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mfcorey1

(10,997 posts)
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 06:21 AM Jan 2017

Steve Bannon Is Making Sure There's No White House Paper Trail, Says Intel Source

If there was any question about who is largely in charge of national security behind the scenes at the White House, the answer is becoming increasingly clear: Steve Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News, a far-right media outlet, and now White House advisor.

Even before he was given a formal seat on the National Security Council’s “principals committee” this weekend by President Donald Trump, Bannon was calling the shots and doing so with little to no input from the National Security Council staff, according to an intelligence official who asked not to be named out of fear of retribution.

“He is running a cabal, almost like a shadow NSC,” the official said. He described a work environment where there is little appetite for dissenting opinions, shockingly no paper trail of what’s being discussed and agreed upon at meetings, and no guidance or encouragement so far from above about how the National Security Council staff should be organized.

The intelligence official, who said he was willing to give the Trump administration the benefit of the doubt when it took office, is now deeply troubled by how things are being run.

“They ran all of these executive orders outside of the normal construct,” he said, referring to last week’s flurry of draft executive orders on everything from immigration to the return of CIA “black sites.”

After the controversial draft orders were written, the Trump team was very selective in how they routed them through the internal White House review process, the official said.

Under previous administrations, if someone thought another person or directorate had a stake in the issue at hand or expertise in a subject area, he or she was free to share the papers as long as the recipient had proper clearance.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/30/steve-bannon-is-making-sure-theres-no-white-house-paper-trail-trump-president/

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Steve Bannon Is Making Sure There's No White House Paper Trail, Says Intel Source (Original Post) mfcorey1 Jan 2017 OP
in the back of their minds...they see investigtions coming at them..... beachbum bob Jan 2017 #1
He is making sure that Trump avebury Jan 2017 #3
The GOP will use Trump and then weissmam Jan 2017 #4
Yes, 2018 is coming. NanceGreggs Jan 2017 #6
the entertainment value of watching this train wreck makes up for the disasters they are causing beachbum bob Jan 2017 #10
Are those the new words of House Stark? Or let's call it House Resist. 2018 is coming. tclambert Jan 2017 #20
House Stark isn't maybe the best role model for us . . . n/t MrModerate Feb 2017 #28
Five Stark kids are still alive. The Lannisters have none. tclambert Feb 2017 #29
Three. Jon's not a Stark. And the youngest boy got Boltoned. MrModerate Feb 2017 #32
Oh, I forgot Ramsay finished off Rickon. But Jon is a Stark on his mother's side. tclambert Feb 2017 #33
I forgot that Jon's birth mother was a Stark . . . unless she wasn't. n/t MrModerate Feb 2017 #34
It's a wide enough Turbineguy Jan 2017 #2
Unfortunately, there's already a death trail. Barack_America Jan 2017 #5
Amateurs is what the Trump voters wanted HopeAgain Jan 2017 #7
I've been using the word "cabal" since January 22. Pacifist Patriot Jan 2017 #8
A cynical disregard for America in their pursuit of power bucolic_frolic Jan 2017 #9
This scares me. BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2017 #11
they know exactly what they're doing... dhill926 Jan 2017 #17
yep. n/t BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2017 #18
Bannon is such a low life. There must be something in his past that would rise to the level of Vinca Jan 2017 #12
Unless it's a crime that he can be prosecuted for metalbot Jan 2017 #13
I wonder that as well blueseas Jan 2017 #16
Bannon is the power behind the throne Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jan 2017 #25
He would make Martin Bormann proud. LanternWaste Jan 2017 #14
He's trying to protect from impeachment justiceischeap Jan 2017 #15
KnR Hekate Jan 2017 #19
Just like W whose tbbnf Jan 2017 #21
Really? Your FIRST post and you go with the "false flag" BS? Sheesh.... 7962 Jan 2017 #23
First since tbbnf Jan 2017 #24
Thats easy, "youre wrong". Conspiracy theories are a dime a dozen. 7962 Feb 2017 #27
Well, I've got over 20,000 and I sort of agree with him. GliderGuider Feb 2017 #30
They should have seen this coming.. Desert grandma Jan 2017 #22
My post to a friend who's bowing out of discussions of politics on FB cuz of 'hate from both sides' mr_lebowski Feb 2017 #26
I find it amazing that there are no rules for these things Zing Zing Zingbah Feb 2017 #31
 

beachbum bob

(10,437 posts)
1. in the back of their minds...they see investigtions coming at them.....
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 06:51 AM
Jan 2017

corruption and law breaking really won't be that hard to find or prove...2018 is coming

avebury

(10,946 posts)
3. He is making sure that Trump
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 07:19 AM
Jan 2017

Will be the fall guy for Bannon's action. Who is signing everything? Trump

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
6. Yes, 2018 is coming.
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 07:39 AM
Jan 2017

That's why the PTB in the GOP have to take Trump down - and soon.

He is already tarnishing the Republican "brand". Try as they might, they can't blame this weekend's events on Obama - they're having to own it. Trump's approval ratings are already dropping like a stone. People who actually voted for him are turning against him. The more chaos he ignites, the more the Repub party will be blamed for putting him in the WH.

Seeing how much damage Trump has done in less than two weeks, I'm sure those PTB who want to protect the GOP brand are shitting themselves. What would be left of the GOP brand after two years of this?

 

beachbum bob

(10,437 posts)
10. the entertainment value of watching this train wreck makes up for the disasters they are causing
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 08:50 AM
Jan 2017

....lasting destruction of the conservative brand...but WE have to take the actions now, we have to contribute now and we have to mobilize ALL our voters...NOW...the pressure must remain in palce every single day

and hope for liberal versions of the Koch Brothers step forward. We NEED to take back state govt....that is IMPERATIVE

tclambert

(11,080 posts)
20. Are those the new words of House Stark? Or let's call it House Resist. 2018 is coming.
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 02:58 PM
Jan 2017

It's an expression of hope (for us) and at the same time a dire threat (for Trump). I like it so much, Ima gonna make it my sig line.

tclambert

(11,080 posts)
29. Five Stark kids are still alive. The Lannisters have none.
Wed Feb 1, 2017, 01:44 PM
Feb 2017

Sure they put Joffrey on the throne. But in the long run, bet on the Starks, and, of course, the Mother of Dragons. (I lost track of how this analogy is working. But I think the J in Donald J. Trump must stand for Joffrey.)

 

MrModerate

(9,753 posts)
32. Three. Jon's not a Stark. And the youngest boy got Boltoned.
Thu Feb 2, 2017, 09:36 PM
Feb 2017

Which is not to say that they may turn out to be the real survivors after all.

On the other matter, there's got to be some way to work the 'Joffrey-Trump' meme in. You've set me to thinking.

tclambert

(11,080 posts)
33. Oh, I forgot Ramsay finished off Rickon. But Jon is a Stark on his mother's side.
Thu Feb 2, 2017, 10:39 PM
Feb 2017

Didja hear the theory that the original white walker might be a Stark?

 

MrModerate

(9,753 posts)
34. I forgot that Jon's birth mother was a Stark . . . unless she wasn't. n/t
Fri Feb 3, 2017, 02:42 PM
Feb 2017

The White Walkers postdate the Children of the Forest right? I wonder where they come from.

Barack_America

(28,876 posts)
5. Unfortunately, there's already a death trail.
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 07:31 AM
Jan 2017

Two Americans in Yemen, and counting, no doubt.

The ineptitude of this administration is (already) shocking.

HopeAgain

(4,407 posts)
7. Amateurs is what the Trump voters wanted
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 08:25 AM
Jan 2017

and amateurs is what the got. Unfortunately the inept can do a lot of damage in the most powerful office in the world, especially when they are also mentally unstable.

Pacifist Patriot

(24,647 posts)
8. I've been using the word "cabal" since January 22.
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 08:39 AM
Jan 2017

Does anyone really have any doubts anymore that this is what we're talking about. I feel like I'm living in a Robert Ludlum novel!

Vinca

(50,170 posts)
12. Bannon is such a low life. There must be something in his past that would rise to the level of
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 09:00 AM
Jan 2017

criminal activity that would force him out of there. He's the root of the problem. Trump is the puppet.

metalbot

(1,058 posts)
13. Unless it's a crime that he can be prosecuted for
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 09:22 AM
Jan 2017

I don't see anything that would force or shame him out. I think he'd have to publicly criticize Trump in order to get fired, and I'm willing to give him credit for being smart enough to do that.

He makes Dick Cheney (who played much the same role with Bush despite having a different title) seem like a happy moderate.

tbbnf

(12 posts)
21. Just like W whose
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 04:57 PM
Jan 2017

Administration started out as a joke and a disaster they will concoct a false flag event and war to then fully cover up their corruption and put their takeover into overdrive. Mark my words 6-12 months we are at war.

 

7962

(11,841 posts)
27. Thats easy, "youre wrong". Conspiracy theories are a dime a dozen.
Wed Feb 1, 2017, 08:23 AM
Feb 2017

And a lot of 1/2 truths at best. Bullshit at worst

 

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)
30. Well, I've got over 20,000 and I sort of agree with him.
Wed Feb 1, 2017, 01:58 PM
Feb 2017
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028565015

In fact, based on my analysis and interpretation, I'm predicting a major "terrorist" event very soon, to cement Trump's powers and unleash the mobs. In fact, my short odds are on it happening in DC, this weekend when Trump's in Florida.

Desert grandma

(802 posts)
22. They should have seen this coming..
Tue Jan 31, 2017, 07:35 PM
Jan 2017

My hope is that there is an investigative reporter (s) that will uncover and expose the ties Trump has to Putin. If there is any truth to the "dossier" we heard about and if there is factual and proven information that Trump and his campaign were aware of Putin's attempt to sway the election, then both Trump and Bannon are gone. I think this is the one thing that would push Republicans to make Trump resign or impeach him.

 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
26. My post to a friend who's bowing out of discussions of politics on FB cuz of 'hate from both sides'
Wed Feb 1, 2017, 06:23 AM
Feb 2017

Hi Y'all .. long time lurker, was at one time (or two) a poster here, but lost all my acct info and access to old emails ... apparently I must reply before I can start threads, so I begin here establishing my bona-fides ... and this thread seems a good place to start!

Re: the article ... THIS IS NOT OKAY!!

Now, what I told my buddy:

"I, for one, hope you stay engaged, making a point to objectively view news sources from both sides (keeping in mind, sadly, not many sources of news are truly neutral ... they pretty much all serve their corporate overlords) and educate yourself as best as possible. Arguing on FB is of course pointless and I don't blame you for signing off ... I do the same ... mostly I just say my piece, and move on ... rarely sticking around to actually 'argue'. But I do try from time to time try to steer people towards solid reportage, what seem to be 'facts', and encourage independent thought.

That said, I honestly don't see how anybody viewing what's gone on the past 10 days could not at least be ... alarmed ... this stuff is totally unprecedented. And just because something is 'different' in the way Trump is acting, and we all 'hate politicians' ... doesn't make what he's doing 'okay', just because it's 'different'. This is not okay.

It may seem that way, if you've not paid attention to the way 'things are normally done', but I HAVE paid attention, my whole life ... and this is really not acceptable Presidential behavior, what we've seen. In fact, it very much appears that an extremely unstable individual ... literally a malignant narcissist, to use Psych 101 terms ... has been handed the levers of power, and now holds the fate of the ENTIRE WORLD in his hands.

For example ... did you SEE his 'tweet' about House Minority Leader (former Majority Leader) Pelosi having problems with the microphone at an event she was speaking at? Can you imagine ANY other POTUS stooping SO LOW as to ridicule the opposition's leader of the House or Senate ... VIA A FUCKING TWEET, like Teh Donald just did today? Hell, even 'W' wouldn't have dreamed of demeaning himself in this way.

Seriously, how does EVERYONE not realize that this man has NO BUSINESS holding the office of POTUS? What's next, Republicans? You got President Hector Mountain Dew Camacho lined up for 2020?

Look, I understand thinking one or two things the dude has done appear on their face to be 'good ideas' (I, for one, am no big fan of the TPP, for example), but even the 'good things' aren't being done for the right reasons. Drumpf hates the 'trade deals' like TPP and NAFTA because they're assc'd with his political enemies (Obama and Bill, respectively). He has absolutely NO IDEA what these Agreements mean, what's in them, why they were passed, nor what will happen if they're just unilaterally ignored.

Mark my words: Drumpf is power-hungry CHILD ... in a 70 year's body, and he has NOBODY'S 'best interest' in mind ... but his own.

Anyone failing to see that is simply a willing mark for a master con-artist. Period. He literally has the sophistication of 'thought' that you'd see when an upstart young Chimp defeats the Elder Patriarch of the family in a contest of strength, and inherits the harem. And guess what? ALL the rest of us ... are the 'defeated', in this egomaniacs mind. Unless you're literally willing to lick the mans boot. Then ... you might be alright by him ...

So by all means, step away from FB. But don't stop educating yourself. What's going on is NOT normal, and it's not OKAY ... at least not if you're a decent, loving human being, and a lover of this Great Nation!!!"

Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
31. I find it amazing that there are no rules for these things
Wed Feb 1, 2017, 02:05 PM
Feb 2017

So other people can take over and just do whatever. That's not right. Our law makers have been doing a shit job for decades now so I guess I can see why this is happening.

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