OVAL OFFICE BUFFOONERY

[CCarl]

Do All Politicians Lie? Why does it feel like the Oval Office is controlled by the Mob, regardless of which party is in control? A quiet voice in my brain answers, "Because they are all Mobsters."

Here are some of Donny "Reality-TV" Trump's promises that fell well short during his first term in the Oval Office.
Promised to cut the deficit but added $8 trillion to it.
Promised to build a wall; completed only 458 miles out of 2,000, mostly repairs & only 53 miles of new wall.
Promised Mexico would pay for the wall; it didn't.
Promised a new healthcare plan; it never existed.
Promised a middle-class tax cut; primarily cut taxes for the rich only.
Promised not to play golf; taxpayers paid $150 million for 250 rounds of golf with security teams.
Promised to increase economic growth 4%; missed it.
Promised an infrastructure plan; had none.
Promised to hire "the best people"; fired 3/4 of them, then labeled them the worst.
Promised to reduce prescription drug prices; didn't happen.
Promised to win the trade war with China; it cost the US a quarter million jobs.
Promised to revive the coal industry; more coal jobs were lost during his term.
Promised the COVID vaccine was safe for us; it wasn't.

Now, here is Donny early in his second Oval Office term, by now anointed by some MAGA hats as the next coming. (Seriously MAGA hats, how slim do the pickings have to get?)

Trump's Claim: "We're Reclaiming the Panama Canal", "My administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal... The Panama Canal was built by Americans, for Americans—not for others", and "China is operating the Panama Canal... we're taking it back, or something very powerful is going to happen."

Panama's President Mulino directly refuted this, stating, "Once again, President Trump is lying. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and this is certainly not the task that was even discussed... The Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian!"

Conclusion: Trump's claim that the U.S. is "reclaiming" the Panama Canal is factually incorrect in the context of current events. The Panama Canal has been under Panamanian sovereignty since the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977, with full control transferred to Panama in 1999. The U.S. is not "taking back" the canal, nor is there any legal or operational basis for such a claim in this instance.

Trump's assertion that "China is operating the Panama Canal" is also misleading. The Panama Canal itself is managed and operated by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), an autonomous Panamanian government agency.

CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong-based company owned and operated the Balboa and Cristobal ports via Panama Ports Company until the recent sale to Black Rock.

Conclusion: China never owned or controlled the Panama Canal. The canal remains under Panamanian sovereignty. CK Hutchison's operation of the ports near the canal was a commercial activity, not a direct control of the canal, and its connection to China is indirect (via Hong Kong's status). Trump's framing exaggerates China's role, which Panama and experts (e.g., web result 3) have clarified as a misrepresentation.

Black Rock, a U.S.-based investment firm, led a consortium (including Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment) to acquire an 80% stake in Hutchison Ports, including the Balboa and Cristobal ports, from CK Hutchison for $22.8 billion.

However, this deal does not involve the U.S. government "taking back" the canal or its operations. It is a private-sector investment by Black Rock and its partners, not a governmental or national reclamation. The U.S. government is not profiting from Black Rock's acquisition, as the deal is a private transaction between Black Rock's consortium and CK Hutchison.

Just seven weeks into Reality-TV Donny's second term . . . and the lies are flowing. I wonder what else is a lie? Oh wait, there is his threat toward BRICS, and his yet unspoken promise to fund Musk's SpaceX trip to Mars. Stay tuned . . . .

[CCarl]

DOGE is NOT saving taxpayers $2 trillion, even tho' that is how it's promoted.

As a Democrat in '08 & '12 Musk funded Obama. Obama said thanks, & taxpayers financed Tesla, making it bigger then the next five auto manufacturers combined.

Now a Republican, Musk funded Trump in '24. Musk says his SpaceX budget to Mars is as much as $10 trillion. Trump will say thanks, & taxpayers will finance SpaceX trips to Mars.


DOGE is the scam to divert the necessary tax dollars to SpaceX. Taxpayers will never know. Do not expect to see refunds, or balanced budgets.