Avoid making negative or unhelpful posts, and instead focus on providing constructive feedback and ideas that can help to move the discussion forward.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 12
… now. Der Spiegel sees plenty of symbolism:
… Trump promised to solve the problem with his usual remedy—money, money, money. Without public bidding process, he commissioned a specialized company to coat the concrete in the "color of the American flag." He personally pushed the project forward; experts were obviously never consulted. …
It now stands as a monument to his botched activism: 600 meters long, 50 meters wide.
The problem may only be symbolic, but in time-tested fashion, it is simply denied. Eyewitness reports or newspaper accounts? "Fake news!" Instead, as the responsible Department of the Interior declared, the sad soup is in truth "crystal clear." The pool cleaners, they claimed, were currently merely removing "dead algae" that "lie on the bottom of some areas of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—just as the destroyed Iranian Navy lies at the bottom of the Persian Gulf."
No. of Recommendations: 6
Just noticed Der Postillon has a bit of weekend levity:
Washington (dpo) — This should silence his critics: after the Washington Reflecting Pool was hit by another algae bloom just weeks after a $16 million renovation, US President Donald Trump proved today that the water is perfectly clean—by making Vice President JD Vance drink a glass of it.
"The Lyin'ocrats say the water is infested with algae," Trump explained, holding up a glass of brackish green water. "But they’re wrong. It’s wonderful water. It’s good, healthy water, and I can prove it. Here, JD. Take a sip."
Vice President JD Vance nervously took the glass. "Do I really have to?" he whispered. Trump nodded firmly. The US Vice President then downed the glass in one gulp. "See! The water is delicious. Thanks to me!" Trump declared afterward. "Just because it's green doesn't mean it's bad. Look at JD’s complexion. It's green now too, and he's doing great."
Vice President JD Vance is currently en route to the Walter Reed Military Medical Center—though according to a government spokesperson, this is for an entirely unrelated reason.
https://www.der-postillon.com/2026/06/reflecting-p...
No. of Recommendations: 4
"The Lyin'ocrats say the water is infested with algae," Trump explained, holding up a glass of brackish green water. "But they’re wrong. It’s wonderful water. It’s good, healthy water, and I can prove it. Here, JD. Take a sip."
Even more hilarious than the algae are the sheets of blue paint peeling off, likely due to the use of bleach to kill the algae. Both signs of just how much thought and planning went into this pet project of Trump's. This does not bode well for the robustness of the ballroom and arc. If they are ever completed, we may be forced to tear them down to protect the public.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Both signs of just how much thought and planning went into this pet project of Trump's. This does not bode well for the robustness of the ballroom and arc.
One would have thought those projects would benefit from your great leader’s decades-long real estate expertise.
Perhaps his focus got diverted towards getting the country‘s military adventures right though.
No. of Recommendations: 15
No. of Recommendations: 4
A wonderful keepsake...to always remind you of Trumps total incompetence!
Trump's prowess as a builder/developer is matched only by his skill as a deal-maker, his deep understanding of tariffs, his mastery of the fields of meteorology and immunology, and his intuitive grasp of wind turbines, batteries and indoor plumbing. But all those abilities pale in comparison to his true calling as a conman, grifter and consummate liar.
No. of Recommendations: 13
I wrote: "
Even more hilarious than the algae are the sheets of blue paint peeling off, likely due to the use of ̶b̶l̶e̶a̶c̶h̶ hydrogen peroxide to kill the algae. "
But all the claims that the hydrogen peroxide is causing the paint to peel might not be correct. This guy - "Swimming Pool Steve" - makes a good argument:
In the latest development with the memorial reflecting pool videos are surfacing showing what appears to be large sections of the interior surface peeling away. This large sheet delamination is being cited as potentially caused by the addition of the hydrogen peroxide to the water. While this is possible, in my experience with polymer and elastomeric interior surfaces for aquatic structures this looks much more like a delamination due to adhesion failure between the interior surface and the substrate. Both improper surface preparation but also the presence of negative hydrostatic pressure could both cause a failure that looks like what we are seeing now. If this is the case time will tell as a failure like that would be likely to continue to spread as water accesses the underside of the surface lining the reflecting pool.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcwqnDUC4-QIf true, the only lasting fix might be a complete redo with better substrate preparation. But even that probably wouldn't fix the negative hydrostatic pressure problem.
Ultimately, this entire fiasco is entirely due to lack of understanding of civil engineering and a rushed job.
No. of Recommendations: 1
It’s good, healthy water, and I can prove it.
Serve pool water to the GOP in Congress. Require them to "drink it all". BEDPANS AHOY !!!
No. of Recommendations: 4
The pool cleaners, they claimed, were currently merely removing "dead algae" that "lie on the bottom of some areas of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Now he’s blaming “vandals” for the slabs of blue paint peeling away from the bottom and has called out the Washington National Guard to patrol the area and prevent sightseers from taking samples of the paint slabs home with them as souvenirs.
Those sightseers must be antifa.
No. of Recommendations: 3
A,axing how attempting to fix a national treasure just triggers one political party.
No. of Recommendations: 14
A,axing how attempting to fix a national treasure just triggers one political party.
You think we are “asking” how to fix the Reflecting Pool?
You are that clueless?
You think Trump sees that national treasure as anything other than a cheap prop that he can simply slap a coat of paint on it and proclaim his excellence as a construction genius?
Well- you also thought bombing Iran was a great idea.
Now you’re standing with the crowd whose pants are down around their ankles, butt cheeks turning red under the unrelenting sun of increased public scrutiny.
No. of Recommendations: 19
A,axing how attempting to fix a national treasure just triggers one political party.
Competent people don’t hire incompetent people to attempt to fix a national treasure, THEY HIRE COMPETENT PEOPLE TO WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO ACTUALLY FIX A NATIONAL TREASURE!
Notice the subtle difference?
Trump’s incompetence isn’t a bug, it’s a feature.
You voted for it and Republicans grovel before it.
No. of Recommendations: 4
My favorite chapter in this Reflecting Pool fiasco was when Trump pulled out one of his famous charts. On it pictures of some of the tallest buildings in the world… and the Reflecting Pool.
His point was that he was engaged in an architectural feat of gargantuan proportions- because the length of the Reflecting Pool exceeded the height of some of the world’s tallest building.
The music started in the back of my head as I watched it. And then the words came back to me…..”One of these things is not like the others.”
No. of Recommendations: 4
A,axing how attempting to fix a national treasure just triggers one political party.
It is just another example of how Everything Trump Touches Turns To Shit.
In this case he has a half-baked idea, then turns the work over to an incompetent crony, giving him a no-bid $14 million contract. And, surprise, it is all fucked up.
Dope, you are classic MAGA...defend Trump no matter what. Well, I think you have admitted that his 'peace deal' sucks. So there is that.
No. of Recommendations: 4
As I said. Amazing how trying to fix a national treasure triggers a lot of folks.
Mostly because they’re cray-cray.
No. of Recommendations: 3
No. of Recommendations: 18
Amazing how trying to fix a national treasure triggers a lot of folks.
Mostly because they’re cray-cray.
No. Trump has a long pattern of doing things the wrong way. A lot of folks then point out that he's doing the thing the wrong way. It doesn't mean they don't support doing the thing - it means they think he's making a mistake/breaking the law by doing it the wrong way.
The right way to fix a national treasure is to have a thorough and open review process so that the proposed plan for fixing it (including who will to the fixing) is carefully vetted in advance and doesn't end up in an embarrassing failure. The wrong way is to just chuck all that and rush out and hire someone and have them just go ahead and do it.
Trump gets frustrated with processes and procedures that stop the government from just going ahead and doing stuff. To be fair, that's not unique to Trump. It's not just irritating, but often has significant consequences, that government takes so long to do things. But often, there are reasons why government moves slowly and with deliberation. Because if the contractor screws up the coating of a pool at one of your hotels, you can just go ahead and have someone come in fix it. And more likely than not, no one will notice or care, and you can just sue the contractor later if you want.
But if a contractor screws up the god damned Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool a few weeks before the semiquincentennial, it's a much bigger deal. So you pay more attention to doing it right rather than doing it fast.
No one objects to fixing a national treasure. They object to doing it recklessly.
No. of Recommendations: 17
I said. Amazing how trying to fix a national treasure triggers a lot of folksDope- falling back on your usual methods of disparagement is getting quite threadbare
It wasn’t the “trying” that people are poking fun at.
Is was:
-the declaration of success, “crystal clear” water… even as the pool turned green and slabs of blue paint bubbled to the algae covered surface.
-the gratuitous swipe at Obama
- the proclamation that the dead algae lay at the bottom of the pool- just like the Iranian Navy lies at the bottom of the ocean (a Dept. of Interior proclamation. Note: it was the Iranian Navy that declared today that the strait was closed again)
- the no bid contract to a Trump buddy and ex-con.
-the calling out of the Washington National Guard to keep people away from the Reflecting Pool
-the slapping on of a coat of blue paint, at the beginning of a Washington summer.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.
Here, Dope- just for you, a few photos of the guy Trump chose for his “no bid contract”. Photos at the bottom of a column by Charlie Sykes. Scroll through to meet Mr. John J. Cafaro:
https://open.substack.com/pub/charliesykes/p/o-mel...God…. The stupid. It burns.
No. of Recommendations: 2
No one objects to fixing a national treasure. They object to doing it recklessly.
That's a nice opinion. Too bad it's not reality. THIS is the reality of today's left:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BQnV54h5t/Exclusive! RAW VIDEO. Man arrested for vandalizing Lincoln Reflecting Pool. He grabbed the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Police and National Guard responded. What was especially stupid was this guy rolling up on his bike. Those wheels go for ~$1500 and I'm sure the rest of his bike was around $6k minimum. Since no one will watch the video: the National Guard had a nice chat with him and then he wound up in handcuffs being told he was getting a case number.
The problem with your whitewashing of the insanity is that many of these monuments fell into disrepair over the years and no one said a word about them. Only now that Trump is one actually deciding to clean things up do we have a problem with crazy morons coming out to protest in favor of algae. And physically interfere with US Park workers.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2026/06/0...“I thought it was a stupid idea to paint the Reflecting Pool, but it looks really good. It makes the reflection look extraordinarily prominent in a way it did not before, and I hate that.”Not a single lib here gives 1 rip about "process". Come on, man.
No. of Recommendations: 5
That video does not mean what you think it means.
How about beginning with the question: why in the hell did Trump call out the DC Guard to protect the Reflecting Pool?
Why are they even there?
No. of Recommendations: 3
The problem with hating 24/7 is that chemically your body cranks up more cortisol. The additional cortisol starts screwing with your brain over time:
https://helpdementia.com/the-link-between-cortisol...Alzheimer’s disease is a complex condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing memory loss and cognitive decline. Recent research has highlighted a potential link between cortisol imbalance and the development of Alzheimer’s. Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal gland, and its levels can significantly impact brain health.Woof. Do yourselves a favor. Learn to live in peace.
Or don't:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11044806/Results
During 8.8±3.2 years of follow-up, 843 persons developed dementia, including 397 with AD. Current MDD was associated with an increased risk of developing all-cause dementia (HR 2.17; 95% CI 1.66–2.67), with risks similar for AD and non-AD, while remitted MDD was not (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.55–1.49). Higher levels of evening cortisol increased risk of dementia, but this was independent of MDD. WMH partially explained the relation between current MDD and dementia risk but remained increased (HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.34–2.08).
Conclusion
The current study highlights the importance of LLD in developing dementia. Higher basal cortisol levels and WMH were independently associated with increased risk of dementia. Neither the glucocorticoid cascade nor the vascular hypotheses fully explained the relation between depression and dementia.
No. of Recommendations: 12
Woof. Do yourselves a favor. Learn to live in peace.
The Toxic Avenger has entered the chat.
You wouldn't be trying to sneakily change the topic from the reflecting pool FUBAR to literally another flavor of toxicity, but failing because you are genetically incapable of being smart, would ya?
No. of Recommendations: 12
Not a single lib here gives 1 rip about "process". Come on, man.
Not a single Lib here, objects to preserving and maintaining national treasures either. Come on man.
No. of Recommendations: 4
The Toxic Avenger has entered the chat.
Says the human vacuum whom I'd
a) never heard of
b) never said anything either about or to
...and yet insists on bombing insults every second of every post.
You're headed for a date with the rubber room at the rate you're going. Perhaps try raising flowers or growing something? Might chill you out a bit.
Or keep heading for the brain meltdown that befell the idiot on the bike.
No. of Recommendations: 3
Not a single Lib here, objects to preserving and maintaining national treasures either. Come on man.
And yet we have liberals protesting in favor or algae and rolling up on their bikes to harass federal workers who are merely doing their jobs.
You should know that if you're going to issue a blanket defense of a thing then you've put yourself in the position of defending everything that happens, counselor.
No. of Recommendations: 16
And yet we have liberals protesting in favor or algae and rolling up on their bikes to harass federal workers who are merely doing their jobs.
That's not libs here, Dope1. The folks who are posting on this board aren't doing that.
You should know that if you're going to issue a blanket defense of a thing then you've put yourself in the position of defending everything that happens, counselor.
You should know that's not true. For example, I'm pretty sure your blanket defense of restoring national treasures is not a defense of, say, doing a terrible job and damaging a national treasure. Right?
One can - and should - argue in favor of conducting restoration with care and forethought, and following established processes. Which is what people are doing here. But Trump didn't do that, so now the reflecting pool looks terrible.
I mean, come on man. If this had happened on a Democrats' watch - if Obama had rushed in to spend $14 million on a no-bid contract to do this and it ended up resulting in a massive algae bloom and the coating peeling off the floor - you'd be the first in line to say it was because Democrats are terrible at being in charge. The government did a bad job at restoring the reflecting pool. Pointing that out doesn't mean that people like or want national treasures to be damaged by poor government decisions.
No. of Recommendations: 18
Compare and contrast- that "almost picnic atmosphere of citizens protesting the botch job done on the Reflecting Pool, with National Guard troops, summoned by Trump, making arrests....
With January 6th and protestors beating police with flagpoles, breaking windows, shitting in the Capitol, building gallows and hunting for Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi in the Capitol hallways.
And here's a key...... DONALD TRUMP REFUSED TO CALL OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO CONFRONT THAT TRAVESTY. BUT HE DID CALL THEM OUT TO KEEP TOURISTS FROM PHOTOGRAPHING HIS EMBLEMATIC FAILURE AT THE REFLECTING POOL.
So now Dope is focused on a botched job at the Reflecting Pool, a handful (as in a "few") protestors getting rowdy, but not violent...... and trying his best to claim that these few protestors are emblematic of the "violent left" and deserved everything they got (which wasn't much, because even the National Guard knew it was on a fool's errand).
Good god.... the stupid still burns.
No. of Recommendations: 4
That's not libs here, Dope1. The folks who are posting on this board aren't doing that.
Sure. This board is known for rationality among the left leaning posters (no, not really: it's the exact opposite). I'm sure they appreciate the white-knighting, though.
I mean, come on man. If this had happened on a Democrats' watch - if Obama had rushed in to spend $14 million on a no-bid contract to do this and it ended up resulting in a massive algae bloom and the coating peeling off the floor - you'd be the first in line to say it was because Democrats are terrible at being in charge.
No. I'd actually look to at the technical reasons as to what's going on. The stuff peeling up could be because they didn't apply it properly. Or that someone's been in there with a knife messing with it. Either way, it's like any other job - it's on the contractor to fix it even if it means draining the pool and starting all over again.
Then there's the algae. I wouldn't be protesting in *support* of algae blooms - instead I'd ask if the water bubbling system was in place (it's not quite ready) and ask how old all the pipes that feed it water are. I'm frankly surprised they didn't design the Reflecting Pond with something like that originally...because everyone who's ever seen a stagnant pond knows that you get (a) algae and (b) mosquitoes if you don't do something.
In other words, I wouldn't parachute into the discussion with OBAMA DID IT THEREFORE BAD...which is what all your clients here have done. "Care" and "forethought"? Really? Where? That merits an LOL. This board don't do care and forethought.
That the democrats are incompetent and incapable of governance is reflected in a great deal many things. At the local level their inability to do even the simplest tasks like pick up trash, fix potholes, lock up criminals, etc. speaks volumes; they're a living comedy sketch with unfortunate consequences for real people.
When they first laid down the blue and put the water in, it looked absolutely fantastic. Amazing how hard it is for some to admit that. Not a single person here focused on that, though - instead, they went right to ORANGEMNBADBDBLUBBLUB and similar because they just can't be normal for 5 minutes.
No. of Recommendations: 3
And as an example of the "care" and "forethought", I offer this
DONALD TRUMP REFUSED TO CALL OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO CONFRONT THAT TRAVESTY. BUT HE DID CALL THEM OUT TO KEEP TOURISTS FROM PHOTOGRAPHING HIS EMBLEMATIC FAILURE AT
100% rational. Not.
No. of Recommendations: 7
I'm frankly surprised they didn't design the Reflecting Pond with something like that originally...because everyone who's ever seen a stagnant pond knows that you get (a) algae and (b) mosquitoes if you don't do something.
Exactly. The right thing to do would be to take some time and study what the problem was - not rush out with a quick no-bid contract like this was just another swimming pool. People are protesting because this is a heedless "act first and plan later" approach to something that ought to have been treated with more care. Similar to their anger about the East Wing, where the Administration just tore down a big chunk of the then-existing White House just on their own...because they could.
When they first laid down the blue and put the water in, it looked absolutely fantastic. Amazing how hard it is for some to admit that. Not a single person here focused on that, though - instead, they went right to ORANGEMNBADBDBLUBBLUB and similar because they just can't be normal for 5 minutes.
Because they were smart enough to realize that if you do a rush job because you're in "move fast and break things" mode, without competitive bidding or open scrutiny of qualifications or even the plans for the renovations, there's a good chance it might not be the highest quality. That it might look good on day one and then start to show problems once the check clears and the contractor has moved on to the next job.
There's a reason we normally have government jobs go though public bidding with multiple competing companies and a more considered process for developing the job scope for these things. Trump decided to bypass all those protections....so if it ends up we have the sort of botched job those protections are supposed to prevent, it's natural that people will get upset at how cavalierly he has treaded our national heritage.
No. of Recommendations: 4
Exactly. The right thing to do would be to take some time and study what the problem was - not rush out with a quick no-bid contract like this was just another swimming pool. People are protesting because this is a heedless "act first and plan later" approach to something that ought to have been treated with more care. Similar to their anger about the East Wing, where the Administration just tore down a big chunk of the then-existing White House just on their own...because they could.
This is handing out credit where no credit is due. The alternative viewpoint is that certain absurd items were taken as givens and no one challenged the premise.
To wit:
-We have to have state dinners in a tent in the mud on the White House lawn
-We have a reflecting pool full of green slime that doesn't actually reflect anything.
The left lost its mind even at the concept of the White House Ballroom. Doing the same thing now with the reflecting pond.
There has hardly been a calm and reasoned debate on either issue. And please don't claim that people here have been anywhere near polite or reasoned about it.
There's a reason we normally have government jobs go though public bidding with multiple competing companies and a more considered process for developing the job scope for these things. Trump decided to bypass all those protections....so if it ends up we have the sort of botched job those protections are supposed to prevent, it's natural that people will get upset at how cavalierly he has treaded our national heritage.
1. The left was cool with the accepted premises above, so there goes the 'upset with how cavalierly the national treasures' defense
2. Do you think that government procurement procedures and study is a model of efficiency, wise fiscal management and expediency for completing projects? Because if you do, I give you...the Pentagon.
No. of Recommendations: 10
Competent people don’t hire incompetent people to attempt to fix a national treasure, THEY HIRE COMPETENT PEOPLE TO WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO ACTUALLY FIX A NATIONAL TREASURE!
Some of us knew it before, but it appears there are still many who think the best way to run a government is with:
“Hey, I know a guy…”
No. of Recommendations: 17
When they first laid down the blue and put the water in, it looked absolutely fantastic. Amazing how hard it is for some to admit that.
I admit that. I also admit it lasted less than two weeks. Are you in favor of spending $14 million closing down a national monument for months, having it look “fantastic” for two weeks, and then having to close it again for months?
Trump procedure:
Iran War: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Reflecting Pool: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Removing Oceanographic monitors: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Changing vaccine mandates for troops: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Reversing Biden order to prevent screwworm infestation: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Tearing Up Obama’s JCPOA: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Changing the name of the Kennedy Center: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Bouncing tariff rates wildly: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Spent $50m changing the name of DoD to Department of War: Fire! Ready! Aim!
Created DoGE to cut spending: Fire! Ready! Aim!
…and so on …
No. of Recommendations: 2
Amazing how trying to fix a national treasure triggers a lot of folks.
Speaking of fixing a national treasure, how about the East Wing of the White House? When is that going to be restored?
No. of Recommendations: 4
For those who want to complain about the pool and fixing it, this one's for you.
Let's time travel back to 2012.
https://www.history.com/articles/lincoln-memorial-...Over time, the heavy structure began to slowly sink and leak. In the 1980s, concrete was poured into the bottom of the pool to try to fix some of the damage, but by 1986, the pool’s structural system was failing, The Washington Post reported. Eventually, the pool was losing around 500,000 gallons of water per week due to cracks, leaks and evaporation. Drastic repairs were needed to restore its structural integrity.Which resulted in
Between November 2010 and August 2012, crews drained the reflecting pool and worked to restore the water feature, elevating it back out of the marshland and decreasing the depth by about 6 inches. Nearly all of the original structure was torn out, with just some of the old tile and asphalt bottom left behind. Over 2,100 timber pilings were pounded into the ground every 2 feet, 9 inches apart to provide support and keep the new pool from sinking.
Beyond fixing the major issue of sinking, the $34-million renovation provided an opportunity to enhance the pool in other ways. It originally lacked a circulation system, causing the pool to be drained and refilled twice a year in order to clean it. So, a circulation and filtration system was added. Elsewhere, a new tinted bottom was meant to improve the reflectivity of the water.So changing the appearance of the bottom to help reflectivity wasn't anything new.
And did they get it right?
Although no longer at risk of sinking, the repairs weren’t perfect. Algae bloomed in the reflecting pool just weeks after it was refilled with water post-construction.Survey says...no.
The lesson for this board?
Work the problem first.
No. of Recommendations: 7
The stuff peeling up could be because they didn't apply it properly.
Most likely, don’t you think? I mean- it was a no bid contract given out to Trump’s pool guy who was convicted on federal bribery charges in 2001
Or that someone's been in there with a knife messing with it.
Horseshit.
No. of Recommendations: 0
-We have to have state dinners in a tent in the mud on the White House lawn
-We have a reflecting pool full of green slime that doesn't actually reflect anything.
Both suit Spankee perfectly.
No. of Recommendations: 18
For those who want to complain about the pool and fixing it, this one's for you.
For those who want to complain?
You mean about the lovely historic reflecting pool that your creepy senile spray-tanned grifter pedo pimp "reimagined" in his own likeness? A cheap, gimcrack, trailer-trash septic field that we're now stuck with for our nation's 250th anniversary?
Maybe instead of reflecting on what it means to be Americans, we can set up some airboat races? Chuck in a few gators and hook 'em out with raw chicken and chains? Maybe have some more guys beat each other senseless—how about in Arlington this time? Shine some crypto ads on the Washington Monument?
And when you say fixing it, does that mean more bleach? Visitors to D.C. are guaranteed to have tears in their eyes, not from the majesty of the monuments, or the solemnity of the setting, but from the Clorox fumes.
By all means, keep sending dispatches from Fort Dipstick. Operation Cabana Boy is another MAGA winner!
No. of Recommendations: 4
For those who want to complain?
Yeah, like your post. Nothing but toxic sludge, like all your content, felcher.
No. of Recommendations: 7
Everything Trump touches.......without exception.
