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[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-t...p-begins-to-alter-american-life-idUSKCN1C3261

While his administration has been chaotic, and his decision-making impulsive and sometimes whimsical, Trump has made changes that could have far-reaching and lingering consequences for society and the economy. Some have grabbed headlines but many, no less consequential, have gone largely unnoticed amid the daily controversies and Twitter insults that have marked Trump's early months in office.

The Trump administration has withdrawn or delayed more than 800 Obama-era regulatory actions in its first six months. Proposals for new rules, including those to delay or rescind existing rules, dropped 32 percent from the same period in 2016 under Obama, and are down from similar six-month periods under presidents George W. Bush, a Republican, and Bill Clinton, a Democrat, according to the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute.

At the same time, Trump has limited new federal regulations by requiring agencies to cut two rules for every new one they create. He has asked each agency to name a regulatory reform officer to take aim at unneeded rules.

“By far, this is the most significant regulatory rollback since Ronald Reagan,” said Wayne Crews, vice president for policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “The Trump mode so far is to regulate bureaucrats rather than the public.”

Many business leaders have applauded the moves, aimed at fulfilling Trump’s campaign promise to end policies he says are strangling the economy. But critics say his reductions in environmental and worker protections put corporate profits before public health and safety - in direct contradiction to the populist campaign rhetoric that helped Trump win blue-collar votes.

“Where Trump has had success in changing the rules of the road it has been used against the very people who helped elect him,” said Ben Olinsky, vice president for policy and strategy at the liberal Center for American Progress.

And the real kicker as to why we probably won't see Trump going any time soon:

“I think Trump actually has accomplished a lot. There are a lot of things for conservatives to be happy about,” said Tommy Binion, director of congressional and executive relations at the conservative Heritage Foundation. “And I‘m optimistic there will be more.”

More specifics at the link, but Trump has been slowly eroding the national landscape for the last 9 months. Just because he's failing on his big ticket items doesn't mean he isn't still screwing everyone who isn't in a business suit.

 

[Sephzilla]

 

[Nokterian]

Trump, his administration and the GOP are literally destroying everything. It is going to take decades to fix all of this. As a European what i am seeing from a far how trump doesn't care about anything or anyone. Just himself and his 'close friends' that's it, he doesn't like the job and he will not step down, oh no he will not do that.

 

[Mr Swine]

Trump, his administration and the GOP are literally destroying everything. It is going to take decades to fix all of this. As a European what i am seeing from a far how trump doesn't care about anything or anyone. Just himself and his 'close friends' that's it, he doesn't like the job and he will not step down, oh no he will not do that.

It’s never going to get fixed. Each time the Democrats come to power and start fixing things it will all be undone by the republicans that take over after 4-8 years.

What they are doing is a long term destruction of America and they will never stop until it’s done

 

[badcrumble]

Trump, his administration and the GOP are literally destroying everything. It is going to take decades to fix all of this. As a European what i am seeing from a far how trump doesn't care about anything or anyone. Just himself and his 'close friends' that's it, he doesn't like the job and he will not step down, oh no he will not do that.

The Democrats really didn't even get near halfway done repairing the damage Reagan did.

That said, the most lasting thing he accomplished was shifting the American political consensus far to the right - trickle-down economics was rightly ridiculed and detested back in the late 1970s and now you find the same concept repackaged as 'job creators' repeated pretty uncontroversially by a lot of Dems.

The good news here is that Trump doesn't seem to have the cultural traction or clout to accomplish something similar to that.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Basically, he's accomplishing destroying American life

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

The Democrats really didn't even get near halfway done repairing the damage Reagan did.

That said, the most lasting thing he accomplished was shifting the American political consensus far to the right - trickle-down economics was rightly ridiculed and detested back in the late 1970s and now you find the same concept repackaged as 'job creators' repeated pretty uncontroversially by a lot of Dems.

The good news here is that Trump doesn't seem to have the cultural traction or clout to accomplish something similar to that.

This is my biggest fear. It was Reagan who single-handedly sent America spinning down the current path of destroying the middle class and dismantling social safety-nets put in place after the great depression. That's the real reason why Republicans love him, he was the best president in forever as far as putting more money into the pocket of the big guys goes and set up the rhetoric that would entrap the south for decades to come.

Trump is either going to blow all that up if he makes it all look bad by doing something extremely terrible, or he'll cement it as the future for at least the next 30+ years. As someone in their mid-30's, it really fucking sucks that I may have already seen the extent of the rise of liberalism in my lifetime.

 

[Extollere]

It's never going to get fixed. Each time the Democrats come to power and start fixing things it will all be undone by the republicans that take over after 4-8 years.

What they are doing is a long term destruction of America and they will never stop until it's done

Basically... all while the left eats itself alive with purity tests. Sometimes I think we are headed for a long ride into a terrible state that will decline on all fronts. Socially, economically, politically, and in class, race, religion, and so on. I mean, what the hell is our country gonna look like in 10 years from now with the effects of climate change, automation, economic instability, and an entire generation being raised on smart phones? Buckle up. The future is gonna suck. Video games will probably be sweet though.

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

Basically... all while the left eats itself alive with purity tests. Sometimes I think we are headed for a long ride into a terrible state that will decline on all fronts. Socially, economically, politically, and in class, race, religion, and so on. I mean, what the hell is our country gonna look like in 10 years from now with the effects of climate change, automation, economic instability, and an entire generation being raised on smart phones? Buckle up. The future is gonna suck. Video games will probably be sweet though.

I dunno. Games as a service has a potentially really dark future ahead of it. I feel we're falling into a terrible dystopia. Hope I'm wrong, but once the gears start turning towards 'every man for himself', it's hard as hell to put things back together.

 

[Nokterian]

This is my biggest fear. It was Reagan who single-handedly sent America spinning down the current path of destroying the middle class and dismantling social safety-nets put in place after the great depression. That's the real reason why Republicans love him, he was the best president in forever as far as putting more money into the pocket of the big guys goes and set up the rhetoric that would entrap the south for decades to come.

Trump is either going to blow all that up if he makes it all look bad by doing something extremely terrible, or he'll cement it as the future for at least the next 30+ years. As someone in their mid-30's, it really fucking sucks that I may have already seen the extent of the rise of liberalism in my lifetime.

My dad told me the story about Reagan, i still don't know why americans still praises Reagan..he really made it harder for every single person from there. Letting banks do there thing, cutting out the middle class etc etc. People who life pay roll by pay roll. Just terrible how that man changed the face of a nation.

 

[Zophar]

We have already been set back decades.

 

[davepoobond]

cycle of power: 1 step forward, 10 steps back


democrats have been on "fixing duty" ever since Nixon.

 

[Piggus]

Must be nice when your voter base is too braindead stupid to understand when they're being played like a fiddle.

 

[Beer Monkey]

“I think Trump actually has accomplished a lot. There are a lot of things for conservatives to be happy about,” said Tommy Binion, director of congressional and executive relations at the conservative Heritage Foundation. “And I‘m optimistic there will be more.”

These cunts cry that presidential power should be extremely limited (signing bills, mostly) when a Democrat is in office.

 

[Sunster]

It’s never going to get fixed. Each time the Democrats come to power and start fixing things it will all be undone by the republicans that take over after 4-8 years.

What they are doing is a long term destruction of America and they will never stop until it’s done

yep we have the resources to be the beacon of the world but instead we just build a little, sometimes a lot. Then kick over the sand castle every 4-8 years because mericans want to shake things up.

 

[zelas]

It’s never going to get fixed. Each time the Democrats come to power and start fixing things it will all be undone by the republicans that take over after 4-8 years.

What they are doing is a long term destruction of America and they will never stop until it’s done

And those Republicans are also helped by liberals who stay home because Democrats aren't overcoming obstruction/changing things fast enough. The electorate can't get out of its own way.

 

[Garlador]

So much easier to destroy than to build...

 

[SlimySnake]

So much easier to destroy than to build...

where is this from?

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

My dad told me the story about Reagan, i still don't know why americans still praises Reagan..he really made it harder for every single person from there. Letting banks do there thing, cutting out the middle class etc etc. People who life pay roll by pay roll. Just terrible how that man changed the face of a nation.

Imagine Reagan like a more charismatic Trump. He pushed nationalistic personal pride and acted tough to the average person who's too dumb or distracted to think about the long-term damage he was doing. He was the epitome of short-term gains at the cost of long-term disaster, but most people can't think that far ahead or behind. They attribute everything happening now to who's currently in power.

Reagan made a lot of people feel good about themselves off the losses and uncertainty that came from the Vietnam war, a recession, the cold war, and encroaching successes in other countries cutting into the American pie. It was kind of like going to the chiropractor. They'll crack your back and give you a bit of relief, but a few weeks later you find yourself wanting to go back because you're in the same pain or worse than before.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Living in a constant state of terror and embarrassment is definitely something that's been added to my lifestyle.

 

[SlimySnake]

Trump is right. Hes accomplished more than any other president by pushing us back decades.

You get the government you deserve and make no mistake, we deserve trump.

 

[Creamium]

My dad told me the story about Reagan, i still don't know why americans still praises Reagan..he really made it harder for every single person from there. Letting banks do there thing, cutting out the middle class etc etc. People who life pay roll by pay roll. Just terrible how that man changed the face of a nation.

If you need more reason to hate Reagan, watch the docu '13th' on Netflix and listen to this, lyrics

 

[Muppet of a Man]

These cunts cry that presidential power should be extremely limited (signing bills, mostly) when a Democrat is in office.

Never trust anything a pathological, projecting liar says and never give them the benefit of the doubt.

Most Republicans at this point are truly indoctrinated extremists.

 

[Pyrokai]

No one in here is very optimistic at all. Quick, someone say something to help my sliding into depression slow down a bit.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Trump takes a bunch of bread and butter GOP-friendly executive actions. Accomplishing lots!

 

[Omadahl]

No one in here is very optimistic at all. Quick, someone say something to help my sliding into depression slow down a bit.

Sorry but there's not much to be optimistic about. My my great grandchildren might see a responsible United States, but most likely, they'll never exist because of nuclear war or climate change.

 

[LegendofJoe]

No one in here is very optimistic at all. Quick, someone say something to help my sliding into depression slow down a bit.

Trump is old and stupid and the country is becoming less white and less religious by the day.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Imagine Reagan like a more charismatic Trump. He pushed nationalistic personal pride and acted tough to the average person who's too dumb or distracted to think about the long-term damage he was doing. He was the epitome of short-term gains at the cost of long-term disaster, but most people can't think that far ahead or behind. They attribute everything happening now to who's currently in power.

Reagan made a lot of people feel good about themselves off the losses and uncertainty that came from the Vietnam war, a recession, the cold war, and encroaching successes in other countries cutting into the American pie. It was kind of like going to the chiropractor. They'll crack your back and give you a bit of relief, but a few weeks later you find yourself wanting to go back because you're in the same pain or worse than before.

Great post. And holy shit @ the chiro analogy, it's brilliant really.

 

[Zolo]

Trump is old and stupid and the country is becoming less white and less religious by the day.

Pretty much. Progress is inevitable....but there's going to be massive road bumps.

Spoiler

With automation going to be a hell of one.

 

[HylianTom]

Trump is old and stupid and the country is becoming less white and less religious by the day.

This is at the root of many of his supporters' grievances. They're going to be very surly when they realize that nothing they do can prevent these cultural trends. For all their efforts, change is going to come anyway.

..

One other alteration of American life: I've noticed more self-segregation along ideological lines - at interpersonal levels, corporate levels, in entertainment choices, hobbies, etc.

 

[fabricated backlash]

My dad told me the story about Reagan, i still don't know why americans still praises Reagan..he really made it harder for every single person from there. Letting banks do there thing, cutting out the middle class etc etc. People who life pay roll by pay roll. Just terrible how that man changed the face of a nation.

Simple reason really. Reagan was a chauvinistic, racist pig, who played the hard ass statesman. He is like the Republican avatar, their god if you will. The US that he created is what these people want. A racist, dog eats dog, capitalist utopia.

 

[Zolo]

This is at the root of many of his supporters' grievances. They're going to be very surly when they realize that nothing they do can prevent these cultural trends. For all their efforts, change is going to come anyway.

Most already realize this. They're just trying to take what they can while they can.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Imagine Reagan like a more charismatic Trump. He pushed nationalistic personal pride and acted tough to the average person who's too dumb or distracted to think about the long-term damage he was doing. He was the epitome of short-term gains at the cost of long-term disaster, but most people can't think that far ahead or behind. They attribute everything happening now to who's currently in power.

Reagan made a lot of people feel good about themselves off the losses and uncertainty that came from the Vietnam war, a recession, the cold war, and encroaching successes in other countries cutting into the American pie. It was kind of like going to the chiropractor. They'll crack your back and give you a bit of relief, but a few weeks later you find yourself wanting to go back because you're in the same pain or worse than before.

My father can talk for hours about his hatred for Reagan. Reagan changed the direction of this country.

And mind you, my father is a white, baby boomer. One of the few who is a hardcore liberal democrat.

 

[jstripes]

My dad told me the story about Reagan, i still don't know why americans still praises Reagan..he really made it harder for every single person from there. Letting banks do there thing, cutting out the middle class etc etc. People who life pay roll by pay roll. Just terrible how that man changed the face of a nation.

Well, look at the campaign slogan Reagan ran on...

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

Great post. And holy shit @ the chiro analogy, it's brilliant really.

Yeah, I was sort of proud about it myself. Yes, I am biased towards chiropractors.

My father can talk for hours about his hatred for Reagan. Reagan changed the direction of this country.

And mind you, my father is a white, baby boomer. One of the few who is a hardcore liberal democrat.

Honestly, any upper-lower-class to middle-class white American should despise Reagan and the policies he put forth that basically helped to wreck their socio-economic place in the world, but nope. They think more Reagan will fix the problem. Brainwashed idiots.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Trump, his administration and the GOP are literally destroying everything. It is going to take decades to fix all of this. As a European what i am seeing from a far how trump doesn't care about anything or anyone. Just himself and his 'close friends' that's it, he doesn't like the job and he will not step down, oh no he will not do that.

And we get to do this same dance in another 16 years!

 

[Nokterian]

Well, look at the campaign slogan Reagan ran on...

deja vú..fuck.

 

[Fancyarcher]

Trump is right. Hes accomplished more than any other president by pushing us back decades.

You get the government you deserve and make no mistake, we deserve trump.

I certainly don't deserve Trump.

 

[Yoshimitsu126]

cycle of power: 1 step forward, 10 steps back


democrats have been on "fixing duty" ever since Nixon.

We're becoming more like the Russians in the 20th century compared to her western neighbors everyday!

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Honestly, any upper-lower-class to middle-class white American should despise Reagan and the policies he put forth that basically helped to wreck their socio-economic place in the world, but nope. They think more Reagan will fix the problem. Brainwashed idiots.

I agree.

The 80' election created a rift on my father's side of the family with my father, uncles, and aunts on one side and my grandparents on the other.

To this day, family gatherings are filled with tension. It doesn't help that my grandparents voted for Trump just like they did for Reagan in the past.

 

[djkimothy]

America will be in shambles in 10 - 20 years.

 

[Shoeless]

Trump has done more in 9 months for elevating Canada's global standing than Canada itself has accomplished in 50 years.

As a Canadian, I don't know how to feel about that.

 

[Garlador]

America will be in shambles in 10 - 20 years.

In 20 years? We're in shambles NOW.

I'm still not half-convinced that Trump didn't bother to help Puerto Rico for as long as he did because he thought he was sticking it to Mexico for the wall...

 

[PandaPandaPanda]

I know it'll never happen, but I wish like the whole west coat can secede from the impending dumpster fire that'll be blamed on democrats

 

[Nista]

All you have to do is watch any historical political documentary about the last 50 years, and most rational people will despise Nixon and Reagan for leading us into the mess we are in today.

People expect to be lied to by the President, and people will accept charisma and populist rhetoric over substance thanks to those men.