Quotable Quotes

[sear]

"I don't know. I'm not a lawyer." ~ Trump, asked if citizens and noncitizens in the US are entitled to due process, per the Fifth Amendment

Amdt5.6.2.3 Removal of Aliens Who Have Entered the United States

Despite the government’s broad power over immigration, the Supreme Court has recognized that aliens who have physically entered the United States generally come under the protective scope of the Due Process Clause, which applies “to all ‘persons’ within the United States, including aliens, whether their presence here is lawful, unlawful, temporary, or permanent.” 1 104-208, 110 Stat. 3009–546.

Removal of Aliens Who Have Entered the United States

www.law.cornell.edu

The president's oath of office binds the president to Constitutional fidelity.

ARTICLE2. SECTION 1 - 7
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm)that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Not only Art.2 Sect.1-7

Also, ARTICLE2. SECTION 3.
He shall ... take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and ...

"I don't know. I'm not a lawyer." ~ Trump, asked if citizens and noncitizens in the US are entitled to due process, per the Fifth Amendment

Are you a president?

 

[Shiftless2]

"To preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." ~ Trump, taking his oath of office

"Don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?" ~ Meet the Press's Kristen Welker

"I don't know." ~ Trump

I do remember Trump saying that he hadn't taken an oath to "uphold" the Constitution, only to "preserve, protect, and defend" it which he claimed was a different thing.

 

[sear]

"To preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." ~ Trump, taking his oath of office

"Don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?" ~ Meet the Press's Kristen Welker

"I don't know." ~ Trump

"I do remember Trump saying that he hadn't taken an oath to "uphold" the Constitution, only to "preserve, protect, and defend" it which he claimed was a different thing." #1,442

Well presented S2.

Trump seems deliberate about the journalistic flak he stirs up. So many alarms are sounded, difficult to know which to respond to in a 24 hr. news cycle.

Yet Trump shows more than a little ankle here. A rational president sincerely intending to not perjure his own oath of office (ARTICLE2. SECTION 1 - 7) would be more likely to show some alarm, for example:

- I'm not certain Ms. Welker, but I'll consult with my A.G. for clarification. -

Even if he never followed through, it's a fig leaf.

That's not Trump's style, which instead is extemporaneous improvisation, nothing else matters, not even the United States Constitution.

 

[Shiftless2]

"It's just an idea I've had... It's long been a symbol, Alcatraz, of whatever it is." ~ Trump, asked how he came up with the idea of re-opening the prison

 

[sear]

"It's just an idea I've had... It's long been a symbol, Alcatraz, of whatever it is." ~ Trump, asked how he came up with the idea of re-opening the prison #1,444

That's how the "Space Force" got fired up. First term President Trump decided if we have an "Air Force" why not have a "Space Force". Trump didn't originate the idea, just the straw that broke the camel's back.

"It's just an idea I've had... It's long been a symbol, Alcatraz, of whatever it is." ~ Trump, asked how he came up with the idea of re-opening the prison #1,444

Alcatraz prison was reportedly not escape-proof, merely escape-resistant. BUT !
Alcatraz prison was expensive to operate, as it had to be served by boat.
That means not merely food in / trash out, but inmate clothing, & everything else. And prison guards and other workers, the warden? Boat or swim?

For a president that's been deliberate about his public image as a cost-cutter, the notion of increasing the per prisoner costs for this segment of the U.S.' incarcerated population seems an extravagant ego-indulgence.
It's a bad idea. It's a terrible basis for allocation of scarce resources. Let us hope when Trump sees the costs of renovation and annual operation he'll sober up about it.

 

[Shiftless2]

The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary officially closed more than 62 years ago.​

Shut down because it cost three times more to run Alcatraz than other federal prisons.

The maximum-security, minimum-privilege prison operated for only 30 years

 

[sear]

"We are screwed." BTC

"We are screwed" because in a free & fair election our democratic republic elected a maniac? What did you think was going to happen?

Shut down because it cost three times more to run Alcatraz than other federal prisons.

And what benefit from this $300% operating cost?

Worth noting:
the nation that memorializes itself in song as "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" reportedly has a higher per capita incarceration rate than any of its Western allies / trade partners. Trump has imagined a way to multiply the $cost.

 

[Shiftless2]

"By not trading, we're losing nothing. So we're saving a trillion dollars. That's a lot." ~ Trump, during his meeting with Canadian PM Mark Carney

"I'm glad that you couldn't tell what was going through my mind." ~ Carney, after the meeting

 

[Shiftless2]

"[Trump] said he was sorry for what Joe Biden did to all J6ers... I thanked him for giving me my life back. He replied with 'I love you guys.' To the J6ers he wanted me to send y'all a message. He said, 'Thank you.'" ~ Enrique Tarrio, convicted (22-year sentence) and pardoned seditionist and former Proud Boy leader, on talking to Trump at Mar-a-Lago

 

[sear]

"[Trump] said he was sorry for what Joe Biden did to all J6ers... I thanked him for giving me my life back. He replied with 'I love you guys.' To the J6ers he wanted me to send y'all a message. He said, 'Thank you.'" ~ Enrique Tarrio, convicted (22-year sentence) and pardoned seditionist and former Proud Boy leader, on talking to Trump at Mar-a-Lago #1,449

"The inmates have taken over the asylum."

Has the U.S. Constitution ever been in greater jeopardy?

"I'm glad that you couldn't tell what was going through my mind." ~ Carney, after the meeting #1,448

Tact has been defined as the ability to tell someone to go to Hell, and have them enjoy the trip.
Carney gets a gold star. Trump replied "Never say never" violating his own proscription twice in a 3 word sentence.

"Make your words soft and sweet. You never know when you have to eat them." Prince Bandar bin Sultan / Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.

 

[Shiftless2]

"The Constitution is clear -- and that of course is the supreme law of the land -- that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion. So it's an option that we're actively looking at." ~ Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller

 

[Shiftless2]

"I don't think a beautiful baby girl that's 11 years old needs to have 30 dolls. I think they can have three dolls or four dolls. They don't need to have 250 pencils. They can have five." ~ Trump

 

[sear]

"The Constitution is clear -- and that of course is the supreme law of the land -- that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion. So it's an option that we're actively looking at." ~ Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller

Horrifying.

"I don't think a beautiful baby girl that's 11 years old needs to have 30 dolls. I think they can have three dolls or four dolls. They don't need to have 250 pencils. They can have five." ~ Trump

Here Trump invokes the memory of a familiar false quotation, "Let them eat cake."

"Let them eat cake" is the traditional translation of the French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", said to have been spoken in the 18th century by "a great princess" upon being told that the peasants had no bread. The French phrase mentions brioche, a bread enriched with butter and eggs, considered a luxury food. The quote is taken to reflect either the princess's frivolous disregard for the starving peasants or her poor understanding of their plight.
Although the phrase is conventionally attributed to Marie Antoinette, there is no evidence that she ever uttered it, and it is now generally regarded as a journalistic cliché.

Let them eat cake - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To be clear, Trump's deception substitutes a substantially irrelevant dichotomy for the issue. The most severe consequences of Trump's confrontational international trade policy
is not "30 dolls" or "three dolls or four dolls". It's the consequence on millions of U.S. families subsisting paycheck to paycheck. For them the binary is instead: one doll, or zero doll.
MAGA oligarchs don't care.

 

[Shiftless2]

"I'm a very artistic person." ~ Trump

Somebody should tell him that's not the way you spell "autistic"

 

[sear]

"I'm a very artistic person." ~ Trump #1,454

"I'm an extremely stable genius." President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump 19/05/23

ga·loot also gal·loot (gə-lt)
n.
Slang
A person, especially a clumsy or uncouth one.
[Origin unknown.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

"When the 'extremely stable genius' starts acting more presidential, I'll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade, and other issues." U.S. Congressional Speaker Nancy Pelosi 19/05/23 13:36 tweet reply

Miss you Nan.

PS

"I'm a very artistic person." ~ Trump

Particularly fond of the color orange?

 

[Shiftless2]

"[Trump] can't be bought, unlke most of the politicians in this country...There's writers like Elizabeth Warren or Robert Reich saying that President Trump is on the side of the oligarchs. There's never been a president more willing to stand up to the oligarchs than President Donald Trump." ~ HHS Secretary RFK Jr.

 

[sear]

In May, 2025 it may be fresh in mind. As a reminder for those reviewing this in future years, Qatar has offered President Trump a substitute for Air Force One. Security issues aside, accepting this bribe would violate the Constitutional emoluments proscription. *

"[Trump] can't be bought, unlke most of the politicians in this country...There's writers like Elizabeth Warren or Robert Reich saying that President Trump is on the side of the oligarchs. There's never been a president more willing to stand up to the oligarchs than President Donald Trump." ~ HHS Secretary RFK Jr.

- whew -
what a relief



* United States Constitution ARTICLE1. SECTION 9 - 8
... no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

note #1: "[Trump] can't be bought" RFKj
RFKj is correct. Qatar is not buying a president. They bought an airplane. The Qatari transaction is less like a purchase, more like a rental.

note #2:
Trump may persuasively argue Art.1 Sect.9-8 is explicitly premised on "trust". And since Trump cannot be trusted, Trump is exempt.

 

[sear]

Sen. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] says he is placing a hold on Trump DOJ nominees amid questions on Qatar's luxury jet gift​

The Justice Department has declared that the acceptance of the gift by the Defense Department was legal, according to a memo approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Chuck Schumer says he is placing a hold on Trump DOJ nominees amid questions on Qatar's luxury jet gift

The Justice Department has declared that the acceptance of the gift by the Defense Department was legal, according to a memo approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

www.nbcnews.com

Attorney General Pam Bondi is wrong. Art.1 Sect. 9-8 explicitly requires congressional consent.

 

[sear]

U.S. News

Headline: Great Lakes’ $7 billion fishing industry may get a reprieve from the great carp invasion after all​

Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel empire and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is one of Trump’s fiercest critics. He has described the early months of the Trump administration as “true villainous cruelty by a few idiots.”
https://apnews.com/article/invasive...ake-michigan-84409517f05da48cbb652b6ae1d8c79d

"The great carp invasion" mentioned in the headline above refers to an invasive species of carp that has tended to dominate, overtake the habitats they've invaded in the U.S.
The risk is, if this species reaches the U.S. & Canada's Great Lakes, it may harm or terminate the multi-$Billion Great Lakes fishing industry.

The Trump administration has demonstrated itself invincibly ignorant on such environmental matters. This is potential crisis that would reach all the way to U.S. / Canadian dining tables.

 

[Shiftless2]

"Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country...We give free things out, we'll take one too...I would never be one to turn down that kind of offer...I mean I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free very expensive airplane.'...You look at some of the Arab countries and the planes they have parked alongside of the United States of America plane -- it's like from a different planet." ~ Trump, on $400M airplane offered as a gift by the Qatari royal family

Ethics (and the Emoluments Clause) aside, there's the little matter of security - short of completely dismantling it and replacing every single electronic component how can anyone be sure there aren't listening devices on board?