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I came across this video...
Youtube: From the archives: White House East Room hosts "CBS Evening News" in 2000
It features Dan Rather presenting a historical overview of White House history.
I miss the days of having Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Walter Cronkite.
Although I support preservation of historical landmarks for which the White House certainly qualifies, sometimes stuff happens. Notre Dame was destroyed by fire not so long ago. The White House has been destroyed by arson fire previously and has also been completely gutted for structural safety reasons.
Despite trying to act like he is, Trump isn't a force of nature. He's simply being enabled by a cabal of psychopathic power hungry sycophants that care nothing about historical preservation or anything beyond their own interests and immediate personal gratification.
20 years from now, 100 years from now, Trump's ballroom may itself have been demolished. They might even do a historical replica of the East Wing prior to the recent demolition (I doubt that as amongst the possibilities). If the structure remains, it'll likely be repurposed from a ballroom to something else more useful and benign like office space.
This too shall pass. Probably sooner rather than later.
Do yourself a favor and read some history on white house renovations over the years. You come off as an ignorant leftist lunatic, and I'm tired of pretending like the left is not a bunch of cuck antifa terrorists. Fuck off already.
Welcome to the globalized world. Those are the mooring lines erected by decades of manufacturing jobs offshoring, borderless corporate personhood, unregulated migration and turning the USA into a country in which healthcare is the primary job provider.
Portugal. And, again, you are too hung up on wings. It is nationalism and Christianity that is on the rise.
I know enough Trump detractors to be familiar with their talking points as well. They are so attached to the status quo, they just can't conceive of the notion that their particular ship has sailed and will die a miserable death with the boomers that enshrined it.
No really, they just don't get it. They keep railing about conservative this, liberal that, libertarian thereat, like the mythical Poles charging tanks with their cavalry. The world has changed. The West is in a spiral of decline, mostly spiritual, but also material. When the ship is sinking, you don't care about "stability" or "common ground", you plug the damn holes as fast and as vigorously as you can while shoveling out water. And, of course, the guy who actually steps up and starts getting stuff done will get dirty looks and resentful asides, because he's being too aggressive, isn't mindful of the "proper" order of things, or respectful of the institutional routines.
Seriously, most people don't have an inkling of how fragile civilization is. How easy it is for the water to start running brown and order to fully break down. So you have one half putting their hopes on the guy who stepped up, and the other half (non-religiously, of course) praying for him to fail, making a tally of his perceived failings and doing the mean girls gossipy routine in hopes that the Mean Orange Man will soon be gone (or brazenly hope he gets murdered) and things can go back to normal. Without a shred of self-awareness that it was that very same, very abnormal "normal" that got us to this point.
I don't say "Mean Orange Man" or "Orange Man Bad" or any of that garbage. That understates the problem.
I meant what I said when I compared him to Ferdinand Marcos. He fought for this job to get rich, amass power, and have his ego stroked.
He cares nothing for the American people and he barely cares for anyone close to him. This is plainly obvious. I've never compared him to Hitler or Stalin. He has no convictions. He's a ball of childish greed and selfishness. He's an absolute disgrace.
He's failing by objective economic measures right now. His first term had the benefit of Obama's economy and a decent amount of optimism. This one is hampered by Biden's mistakes, a post-Covid societal malaise, and a lot of complex problems that an obese doddering old bigot simply can't handle with executive orders.
Next year they're going to trot out the same tired-ass culture points (eating the dogs and cats, trans swimmers, illegal migrant invasion), but it won't work because they WON so completely. They have all 3 branches. They still can't pass anything useful for common people because they don't want to. These culture boogiemen will still scare the rubes who vote for them, but the lack of affordability will scare them more.
And Christianity is on the rise, you say? Apparently it is in Africa. For Europe, the USA, Asia, and the wealthier parts of South America, not so much:
Although the number of Christians globally has grown, the share of the world’s population identifying as Christian has fallen in recent decades. For example, from 2010 to 2020 the percentage fell about 1.8 points (from ~30.6% to ~28.8%).
In much of the “Global North” (Europe, North America) Christianity is either declining in numbers, or growing more slowly than the general population (thus shrinking in share). For instance, Europe -0.54% per year, North America -0.14% per year in recent years.
I don't say "Mean Orange Man" or "Orange Man Bad" or any of that garbage. That understates the problem.
No, you stuck with "ball of childish greed and selfishness" and "obese doddering old bigot". Credit to you for variation, I guess.
I meant what I said when I compared him to Ferdinand Marcos. He fought for this job to get rich, amass power, and have his ego stroked.
Trump was already rich, had already amassed plenty of power and already had his ego stoked plenty, with the added benefit that half the world didn't hate him and those that now do, especially in the entertainment world, were singing his praises.
He cares nothing for the American people and he barely cares for anyone close to him. This is plainly obvious.
So you keep saying. The only "plainly obvious" thing is how much you want that to be true.
His first term had the benefit of Obama's economy and a decent amount of optimism.
"Obama's economy" and "benefit" doesn't really mix. Student loans exploded, food stamps soared, federal debt went through the roof, obscene amounts of money were printed to paper over those effects, labor force participation went down as unemployment increased, median income dropped and home ownership fell way down. His eight years of feel-good malfeasance is one of the main reasons why you now have to deal with Trump.
Next year they're going to trot out the same tired-ass culture points (eating the dogs and cats, trans swimmers, illegal migrant invasion), but it won't work
That materialist perspective is what loses people elections. It's the economy, stupid, for sure; but economy doesn't work in a vacuum without a society, and what you call "culture points" are part of the social fabric. It boggles the mind how so many people insist in pooh-poohing or overlooking this.
And Christianity is on the rise, you say? Apparently it is in Africa. For Europe, the USA, Asia, and the wealthier parts of South America, not so much:
There is a rise in church attendance among Millennials and Gen Z Christians, with young adults attending church more often than older generations. You don't need everyone to be a Christian (I mean, you do, but let's not get eschatological here); you just need those who are to be engaged, lead by example and plant the seeds.
Bro, is Portugal the Man really trying to mansplain America on here? Maybe in Portugal you arent allowed to question leadership, but its like a founding principle of the USA. Trump isn't perfect, not matter how many opinions you have to the contrary.
I don't know why this thread is so long already. Trump is a fascist, period. With all the side effetcs that come with that. If that happened in any other country, the right-wingers would already call for an invasion to "secure democracy"...
Bro, is Portugal the Man really trying to mansplain America on here? Maybe in Portugal you arent allowed to question leadership, but its like a founding principle of the USA. Trump isn't perfect, not matter how many opinions you have to the contrary.
I have often found that people from outside the USA have a better understanding of US principles and ideology than natives. Especially the ones who emigrate from totalitarian nations. Just like 1st and 2nd generation business owners are more successful than 3rd generation.
I will tell a true story, and I'd like to know what anyone in the thread thinks of it... Back around 2017, I found myself in an aisle at a Phoenix Home Depot. I'd pretty much forgotten that I was wearing a Trump shirt. A "person of Latino descent" wearing the HD apron walked up to me, made sure no one was nearby and said "We aren't supposed to say anything, but I wanted to tell you... Great shirt!"
I also work with professional Japanese, English and North Europeans who wish they had their own version of Trump. I'm really just pointing this out because all of these "worldly well-educated" people think Trump is universally hated outside of the interior of the US. I find them hilarious.
So far about the only thought this thread has provoked for me is "that Conassa guy is pretty smart. Now I know he lives in Portugal. I wonder what he does for a living?”
Bro, if you haven't watched your electric bill skyrocket since he took office or your soybean farming family struggle under Trump's tarrif policy, you can save the sanctimonious bs for someone who values your opinion. I dont.
Thank you for providing your CV about who you have worked with in the past. Unfortunately, Human Resources only wants to hear about solving American problems from people who are actually experiencing said problems in AMERICA.
You can love him from afar, but if you are unwilling to recognize the problems he has created and exacerbated in his own country (the one you dont live in or experience) all I can say is that your ignorance is showing.
If only people from effected nations can solve their own problems, then I damn sure don't want to hear about Ukraine. See how that works?
Love to hear your concern for soybean farmers.. Where were you when manufacturing (and plenty of other jobs) were off-shored since the end of WWII and tariffs kept American products from foreign markets? Suddenly the "buy locally made hemp" crowd is worried about trade policy... Now that the 1% can't count on impoverished labor you're carrying their water and demanding "always low prices" like it's the preamble to the Constitution. That soybean crisis appears to have lasted about a month.
Oh boy! Trump solved a problem he created!
And bringing up manufacturing because I complained about Trump's treatment of farming is peak whataboutism.
Like I said, its impossible to talk to someone who believes Trump is perfect, so enjoy wearing your t-shirt and celebrating while i watch the community i live in continue to be depressed by this administration's policies. Thank you for acknowledging that the problems my community face are completely fictitious as Trump the perfect has eradicated all problems in America. A perfect America.
Drifting back to extending the White House ...
Royal Palace of Madrid (Spain): 1,450,000 square feet
Buckingham Palace (UK): 830,000 square feet
Windsor Castle (UK): 480,000 square feet
The Grand Kremlin Palace (Russia): 270,000 square feet
Palais de l’Élysée (France): 120,000 square feet
Britannia (UK Royal Yacht, now permanently docked as a tourist attraction): ~70,000 square feet internal deck area
The White House: 55,000 square feet
When the White House was being planned, Congress loudly opposed anything that resembled a palace. The president was supposed to be first among equals, not a monarch. Hard to say if that might have changed a bit over the years. Anyway, there's still some catching up to do.
I am not American so I'm just throwing my two eurocents here.
I generally dislike Trump and it feels like he does it mostly to leave his mark there BUT if it's true he does it out of his own pocket (and rich friends), I don't see why it's such a big deal.
If it turns out good then it's a W for everyone.
If it turns out bad, it can be reporposed or modified later.
I would imagine universal healthcare and fewer school shootings would be far more important than Trump modifying the White House.
Bro, is Portugal the Man really trying to mansplain America on here?
By all rights, it shouldn't. But this one tickled my funny bone. Cheers.
Maybe in Portugal you arent allowed to question leadership, but its like a founding principle of the USA. Trump isn't perfect, not matter how many opinions you have to the contrary.
You are grandstanding for a position no one argued against.
Trump is a fascist, period.
You clearly don't know what fascism is. Hint: It's not what you hear the talking heads on TV wail and gnash their teeth about.
Like I said, its impossible to talk to someone who believes Trump is perfect
It's also impossible to talk to someone who believes Trump is the Antichrist and that everything he does is bad and with ill intent, and yet here we are, somehow managing to keep it largely civil and with only a few quarantined posts and a ban to show for it.
So far about the only thought this thread has provoked for me is "that Conassa guy is pretty smart. Now I know he lives in Portugal. I wonder what he does for a living?”
Don't really want to make this about me, but thank you.
Some evidence to what we were talking about earlier.
UFC fighter, and Christian conservative, Bryce Young once said he would take a bullet for Trump. Now, he's admitting that he was fooled, calling Trump corrupt and the antichrist.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/controversial-...
"I do not like the guy at all," Mitchell said. "The first thing for me was he didn’t release the Epstein files."
Like I mentioned, Trump running cover for pedophiles was a wake up call for a lot of former Trump supporters.
What true conservative can support this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4xz6Lndxk
Or this:
Since President Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office, the federal government has trademarked its own version of Republican socialism by nationalizing steel production and taking equity stakes in chip manufacturers and mining projects. Now, it's getting involved in the nuclear power sector.
https://reason.com/2025/10/29/republican-soci...
Responding to the mass shootings that took 22 lives in El Paso and nine in Dayton over the weekend, President Donald Trump said it should be easier to confiscate people's guns when they are deemed a threat to others. That prescription may or may not prevent any murders, but it will certainly hurt many innocent Americans by depriving them of their Second Amendment rights.
https://reason.com/2019/08/07/red-flag-laws-l...
On Monday morning, Trump tweeted that he would be willing to support more restrictions on gun ownership—and suggested linking those restrictions to congressional action on immigration.
Some evidence to what we were talking about earlier.
UFC fighter, and Christian conservative, Bryce Young once said he would take a bullet for Trump. Now, he's admitting that he was fooled, calling Trump corrupt and the antichrist.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/controversial-...
Like I mentioned, Trump running cover for pedophiles was a wake up call for a lot of former Trump supporters.
I hear this from so many younger, former Trump supporters. It's heartening.
A lot of people voted Trump because of the culture war points. His anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, anti-woke agenda resonated with some people. Trump may be the literal anti Christ, but he platforms people who claim to be Christian, so there was a some commonality there. He's definitely macho and charismatic, so that scored points with the paternalists out there.
And for some Europeans... like our dude from Portugal.. his brand of nationalism is attractive because areas of Europe legitimately have a migrant crisis, and Trump speaks out about that.
But at the end of the day, we are a country with rising home prices and declining real salaries and a healthcare and education system that's increasingly out of reach. Your average young person is frustrated and angry. The people who win in the future will be the people who can deliver economic results for Americans who are hurting.
And.. if you think that an absurdly rich man who has spent the past year doing crypto scams, market manipulation, the worst tariff rollout (and retraction) in history, and who relys on a ridiculous AI-fueled asset bubble to keep the music playing.. if you think that he's the one who is going to bring affordability back to the rust belt towns of the USA.. then I can't help you. The people who once again believed in him are quickly running out of patience. I see it all over.
Donald Trump lies with nearly every word and has stabbed more people in the back than I can count. Remember, it was only a few months ago that Americans were getting DOGE refund checks and he was yelling "I LOVE TESLER! EVERYTHING'S COMPUTER" on the White House lawn.
I'm not going to be a wise ass to anyone who turns away from this absolute clown. Much like Covid, this Donald Trump era has been a stain on our history, and I'll be grateful to get past it in the near future.
..." His anti-immigrant..."
Is there something in leftist physiology that prevents them from using the word "illegal"?
"But at the end of the day, we are a country with rising home prices and declining real salaries and a healthcare and education system that's increasingly out of reach. Your average young person is frustrated and angry. The people who win in the future will be the people who can deliver economic results for Americans who are hurting."
So, are we blaming Trump for the worst inflationary spiral in a generation? Are "rising home prices and declining real salaries and a healthcare and education system that's increasing out of reach" Trump's fault or is he just in the unenviable position of having to clean up after the worst President in modern history?
And as far as "[...an absurdly rich man who] relys (sic) on a ridiculous AI-fueled asset bubble to keep the music playing" need I remind you that Bill Clinton's economy was also artificially buoyed by a massive tech bubble- - and the current "AI" hysteria pales in comparison?
Why is it that leftists have such selective memories?
Is there something in leftist physiology that prevents them from using the word "illegal"?
Well I do believe Orwell had something to say about taking over language. And almost solely on that and their willingness to be obvious about it, the left frightens me.
Look what those horrible eye-talians are doing! I wonder if you get arrested and have a kid with you, do they stay in the same cell?
So, are we blaming Trump for the worst inflationary spiral in a generation? Are "rising home prices and declining real salaries and a healthcare and education system that's increasing out of reach" Trump's fault or is he just in the unenviable position of having to clean up after the worst President in modern history?
And as far as "[...an absurdly rich man who] relys (sic) on a ridiculous AI-fueled asset bubble to keep the music playing" need I remind you that Bill Clinton's economy was also artificially buoyed by a massive tech bubble- - and the current "AI" hysteria pales in comparison?
Why is it that leftists have such a selective memory?
It’s not Trump’s fault. It’s been a long time in the making.
But he campaigned and won on a platform of FIXING it now. He talks in these absolutes. He was gonna stop all the wars. He was gonna bring jobs back to the USA. He was going to make all of us win again.
He can’t fix this and he won’t fix this. And by any objective measure, he’s making it worse.
And the people who believed in him because of these claims are turning on him. They might be happy that there’s less black students at Harvard and no trans swimmers in the NCAA, but that doesn’t go far if they can never afford to retire and their health insurance skyrockets.
A lot of people voted Trump because of the culture war points. His anti-immigrant,
Illegal immigrant. What kind of country ignores its own laws? BTW, Trump will likely exceed Obama's deportation numbers soon, but Obama was a strong competitor.
anti-LGBT,
Anti-drag queen kids story-time, men in locker rooms, military morale, etc. Plenty of LGBTs don't favor this pushy agenda either. But if you can act like an adult, there appears to be room for you in Trumpworld:
Scott Bessent, 62, treasury secretary. If confirmed, the hedge fund manager would be the highest-ranking openly gay official in US history.
Ric Grenell, 58, presidential envoy for special missions. He was Trump’s director of national intelligence during his first term.
Tammy Bruce, 62, the new State Department spokesperson was a Fox News contributor.
Jacob Helberg, 35, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment.
Bill White, 57, ambassador to Belgium.
Art Fisher, 49, ambassador to Austria
anti-woke agenda
I would say “anti critical theory“ which I'm sure you know extends beyond race.
And for some Europeans... like our dude from Portugal.. his brand of nationalism is attractive because areas of Europe legitimately have a migrant crisis, and Trump speaks out about that.
Yeah, I'm glad we don't have one of those legitimate crisis's here. Thank goodness the Biden FAA banned drones in the area after this non-crisis, or we might have more visuals.
But at the end of the day, we are a country with rising home prices and declining real salaries and a healthcare and education system that's increasingly out of reach.
Your average young person is frustrated and angry. The people who win in the future will be the people who can deliver economic results for Americans who are hurting.
Then the average young American should learn to read charts like the one I posted. Or study real data.
And.. if you think that an absurdly rich man
who already had enough money and fame for his and his heirs lifetimes, without a negative word from the media..
if you think that he's the one who is going to bring affordability back to the rust belt towns of the USA.. then I can't help you.
Well it's a good thing I voted for Trump instead of you.
I’m only going to discuss economic matters because I realize there’s no point in arguing cultural differences. That’s a wedge to divide people in the bottom 99% and sadly it’s nearly free and very effective.
I realize that there are gay, Jewish, black, and Latino people in the Republican Party. There are lots of people in the Republican Party who absolutely hate all of those groups as well.
But I want to investigate the last three posts. Where factories are supposed to be started in the United States. You know, in response to the Trump tariffs.
Would you mind following up on that? Have those factories started yet? Any jobs been produced?
How about an even easier number? How many jobs have been created each month in 2025 versus 2024. Bear in mind that Donald Trump promised to turn things around immediately. “On Day One” if I recall.
And those numbers are big. 1.4 and 4 billion. How does that compare to the 20 billion we spent on Argentine Pesos? Or the $6 billion on Israeli weapons? Almost feels like the United States could open its own factory with those funds. You know, if the federal government was America first and all.
I’ll give you an even simpler question. Donald Trump the man has a massive amount of merchandise bearing his name. Watches, shirts, ties, sneakers, etc. There was even a smartphone planned.
Do you have receipts for where this stuff is made? I imagine it’s all made in the United States, given what a big supporter he is of American factories and workers? Right?
Welcome to the globalized world. Those are the mooring lines erected by decades of manufacturing jobs offshoring, borderless corporate personhood, unregulated migration and turning the USA into a country in which healthcare is the primary job provider.
Portugal. And, again, you are too hung up on wings. It is nationalism and Christianity that is on the rise.
I know enough Trump detractors to be familiar with their talking points as well. They are so attached to the status quo, they just can't conceive of the notion that their particular ship has sailed and will die a miserable death with the boomers that enshrined it.
No really, they just don't get it. They keep railing about conservative this, liberal that, libertarian thereat, like the mythical Poles charging tanks with their cavalry. The world has changed. The West is in a spiral of decline, mostly spiritual, but also material. When the ship is sinking, you don't care about "stability" or "common ground", you plug the damn holes as fast and as vigorously as you can while shoveling out water. And, of course, the guy who actually steps up and starts getting stuff done will get dirty looks and resentful asides, because he's being too aggressive, isn't mindful of the "proper" order of things, or respectful of the institutional routines.
Seriously, most people don't have an inkling of how fragile civilization is. How easy it is for the water to start running brown and order to fully break down. So you have one half putting their hopes on the guy who stepped up, and the other half (non-religiously, of course) praying for him to fail, making a tally of his perceived failings and doing the mean girls gossipy routine in hopes that the Mean Orange Man will soon be gone (or brazenly hope he gets murdered) and things can go back to normal. Without a shred of self-awareness that it was that very same, very abnormal "normal" that got us to this point.