How do I counter this argument about the Trump's Muslim ban

[teach1st]

Trump defenders are arguing that the countries listed in Trump's "Muslim ban" EO were picked by the Obama administration as designated in H.R.158 - Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015.

I don't see Trump choosing the countries in his EO based on actions taken by Obama. I know that H.R.158 was a Republican bill. I'm not sure how to counter.

[beachbum bob]

1. you can't "counter" delusional thinking and beliefs...you can take action with

contributing to those making all the efforts on our behalf

[Botany]

2. Don't bother even trying to talk to them

n/t

[Hoyt]

3. Hatred and ignorance is tough to counter.

[underpants]

4. My take - this was passed by Congress. Trump's wasn't.

[TrekLuver]

5. They are using that argument "Obama did it" as a way to give this disgusting ban legs.

Also....as we are hearing Guiliani admitted that Trashpot wanted to do a Muslim ban but figure out a way to make it legal....so they used this Obama crap as a cover...and a starting point.

[NutmegYankee]

6. Well, for one thing your link is a Bill submitted by a Republican Congresswoman.

Second, it requires enhanced passports and limits the use of the Visa Waiver Program, which is:

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States Government which allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa.

[HoneyBadger]

7. Bernie opposed it

[teach1st]

8. Thanks for the quick replies, everybody!

[tazkcmo]

9. Try this

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/01/29/white-house-blames-president-obama-muslim-ban-backfires-trump.html

[teach1st]

11. Thanks!

[WePurrsevere]

19. Thank you. This part especially would be a great verbal retort IMO...

"There is a big policy difference between suggesting nations needing more scrutiny and imposing a ban that is causing chaos across the country."

[bigtree]

10. I'd just ignore the obvious wedge about Obama

...argue that H. R. 158 is considered unconstitutional, ineffective and counterproductive by many experts.

Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act short on prevention but punitive towards Iranian Americans
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/263661-visa-waiver-program-improvement-act-short-on-prevention

H.R. 158 UPDATE: The Visa Improvement Act May be Unconstitutional
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hr-158-update-amendments-visa-improvement-act-may-alexander-forrest

[anneboleyn]

12. Ask them if Trump is Obama's puppet, incapable of independent thought, as they act like Obama

has super powers whenever they want to (still) blame Obama for the Rump shit pile.

[Wounded Bear]

13. Ask "and you're buying that?"

with the graphic:

[teach1st]

14. Not that I'll change Trump defenders minds

But it helped quiet them to mention that the Obama administration stopped suspended NSEERS, a Bush administration program much closer to President Trump's EO.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/18/politics/nseers-muslim-database-qa-trnd/index.html

[Takket]

15. regardless of what countries Obama may have flagged for one reason or another

He never signed a ban preventing people coming from those countries.

Trump made an actionable executive order.

[Bengus81]

16. Two terrorists claiming to be refugees were CAUGHT by the FBI

So where does Trump have a similar threat? If terrorists were caught as in 2011 with a plan to aid Iraqi's or others in that Country list in killing Americans lets see the PROOF.


"It stemmed from a case out of Bowling Green, Kentucky. According to the Associated Press, “Two Iraqi refugees plotted to send sniper rifles, Stinger missiles and money to al-Qaida operatives waging an insurgency back home against U.S. troops.”

Waad Ramadan Alwan nor Mohanad Shareef Hammadi were accused in the plot. ABC reported at the time, “Several dozen suspected terrorist bombmakers, including some believed to have targeted American troops, may have mistakenly been allowed to move to the United States as war refugees.” Among them, said ABC, was Alwan: “The Iraqi had claimed to be a refugee who faced persecution back home” but his fingerprints were found on a piece of cordless phone wired to a bomb.

As a result, the government decided to check IED devices for fingerprints, according to ABC. More stringent vetting procedures were created."

[Squinch]

17. I would point at them and laugh while asking if they can't see the difference between

saying, "These countries can use a little more oversight, let's see how we can do that responsibly" and saying, "Stop them in the air! Send them all back! Get that nasty terrorist grandma! Lock her up! I don't care that they have green cards or that they might be US dual citizens! They scare me! And Steve Bannon told me to!"

See the difference there?

[Vinca]

18. Just tell them they don't get to blame everything on Obama anymore.

[meadowlander]

20. There's a massive difference between tightening up border security

and imposing a blanket ban which includes legal greencard holders without legal review or any input from DHS and without warning people that it was coming.

People who are legally in the US and whose entire lives are here were stranded at airports all over the globe because of this administrations shocking incompetence.

You can't lay that blame at the feet of anyone but Trump.