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The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: No smocking guns. The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: No smocking guns.

05-25-2017 , 08:46 AM

https://twitter.com/MattGertz/status/867712515576385537
05-25-2017 , 08:48 AM
jman,

It could have the opposite effect. These are races that shouldn't even be close. If Republicans still win, but narrowly, democrats will have a moral victory and optimism about the real races in 2018 while Republicans will still be thinking "everything is fine".

Basically what einbert mentioned from Nate. Republicans almost losing three deeply red districts is an ominous foretelling of battleground districts and the national scene in general next year.
05-25-2017 , 08:54 AM
I thought I read somewhere that Democrats were more likely to vote in special elections than Republicans.

We also have to keep in mind that Republicans have allegiance to Trump first. As a matter of fact, they voted for him because of their disdain for how the GOP did politics. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of those Trump voters don't come out in 2018 because daddy isn't running for POTUS then.

No doubt I think we do better in 2018 than statisticians and pollsters predict.
05-25-2017 , 08:55 AM
There are forces pulling in each direction. On the one hand, we'll have more popularity and millions of more potential voters. On the other hand, voter suppression and gerrymandering will play an even bigger role than ever. We'll need overwhelming numbers to win in many areas due to these factors.
05-25-2017 , 08:57 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic
yet this moron sold his company to Oracle for $1.5 billion. Why does it seem like so many absurdly successful people are also idiots? How does that happen?
You can step on whoever you feel like to get to the top when you have no scruples.
05-25-2017 , 08:59 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert

https://twitter.com/InternetHippo/st...74078114328576
I never thought the Jaguars would eat MY face says man who voted for the jaguar face eating party.
05-25-2017 , 09:00 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
WTF kind of counterargument is that?? "I can't get in trouble for emoluments because I took so much from so many people that it's impossible to give you the correct amount to hold me accountable for."

Seriously, no wonder Cummings is pissed. Chaffetz finds it inappropriate to be troubled about an ongoing investigation?
It's like when Zebras group in a big pack so the lions can't pick out one to single out, but in this case the lion is slow and stupid and is really more interested in chasing the monkeys in the trees flinging poop at him than actually trying to feed itself.
05-25-2017 , 09:03 AM

https://twitter.com/heybrucewright/s...84466104991748
05-25-2017 , 09:12 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AllCowsEatGrass
The United States of America: Donald Trump

Ability: Subservient Vassal to Russia. Double quantity from oil reserves, +1 gold from oil reserves. When you fill the piety tree, you gain +1 happiness for every ten enemies killed in battle.

Units:

Skinhead: Attack bonus if enemy is of another race. National happiness decreases by one point for each skinhead in your army.

Tomahawk Cruise Missles: Use of these missiles improves your standing in the world. These cannot destroy airfields.

Nuclear submarine: These have no concealment.

Building: The White House - Other world leaders can take your workers during diplomatic visits. When Russia conducts a diplomatic visit to The White House, they can learn a technology you possess that they do not.
POTT

I think I speak for all of us when I say that any thread is better when Civ references are included but this thread in particular is improved immensely by them.
05-25-2017 , 09:14 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert

https://twitter.com/heybrucewright/s...84466104991748
There needs to be a lot more of this from every angle and sooner rather than later. Everyday voters have been largely unaccountable for the people they're supporting. They have to be made to feel shamed at every opportunity, and there are so many opportunities.
05-25-2017 , 09:14 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AllCowsEatGrass
The United States of America: Donald Trump

Ability: Subservient Vassal to Russia. Double quantity from oil reserves, +1 gold from oil reserves. When you fill the piety tree, you gain +1 happiness for every ten enemies killed in battle.

Units:

Skinhead: Attack bonus if enemy is of another race. National happiness decreases by one point for each skinhead in your army.

Tomahawk Cruise Missles: Use of these missiles improves your standing in the world. These cannot destroy airfields.

Nuclear submarine: These have no concealment.

Building: The White House - Other world leaders can take your workers during diplomatic visits. When Russia conducts a diplomatic visit to The White House, they can learn a technology you possess that they do not.
Building should obv be U.S./Mexico border wall. - 2 gold/turn, - happiness, Creates a Great Bigot.
05-25-2017 , 09:15 AM
Jeff Sessions, tough on crime!*

*white collar crime not included

Quote:
The government has agreed not to prosecute Citigroup’s Mexico-based subsidiary despite damning evidence it aided a cross-border money-laundering scheme for years, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. The non-prosecution agreement is in sharp contrast with the hard line that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has already laid out for blue-collar criminals.

Under the non-prosecution agreement, Citigroup-owned Banamex USA will pay $97.4 million and admit it broke the Bank Secrecy Act for years.

Banamex and Citi officials knew of some 18,000 separate suspicious account activities from 2007 to 2012 yet reported just six to regulators, according to the description of the crimes in the deal.
https://thinkprogress.org/jeff-sessi...es-7380295efc0
05-25-2017 , 09:17 AM
If we're starting to see a theme emerge from Jeff Sessions, it's that vulnerable people will be hit hardest by his crime policies. Protected people, the rich and powerful, they'll be practically immune while minorities, the poor, the drug-addicted, and the homeless will be criminalized deeply. This is also an acceleration of a system we already had in place in this country, but it's a very intense acceleration. I hope people notice it before it's too late.
05-25-2017 , 09:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by RV Life
$20 says Trump doesn't even know who the guy is. He's supporting him because he's on "his team."
All they had to tell him was that he attacked a reporter and broke his glasses. Then, they had to talk him out of appearing personally in Montana today.
05-25-2017 , 09:21 AM
Trump is a useful idiot everywhere you go...except for Flynn and except for Putin. He continuously and consciously cannot bring himself to badmouth either of these guys. The rest of the world, including his own teammates and political partners, are fair game.

I'm constantly amazed by what they could have on him, and what it would take for him to break on either one.
05-25-2017 , 09:23 AM
For reference, here are past results from the Montana-at-large district (via @SteveKornacki).

Montana at-large House results 2017 ?
16 R+15
14 R+15
12 R+10
10 R+26
08 R+32
06 R+20
04 R+32
02 R+32
00 R+6
98 R+9
96 R+9
94 D+7
92 D+3

Fun fact: Since Montana lost its second congressional district and now only has one, it has twice as many Senators as it does Representatives in the House.
05-25-2017 , 09:24 AM
I really hope the Feds have Sessions in their sights.

BTW, who does the prosecuting of the government's lead prosecutor? Would he be recused and have to leave it in the hands of the FBI like Loretta Lynch?
05-25-2017 , 09:26 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
I really hope the Feds have Sessions in their sights.

BTW, who does the prosecuting of the government's lead prosecutor?
Uh, Sessions is the Feds. The Attorney General oversees the FBI as well as the DOJ. Unless the President or Congress (lol) decides to hold him accountable I don't see how anything would happen to him.
05-25-2017 , 09:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
Uh, Sessions is the Feds. The Attorney General oversees the FBI as well as the DOJ. Unless the President or Congress (lol) decides to hold him accountable I don't see how anything would happen to him.
Sorry, I added to the post.
05-25-2017 , 09:28 AM
What is the statute of limitations on the crimes committed by Sessions to get his current job? If Dems don't get the house until 2020 (and trump loses) can he still be charged if he's out of office?
05-25-2017 , 09:28 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
Uh, Sessions is the Feds. The Attorney General oversees the FBI as well as the DOJ. Unless the President or Congress (lol) decides to hold him accountable I don't see how anything would happen to him.
Doesn't make sense. I thought only POTUS is allowed to murder, etc without legal consequences.
05-25-2017 , 09:29 AM
Gotcha. I'm not sure the answer to your question, but the thing is, the people that would be investigating Sessions (prior to prosecution) would be people in his own agencies. I don't know all the mechanics of it but I definitely don't see him being investigated/prosecuted by his own agencies.
05-25-2017 , 09:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by einbert
Fun fact: Since Montana lost its second congressional district and now only has one, it has twice as many Senators as it does Representatives in the House.
There's like 4 other states like this

Wyoming has a little over half the population of Montana but they still get 3 EC votes and 3 chairs in Congress. Really great system we have.
05-25-2017 , 09:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Our House
Doesn't make sense. I thought only POTUS is allowed to murder, etc without legal consequences.
Well for one thing POTUS could pardon Sessions of any potential crimes before he's prosecuted. But the thing is any efforts would stall out at the pre-investigation level. No investigation => No prosecution, naturally.
05-25-2017 , 09:38 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jman220
I mean, it's not uncommon for local politiciains to donate to each other, and the sheriff did promptly charge him with assault, so what's the issue at this point? He's been charged, its in the hands of the prosecutor now. What more is there left to investigate? It's on tape and there are apparently multiple eyewitnesses who have been interviewed.
You are a lawyer. I'm curious on your take with the misdeamor charge as opposed to felony assault.

I once got punched one time by a guy with zero provocation and it was felony assault and he ended up serving five years. I don't really know what the law is in Montana but do you think it was a judgment call in terms of going for the lesser charge? Seems with the witnesses and such there had to be room to potentially make a case for a felony.

      
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