverty, but we have such an inflated sense of our "needs" that we overlook that. That said, it's also not acceptable that someone can be underemployed to the point that they're scraping to pay rent and then end up with collectors on their butt because they had an abscessed tooth and don't have adequate access to preventative health care.

Trump spoke that language on the campaign trail. I get it, even though I don't get what he's promising. I just wish that in there he'd do the Presidential thing now and remind the country of how great we have it in most ways, how great we have been, and what his plans are to again move us toward an America whose government fights for all of us & yet has an eye on our global partnerships. It's something I'd have hoped to see in anyone elected, but Trump unfortunately seems to have a special ability to stoke the fears of those who don't have answers but have frustration.

 
http://www.cnn.com/...uguration-gigapixel/
How did Bush know to look at the camera? Zoom in and see. So much win!