Lsuoma wrote: ↑
I think that CFB is in many cases annoying and tedious. But the above post, I can sign up to, 100%.
No one ever imagined giving Trump a civics medal. Yes, on the one hand he doesn’t follow the norms, conventions and niceties of Party Politics. He is the manipulative, bombastic rule breaker we saw on the Apprentice.
You can't exculpate the man by engaging in understatement. He shows a complete disregard for political norms and even laws. This has the potential to denigrate the institutions and workings of the federal government, and undermine the credibility of our government with foreign powers. My read on you understated characterization is that you are trying to portray people who care about this sort of thing as a bunch of pearl clutchers, but the norms, procedures, and laws that Trump disregards are there to prevent abuses of power, and keep the government functioning. Our government was already creaking and throwing sparks before this shitshow - adding an insult like Trump doesn't do anything to help, and exacerbates the problems that were already there.
(A minority of the electorate, and literally millions fewer people than voted for Hillary Clinton)
Brive1987 wrote: ↑had largely ceased to give a fuck for form and procedure that didn’t deliver.
Which makes them stupid and unqualified to be voting. You are the one who usually rails against modern representative government, so it is ironic that the shoe is on the other foot for this one. I don't see the consideration of bad faith opinions, or the opinions of the mentally incompetent as a positive aspect of representative government. Honestly this should be easy for you to understand, because it isn't so different from your contention that hordes of unassimilated immigrants with retrograde views are going to take your country in a bad direction. In my case the Islamic danger is negligible, but the country does have lots of intellectually shallow boors who don't care about the rule of law because "hur hur triggered libtards" or smack addicted manchildren from West Virginia, who think DT cares about them because he told them their problems were the Mexicans' fault. These people are imbecilic vandals, and the government needs to be protected from their involvement.
See the paradox of tolerance that Steersman is always on about.
Unfortunately, team degenerate has the electoral college system working for them, which is how they managed to elect a president that most of the country voted against and has consistently disapproved of. We need to re-balance electoral politics so that 1 person = 1 vote, and the GOP can't draw congressional district lines that give them firewalls against popular disapproval.
Most likely this won't happen, they'll continue fucking everything up by voting for cons like DT, and they'll succeed in dragging the entire country down with them on their inevitable slide toward oblivion.
Brive1987 wrote: ↑
On the other hand he has set out to change things that people did cared about.
+ Unbalanced trade agreements.
+ Inequitable political partnerships.
+ Social justice aligned pandering to minorities.
+ The military ‘bull in a china shop’ approach to realpolitik
+ Reaffirmation of border security and national,self determination
Because let’s face it. For all his hamburgers, affairs and omg 😮 New York developer dodginess, its not like anybody else was going to engage with these issues. The voters largely got (subject to pragmatic limits) what they wanted.
I agree that Trump is willing to focus on issues that no one else would have, but Trump is an incompetent, and he won't actually accomplish anything wrt these problems either. The best he can do is make a mess for the next president to clean up. This is what happens when you elect someone who insists that his advisors put together picture books for his briefings. Just because you can't find someone willing to clean your house doesn't mean you will make progress by hiring a chimp to do it.
Also, half of the things you listed are boogiemen that aren't actually problems. I don't even know what you mean by "Inequitable political partnerships". It sounds like something Jonathan MacIntosh would be on about. The concerns about trade agreements and foreign interventions are part of a nonsensical world view that thinks tarrifs will protect the USA from the broader global economy, and that the USA won't be blamed for the things it doesn't do, in addition to the things it does. I remember meeting people (progressive people/SJWs) in college who were incensed by the Iraq war, and were also furious that Bush wasn't committing troops to stop the atrocities in Darfur. US foreign policy is always a case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't", and we need leaders who understand that, and don't pander to extremists on that point. Some amount of interventionism is in the national interest, and the calculus is always going to be fraught, and more complicated than bumper sticker slogans.
Finally, Trump's classlessness is a distinct issue from his probable frauds and campaign finance felonies. No one honestly gives a fuck about Trump's love of McDonalds. See the point about how understatement and dismissive language are unconvincing rhetoric.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:42 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
They will attack the messenger, but never his points, which are indisputable.
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he's actually issued the order and it can be scrutinized. I don't trust him not to engage in fuckery under the guise of "protecting free speech".
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he's actually issued the order and it can be scrutinized. I don't trust him not to engage in fuckery under the guise of "protecting free speech".
Good point, well made. I am often guilty of a surfeit of charity. Although my father attributed it to idiocy. Not very charitable of him. Maybe more accurate, though.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:24 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:37 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Incidentally, if you're a chess player, Kasparov's course is worth a look.
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he's actually issued the order and it can be scrutinized. I don't trust him not to engage in fuckery under the guise of "protecting free speech".
The 4D chess pitch is that this will force the civil liberties mob to sue him to block free speech. Or tacitly allow Trump to infect university safe spaces with conservative Nazi opinion. Both outcomes would be amusing.
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he's actually issued the order and it can be scrutinized. I don't trust him not to engage in fuckery under the guise of "protecting free speech".
The 4D chess pitch is that this will force the civil liberties mob to sue him to block free speech. Or tacitly allow Trump to infect university safe spaces with conservative Nazi opinion. Both outcomes would be amusing.
I'm less concerned with the maintenance of safe spaces than the idea that this might result in some kind of "political balance" doctrine in university classrooms. I don't want a mandate that environmental science profs. need to read a script from the Heartland Institute about how "the other side" thinks climate change is some kind of conspiracy being perpetuated by communists who want to take your lawnmowers.
If it ends up being limited to protections for people with unpopular viewpoints (i.e. you can't pull a Wilfred Laurier and set up tribunals for grad students who subject their classes to Jordan Peterson clips) then I don't really have a problem with it, and it might actually be a good thing.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:07 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
But, you know, whattaguy.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:08 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:12 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Oh, my. This is a man that knows how to accept responsibility. One of his prouder moments, I'm sure.
Seriously, how is this not funny, even to Trump fans?
Trump does a good thing! It should be tempered with the knowledge that it's only because conservatives were being targeted. Were the tables turned, he would give no fucks at all. His is not a place of moral principle.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he's actually issued the order and it can be scrutinized. I don't trust him not to engage in fuckery under the guise of "protecting free speech".
The 4D chess pitch is that this will force the civil liberties mob to sue him to block free speech. Or tacitly allow Trump to infect university safe spaces with conservative Nazi opinion. Both outcomes would be amusing.
I'm less concerned with the maintenance of safe spaces than the idea that this might result in some kind of "political balance" doctrine in university classrooms. I don't want a mandate that environmental science profs. need to read a script from the Heartland Institute about how "the other side" thinks climate change is some kind of conspiracy being perpetuated by communists who want to take your lawnmowers.
If it ends up being limited to protections for people with unpopular viewpoints (i.e. you can't pull a Wilfred Laurier and set up tribunals for grad students who subject their classes to Jordan Peterson clips) then I don't really have a problem with it, and it might actually be a good thing.
With the trigger being the assault on Hayden Williams, so far all indications are good.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:32 pm
by Brive1987
Was yesterday the death knell for Trump? Or was it last week month?
Rebellion in the ranks. Somebody's squandered their political capital.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:50 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Because of course they did.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:25 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
He must be an Alex Jones fan.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 11:43 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:37 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
There is no bottom.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:40 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
And...he's not supposed to be involved in his business while president. Let alone defending them by threatening foriegn governments. Oh, how will history record the breadth and depth of this man's "endeavors?"
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 1:50 pm
by Brive1987
A committee lawyer told reporters the immediate aim is to amass a large trove of evidence to guide the investigation and help decide which witnesses to approach. The panel is prepared to use its subpoena power if needed, the lawyer said. conduct a fishing expedition.
Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort must pay the Scottish government's legal costs following a court battle over a major North Sea wind power development.
Mr Trump battled unsuccessfully in the courts to halt the project before he became US president.
A total of 11 turbines make up the development off Aberdeen.
Judges have now ruled Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd should pay the legal bills incurred.
“We got our great, great people, and that includes our beautiful, beautiful Otto. Otto Warmbier, whose parents I’ve gotten to know, who’s incredible,” Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“And I’m in such a horrible position, because in one way I have to negotiate, in the other way, I love Mr. and Mrs. Warmbier, and I love Otto. And it’s a very, very delicate balance. He was a special young man that to see what happened, so bad, it was so bad.
So I am thinking that Pres. Trumps new loving ways are because that hag Melania has a rival,
I know Dotard has been receiving letters from Kim and they have been really admiring each other.
It's almost as if some post-apocalyptic Cupid has pierced the Dotard's tiny, diseased, malignant heart with a tiny cheaply made missile. :violin:
Yes he loves Otto and his grieving parents, he isn't really a sociopath and a malignant narcissist that is using a grieving family as a prop.
:romance-grouphug:
Hmmm, the "these people that support the same thing as you are terrible, therefore what you support is terrible?" Because I gots da answer for that-QAnon.
Already in Australia! So do the QAnon challenge, and sort through the anti-vax, chemtrails, lizard people, and adrenochrome hard-core Trump supporters (who all think he's brilliant, by the way) to find the people you most closely align with. https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/qanon?lang=en
There's other, terrible egregious examples of humanity gone terribly wrong that are religious (not hyperbole) Trump supporters. False equivalancies aside, Trump really is a terrible person. Ask his ex-wives, former business partners, employees, etc.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:09 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Nadler has said he believes that Trump obstructed the ongoing federal and congressional investigations into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia—the most decisive comment made by a Democratic leader yet on whether Trump had tried to interfere with the investigations. Nadler’s comment marked a noticeable shift in tone for a top Democrat, many of whom have deferred to Mueller’s inquiry when asked about the president’s alleged abuses.
Many of the individuals who received a letter from Nadler—including Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr.; his son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and the former top White House aides Hope Hicks, Sean Spicer, and Steve Bannon—have already testified before Congress and provided documents in conjunction with the various probes into Trump’s ties to Russia. In the new letters sent out on Monday, which addressed everyone from the Trump Organization’s Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to the Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, Nadler wrote that the House Judiciary Committee is investigating “a number of actions that threaten our nation’s longstanding commitment to the rule of law, including allegations of obstruction of justice, public corruption, and other abuses of power … President Trump and his administration face wide-ranging allegations of misconduct that strike at the heart of our constitutional order.” He added that “Congress has a constitutional duty to serve as a check and balance against any such excesses,” and that the House Judiciary Committee “has also played a historic role as the primary forum for hearings on the abuse of executive power.”
Um. That's a parody account. We post Godfrey fairly freely. Thought it would be appreciated.
My apologies. I plead the Poe defense. Being on Twitter, you'd think I'd be able to detect Poes with accuracy. This is not entirely the case. To be fair, no matter what extreme you go to, there's a real person standing there. But my humble apologies for misinterpreting your post.
Um. That's a parody account. We post Godfrey fairly freely. Thought it would be appreciated.
My apologies. I plead the Poe defense. Being on Twitter, you'd think I'd be able to detect Poes with accuracy. This is not entirely the case. To be fair, no matter what extreme you go to, there's a real person standing there. But my humble apologies for misinterpreting your post.
/sarcasm.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 11:18 pm
by Brive1987
Hillary Clinton says she won't run for US president in 2020, but vows she's "not going anywhere".
Mixed news to be sure, But phew.. You wouldn’t want any lunatics on the ticket.
Posting streams of partisan tweets, without adding any value (or even pov), is tedious stuff.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:39 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Nuthin' to hide, I'm sure. Imagine his face when he finds out that isn't an option.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:32 pm
by Old_ones
Brive1987 wrote: ↑
Posting streams of partisan tweets, without adding any value (or even pov), is tedious stuff.
This is a great idea, but in order for it to work, 270 votes worth of states need to sign on. That means some red or purple states would be necessary.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:58 pm
by free thoughtpolice
Isn't that Titania Mc Grath 2 rows behind Cohen on his left?
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 3:10 pm
by CaptainFluffyBunny
If you're having trouble keeping up with the Trump investigation, you're not alone. I came across this guide while trying to explain to an acquaintance exactly how much trouble Trump is in currently- https://www.politico.com/interactives/2 ... -manafort/
Danger, wall o' text-
Even Trump supporters seem to have a difficult time explaining away the multiple convictions of close Trump associates, advisers and his campaign team. Not to mention the dissolution of his fraudulent "charity" and insurance and tax problems. This even ignores the massive and egregious violations of the emoluments clause, some of which have now manifested into threats against foreign governments. Now it's possible that everyone around Trump is a criminal, and Trump simply has the poorest judgment of any person I know. It's possible that a figure known for micromanagement wasn't aware of any malfeasance. It's possible that everybody around Trump is lying, and Trump is not. Although he is a proven liar. All these things are possible. They are not very likely.
One might accept the obvious, that Trump has at the very least lied and obstructed justice. That he has engaged in illegal business activities, charity fraud and tax evasion. There is an overwhelming abundance of evidence for that. One might conclude that while these things are obviously true, one could still support Trump despite, or even because he's a criminal. That the stated goals of disruption and triggering the libs is more important than the rule of law. One might just want to watch it all burn, and damn the consequences. Of course, when the worm turns and these little...anomalies that are being normalized by Trump manifest on the other side, I expect that there may be some thoughtful regret. Or not, as introspection doesn't seem to be a thing for the extremely partisan. But these institutions that are being dragged, they originally stood for both sides. We had norms (which one might think conservatives would have some respect for. One would be wrong) and the rule of law, both of which are very clearly being flouted. This will bite conservatives in the ass when they lose power. That's already happening as the House actually steps up to it's oversight role. Or "presidential harrassment" if you believe that the POTUS has nothing to hide about Russia, but still needs to not share what should be on the record. For reasons.
There are those that honestly believe we're on the verge of a Trump family dynasty, with Jr up next for president, followed by Eric, Ivanka, Barron (who does that to a child?) etc. They see this as a good thing, perhaps a clear indication that some Americans crave a royalty. There is a belief that this will never come back to haunt them, because the balance of power has irrevocably shifted. These people are not very smart.
I'm consistently surprised at people who chant "no collusion!" as that isn't even remotely proven. The meeting with the Russians and the Trump boys belie that already, let alone the Wikileaks, Trump's plea to the Russians for Hillary's emails, the mysteriously routed money from Russia to the NRA to Trump. The facts are that even if there was no collusion at all, there's still crimes. Trump does his magic-trick distraction technique to imply if they can't directly find criminal collusion, he's off the hook and a great guy unfairly persecuted. Buying into this doesn't make one a very deep thinker. If it was a Democrat doing this shit, I would call for investigations. I supported investigations into Hillary Clinton with her questionable lapses. Because the USA is supposed to be a country of law, and nobody is above that. Even if it's your party, the country comes first, CONTUS and the people under it. Instead we have gamesmanship and people denying reality on both sides, because tribes. Denying reality really isn't a good move, no matter which side your on. Engaging in whataboutism because you need to defend the indefensible is a sad little game. Nor does "TDR" become a magic cantrip that dismisses criticism. There is plenty to criticize.
Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday that workers could be seen replacing a roof and installing a new door at the Tongchang-ri nuclear launch site, which North Korean officials promised last year to dismantle following an initial summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un, according to Reuters.
It's not clear whether the new activity was detected before or after Trump's second summit with Kim
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:47 am
by Brive1987
PZ is excited
Congratulations on joining the club, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez!
She has had an asteroid named after her, 23238 Ocasio-Cortez. Next time I’m in DC or NY, we’ll have to get together and compare space rocks, since I’m proud to say that 153298 Paulmyers is my namesake. I wonder how close those rocks are to each other? Probably not as close as Minnesota and the East coast.
There’s actually a legitimate scientific basis for honoring Ocasio-Cortez this way.
Evans and Stokes decided to keep things “honorable” by handing out asteroid names to the winners of top science and engineering fairs for students.
“We didn’t want to make it willy-nilly. We wanted to keep it exclusive,” Evans told Business Insider. She said first- and second-place winners of three major student competitions, plus some teachers and mentors, get naming rights.
Ocasio-Cortez took second place in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in 2007, when she was a high school student. Yay! In biology! ONE OF US, ONE OF US!
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:55 am
by John D
Tim Pool kicks Joe Rogan's ass in interviewing Dorsey. Dorsey and Gadde pretty much prove they are totally biased.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:07 am
by John D
Tim kills them with this.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:12 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
"Orange Man Good" crowd are having a difficult time spinning this development. This is precisely what intelligence agencies told Trump would happen, and he didn't believe them. It is troubling when a leader disparages his own services.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:19 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:25 am
by CaptainFluffyBunny
Winning bigly. The Russians, that is.
Re: The Trump Dump!
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 9:33 am
by free thoughtpolice
CaptainFluffyBunny wrote:
"Orange Man Good" crowd are having a difficult time spinning this development. This is precisely what intelligence agencies told Trump would happen, and he didn't believe them. It is troubling when a leader disparages his own services.
You can't trust those photos of the so-called "nuclear site". Ever heard of photoshop? You don't think the deep state has it? Remember the Iraq has WMD thing? Trump is too smart to fall for that. He is saving us from WW3.
Kim looked President Trump in the eyes and said strongly, but lovingly that they wouldn't do something like that. He sent all those letters that said good things about the Donald. They have a good relationship and may both win the Nobel Prize. If in case there was some activity at that site it doesn't mean Kim knew about it. North Korea is a big country and the same prison guard that fucked up Otto Warmbier might have done it on the sly.
Let's keep an open mind here.
"Orange Man Good" crowd are having a difficult time spinning this development. This is precisely what intelligence agencies told Trump would happen, and he didn't believe them. It is troubling when a leader disparages his own services.
You can't trust those photos of the so-called "nuclear site". Ever heard of photoshop? You don't think the deep state has it? Remember the Iraq has WMD thing? Trump is too smart to fall for that. He is saving us from WW3.
Kim looked President Trump in the eyes and said strongly, but lovingly that they wouldn't do something like that. He sent all those letters that said good things about the Donald. They have a good relationship and may both win the Nobel Prize. If in case there was some activity at that site it doesn't mean Kim knew about it. North Korea is a big country and the same prison guard that fucked up Otto Warmbier might have done it on the sly.
Let's keep an open mind here.
You're right, of course. Who cares what South Korea and professional analysis shows when there's a president to defend. They could be just turning it into a museum or tea shop.
