“It’s an archaic system … It’s really a bad thing for the country.”

[Aryeh Jay]

.

 

[Nithavela]

Imagine the outcry if a democrat suggested the constitution were bad for the country.

 

[KCfromNC]

Thought this thread was going to be about Trump's hatred of the electoral college. Good to know he's still just pulling nonsense out of thin air to try and rationalize his actions.

 

[tstor]

In an interview with Fox News to mark the 100-day mark, he declared himself “disappointed” with congressional Republicans, despite his many “great relationships” with them.

He blamed the constitutional checks and balances built in to US governance. “It’s a very rough system,” he said. “It’s an archaic system … It’s really a bad thing for the country.”

I hate to be "that guy," but this is fake news. I decided to check the transcript for the interview, which you can find right here:
President Trump reflects on his first 100 days

Let's take a look at these quotes in their context. Did Trump say that the Constitution is "archaic" or "rough"? Nope. Here is what he did say:

MACCALLUM: You are a registered Democrat for a long time, now Republican President of the United States, and people say, "Well, President Trump is not an ideologue, he is a pragmatist. How would you describe your political philosophy?

TRUMP: Well, I'm not really an ideologue. I think I'm a person of common sense. I think more than anything else and I was a Democrat, I came from a place -- you know, I lived in Manhattan. I started in Queens with my parents and then when I started doing a little better and better deals, I was able to get into Manhattan, I moved into Manhattan and in Manhattan you, you know, Republicans are not exactly flourishing. And so I started off as a Democrat like Ronald Reagan was also a Democrat.

And over the years, you know, your views just change somewhat but I think more than anything else I'm a person of common sense.

I understand what has to be done, I get things done I've always been a closer. We don't have a lot of closers in politics and I understand why. It's a very rough system, it's an archaic system. You look at the rules of the Senate, even the rules of the House, but the rule of the Senate and some of the things you have to go through, it's really a bad thing for the country in my opinion.​

There are archaic rules and maybe at some point, we're going to have to take those rules on because for the good of the nation things are going to have to be different. You can't go through a process like this. It's not fair, it forces you to make bad decisions. I mean, if you're forced into doing things that you would normally not do except for these archaic rules, so --

MACCALLUM: Like what, how would you change them?

TRUMP: Well, you know, you look at the voting and you look at the filibuster system. And it used to be. You know, I always thought of filibuster where you stand up and you talk all day and then somebody else--

MACCALLUM: You don't have to do that anymore.

TRUMP: No, you don't have to do it anymore. Today you say filibuster guys sit home and they watch television or whatever they do. I think, you know, the filibuster concept is not a good concept to start off with but if you're going to filibuster, let somebody stand up for 20hours and talk and do what they have to do or even if they are reading comic books to everybody, let them do it but honestly, the whole with so many bad concepts in our rules and it's forcing bad decisions. I really see. I see just -- I've seen this -- I've seen it over the years where bad decisions are made, decisions that nobody wanted are made because of archaic rules and that's something that I think we're going to have to change.​

So, no, Trump did not say that the Constitution is "archaic," "rough," or "bad for the country." Here is another interview on the same exact topic:

TRUMP: Well, I think things generally tend to go a little bit slower than you'd like them to go.

DICKERSON: Why?

TRUMP: Just a system. It's just a very, very bureaucratic system. I think the rules in Congress and in particular the rules in the Senate are unbelievably archaic and slow moving. And in many cases, unfair. In many cases, you're forced to make deals that are not the deal you'd make. You'd make a much different kind of a deal.

You're forced into situations that you hate to be forced into. I also learned, and this is very sad, because we have a country that we have to take care of. The Democrats have been totally obstructionist. Chuck Schumer has turned out to be a bad leader. He's a bad leader for the country. And the Democrats are extremely obstructionist.

All they do is obstruct. All they do is delay. Even our Supreme Court justice, as you know, who I think is going to be outstanding, Justice Gorsuch. I think that it was disgraceful the way they handled that. But, you know, I still have people, I'm waiting for them to be approved. Our chief trade negotiator. We can't get these people through.​

Full transcript of the second interview:
FULL TRANSCRIPT: President Donald Trump's interview with "Face the Nation"

 

[wing2000]

I hate to be "that guy," but this is fake news. I decided to check the transcript for the interview, which you can find right here:
President Trump reflects on his first 100 days

Let's take a look at these quotes in their context. Did Trump say that the Constitution is "archaic" or "rough"? Nope. Here is what he did say:

MACCALLUM: You are a registered Democrat for a long time, now Republican President of the United States, and people say, "Well, President Trump is not an ideologue, he is a pragmatist. How would you describe your political philosophy?

TRUMP: Well, I'm not really an ideologue. I think I'm a person of common sense. I think more than anything else and I was a Democrat, I came from a place -- you know, I lived in Manhattan. I started in Queens with my parents and then when I started doing a little better and better deals, I was able to get into Manhattan, I moved into Manhattan and in Manhattan you, you know, Republicans are not exactly flourishing. And so I started off as a Democrat like Ronald Reagan was also a Democrat.

And over the years, you know, your views just change somewhat but I think more than anything else I'm a person of common sense.

I understand what has to be done, I get things done I've always been a closer. We don't have a lot of closers in politics and I understand why. It's a very rough system, it's an archaic system. You look at the rules of the Senate, even the rules of the House, but the rule of the Senate and some of the things you have to go through, it's really a bad thing for the country in my opinion.​

There are archaic rules and maybe at some point, we're going to have to take those rules on because for the good of the nation things are going to have to be different. You can't go through a process like this. It's not fair, it forces you to make bad decisions. I mean, if you're forced into doing things that you would normally not do except for these archaic rules, so --

MACCALLUM: Like what, how would you change them?

TRUMP: Well, you know, you look at the voting and you look at the filibuster system. And it used to be. You know, I always thought of filibuster where you stand up and you talk all day and then somebody else--

MACCALLUM: You don't have to do that anymore.

TRUMP: No, you don't have to do it anymore. Today you say filibuster guys sit home and they watch television or whatever they do. I think, you know, the filibuster concept is not a good concept to start off with but if you're going to filibuster, let somebody stand up for 20hours and talk and do what they have to do or even if they are reading comic books to everybody, let them do it but honestly, the whole with so many bad concepts in our rules and it's forcing bad decisions. I really see. I see just -- I've seen this -- I've seen it over the years where bad decisions are made, decisions that nobody wanted are made because of archaic rules and that's something that I think we're going to have to change.​

So, no, Trump did not say that the Constitution is "archaic," "rough," or "bad for the country." Here is another interview on the same exact topic:

TRUMP: Well, I think things generally tend to go a little bit slower than you'd like them to go.

DICKERSON: Why?

TRUMP: Just a system. It's just a very, very bureaucratic system. I think the rules in Congress and in particular the rules in the Senate are unbelievably archaic and slow moving. And in many cases, unfair. In many cases, you're forced to make deals that are not the deal you'd make. You'd make a much different kind of a deal.

You're forced into situations that you hate to be forced into. I also learned, and this is very sad, because we have a country that we have to take care of. The Democrats have been totally obstructionist. Chuck Schumer has turned out to be a bad leader. He's a bad leader for the country. And the Democrats are extremely obstructionist.

All they do is obstruct. All they do is delay. Even our Supreme Court justice, as you know, who I think is going to be outstanding, Justice Gorsuch. I think that it was disgraceful the way they handled that. But, you know, I still have people, I'm waiting for them to be approved. Our chief trade negotiator. We can't get these people through.​

Full transcript of the second interview:
FULL TRANSCRIPT: President Donald Trump's interview with "Face the Nation"

Thank you for providing the transcript.

He questioned the checks and balances built into the Senate's processes....processes which protect those represented by the minority party.

 

[tstor]

Thank you for providing the transcript.

He questioned the checks and balances built into the Senate's processes....processes which protect those represented by the minority party.

He says nothing about checks and balances in either interview. The "rules" he is speaking about are not built into the Constitution. For example, he criticizes the adaptations that have been made to the filibuster.

 

[whatbogsends]

You're forced into situations that you hate to be forced into. I also learned, and this is very sad, because we have a country that we have to take care of. The Democrats have been totally obstructionist. Chuck Schumer has turned out to be a bad leader. He's a bad leader for the country. And the Democrats are extremely obstructionist.

All they do is obstruct. All they do is delay. Even our Supreme Court justice, as you know, who I think is going to be outstanding, Justice Gorsuch. I think that it was disgraceful the way they handled that. But, you know, I still have people, I'm waiting for them to be approved. Our chief trade negotiator. We can't get these people through.​

Full transcript of the second interview:
FULL TRANSCRIPT: President Donald Trump's interview with "Face the Nation"

This Trump guy cracks me up.

"the Democrats are extremely obstructionist".

It's almost as if he hasn't been paying attention for the last 8 years.

 

[tstor]

This Trump guy cracks me up.

"the Democrats are extremely obstructionist".

It's almost as if he hasn't been paying attention for the last 8 years.

Doesn't particularly matter. His statement is true regardless of whether or not the obstructionism was provoked.

 

[wing2000]

He says nothing about checks and balances in either interview. The "rules" he is speaking about are not built into the Constitution. For example, he criticizes the adaptations that have been made to the filibuster.

Yes, the checks and balances statement was my observation. The rules are there for a purpose. President Trump does not understand the Senate nor its "archaic and slow moving" process. He called the Senate's rules archaic.

He's only been in office 3 months and already he's complaining about how slow the Senate moves...well mr POTUS, you are not running a family business. Welcome to government.

TRUMP: Just a system. It's just a very, very bureaucratic system. I think the rules in Congress and in particular the rules in the Senate are unbelievably archaic and slow moving. And in many cases, unfair. In many cases, you're forced to make deals that are not the deal you'd make. You'd make a much different kind of a deal.

 

[Nithavela]

Doesn't particularly matter. His statement is true regardless of whether or not the obstructionism was provoked.

How can the democrats obstruct the federal government when they have no majority in any part of it?

 

[tstor]

How can the democrats obstruct the federal government when they have no majority in any part of it?

I guess you do not read the news.

 

[LoAmmi]

I guess you do not read the news.

What measure put forward, with the exception of the Supreme Court nominee, have the Democrats obstructed on?

 

[tstor]

What measure put forward, with the exception of the Supreme Court nominee, have the Democrats obstructed on?

Cabinet picks.

 

[Nithavela]

I guess you do not read the news.

Propably not those you are alluding to. Could you provide them?

 

[Goonie]

I guess you do not read the news.

Here's the news. The republicans have majorities in both congress and the senate. If Trumps, a republican, is finding his plans blocked the responsibility falls at the feet of his own party.

 

[Giovanna_]

Thank you for providing the transcript.

He questioned the checks and balances built into the Senate's processes....processes which protect those represented by the minority party.

I'm questioning them to at this point. Since when partisan Judges who made contributions to his appointee get to run our country.

 

[LoAmmi]

Cabinet picks.

Can't filibuster Cabinet picks. Senate majority leader is a Republican. How are the Democrats pulling off this miraculous feat of obstructing these picks when they have no power or means to do so?

 

[tstor]

Here's the news. The republicans have majorities in both congress and the senate. If Trumps, a republican, is finding his plans blocked the responsibility falls at the feet of his own party.

I agree, the Republicans are just as utterly useless as Democrats.

 

[tstor]

Propably not those you are alluding to. Could you provide them?

Let me do what you do elsewhere on the forum:

I could.

 

[Nithavela]

Cabinet picks.

As far as I knew, nearly all cabinet picks passed, didn't they?

Sure, some of them were fired after 3 weeks..