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

02-07-2017 , 01:03 AM
02-07-2017 , 01:06 AM


"Can you stand like this and make a weld right there?"
"Why?"
"Because I like the composition."
"But there is no reason for me to weld anything there. It doesn't make any sense."
"Just shut up and weld."

Last edited by zikzak; 02-07-2017 at 01:06 AM. Reason: things that shouldn't piss you off, but do
02-07-2017 , 01:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeroDeniro
The rape issue aside, I always thought the abortion issue was a bit one-sided.

How the law in the US is now, from a woman's perspective:

Scenario A: woman gets pregnant. Doesn't want to be a parent and endure a lifelong responsibility and expenses: has abortion.

Scenario B: woman gets pregnant. Wants to be a parent: doesn't have abortion.

How the law in the US is now, from a man's perspective:

Scenario A: woman gets pregnant. Dad wants to be a parent: tough luck, woman has the abortion.

Scenario B: woman gets pregnant. Man doesn't want to be a parent and endure a lifelong responsibility and expenses: tough luck, the woman has the baby.
Condoms
02-07-2017 , 01:14 AM
It turned out that when Kellyanne "misspoke" about the Bowling Green Massacre, it was the third time she had told that whopper.
02-07-2017 , 01:31 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzzer99
lol nice 3rd-grader response from conway
02-07-2017 , 01:46 AM
Jake T-T-T-TAPPERED!!!! yeah son!
02-07-2017 , 01:54 AM
I saw on Twitter an idea for having Willem Dafoe as Kellyanne Conway on SNL.

Between that, Rosie as Trump, and McCarthy as Spicer, holy **** Trump might explode.
02-07-2017 , 01:55 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by simplicitus
Whether or not Trump knows what the courts do, being a federal judge is kind of a big deal.
I agree, which is why a think a 80year old shouldnt rule over thinks like net neutrality.
02-07-2017 , 02:05 AM
Spice is telling all of Fox News -and their viewers - that all the protesters are paid for. This is a huge problem. My father believes this...he is Fox's base. He does not believe the WH Press Sec'y - or the President - would lie to the American people.
02-07-2017 , 02:07 AM
spicer said that where? jesus christ
02-07-2017 , 02:08 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominic
Spice is telling all of Fox News -and their viewers - that all the protesters are paid for. This is a huge problem. My father believes this...he is Fox's base. He does not believe the WH Press Sec'y - or the President - would lie to the American people.
Yea it's up the rest of the media to call Spicer/Trump out on their BS. Fox crazies are Fox crazies no matter what. Those viewers are 100% backing Trump.
02-07-2017 , 02:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirbynator
spicer said that where? jesus christ
Video of Brian Killmead interviewing Spicer.

I have no idea what the website is - it looks like propaganda crap...but the video is obviously real.
02-07-2017 , 02:21 AM
this **** gives me headaches, literally infowars running the usa
02-07-2017 , 02:25 AM
Speaking of Spicer, I'm not sure if this is accidental humor or not.

Quote:
McCarthy, he said, “needs to slow down on the gum chewing; way too many pieces in there,” he joked in an interview with Extra.
That is my favorite gum.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/0...-spicer-234715
02-07-2017 , 03:12 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clovis8
I do worry about being in a bubble sometimes so I actively try to find intelligent voices from the right, especially as I consider myself right on many financial issues.

The problem is I can't find them. Is there a William F. Buckley of today I am missing? Are there any intelligent voices supporting Trump?

There has to be some reasonable voices from the right. Can anyone help me find them?
“Where’s my good old gang done gone?”
I heard a sad man say.
I whispered in that sad man’s ear,
“Your gang’s done gone away.”
02-07-2017 , 03:23 AM
edit: sorry about the grunch


Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperUberBob
I don't think you can fairly call Trump a liar. Being a liar assumes that you know the truth but go against it anyway. To me Trump doesn't have the mental capacity to distinguish truth from fiction which would make lying impossible.

Liars lie because it serves a selfish purpose. But Trump makes foolish statements even when it isn't in his best interests. He just says what makes him feel good. That's not the hallmark of a liar. It's a hallmark of a mental patient.


Quote:
Originally Posted by champstark
lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperUberBob
Nice work ignoring the rest of the post.

Quote:
Originally Posted by champstark
The rest of what you posted didn't really make any sense, frankly.

Clinically, you don't say delusional people are 'lying' even though delusional people and liars are both not telling the truth.

Last edited by 5ive; 02-07-2017 at 03:30 AM.
02-07-2017 , 03:25 AM


Supposedly these images really bother Trump.
02-07-2017 , 03:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzzer99
Supposedly these images really bother Trump.
This tweet in particular seems to have its origins in the trolling of Trump that the real President is Bannon and that he hoodwinked Trump into putting him on the NSC:

02-07-2017 , 03:32 AM
I do like how he says 'largely' as in, uh, hey Long Tie Donnie, that might still make the point.
02-07-2017 , 03:36 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by 5ive
I do like how he says 'largely' as in, uh, hey Long Tie Donnie, that might still make the point.
einbert can bring that quote from ur-fascism. No real powerful man of action would ALWAYS make decisions based on the accumulation of data. Sometimes der Trumpenstein gotta shoot from the hip.
02-07-2017 , 03:41 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DVaut1
I'm gonna go back the other way here and reference our recent disagreement: Democrats and the left frankly needs to be doing way more right now to inculcate and produce a feeling of anger and resentment at what's being done. For instance: that botched attack in Yemen is the perfect example of something that tickets all the boxes. Foster a sense of nationalism -- our boys lives matter. We all agree with that! Trump's incompetence puts them in harm's way. Trump is betraying out national identity by spilling our blood in a careless way. Use the rhetoric of grievance and resentment and nationalism.

This should have been a lay-up that imo Democrats are still failing to capitalize on.

But it can't be just that. It can be that for now. Do not get addicted to it. Do not let it replace our long-term ideals and what we're trying to do to achieve them and work on building long-term political consensus for it. The right-wing has effectively gained power with it, sure, but consider to what end. They haven't rebuilt the Reagan coalition. They haven't won a lasting victory. And critically I think the mindset that gets addicted to grievance politics and resentment is incapable of getting there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 5ive
100% agree but also 100% have no faith it will work. Well, maybe 98%.

It's the same line we vehement antiwar people tried to take 15 years ago.

"No war!"

"You don't Support Our Troops?"

"Yes we do! We support them so much we want to bring them home so they don't die in a pointless quagmire."

"Why do you hate freedom?!?"

"Sigh!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Autocratic
It's worse than this. Remember when Kerry made his service the linchpin of his campaign and they created swiftboating? These people do not have respect for troops or military service as a rule.

The line re: Yemen should be "Trump is incompetent." That's it.
Just getting back to this.

I agree that a majority, probably a vast majority of Trumpkins are simply unprincipled nihilists and don't give a **** about troops or military service. Or they are ardent partisans that will do anything to take a Democrat down.

I'm equally convinced of two other things though:

1. in the heat of a political campaign, voters will let enough cognitive dissonance in to allow themselves to believe John Kerry is a traitor simply because they don't agree with him politically; that's an order of magnitude different from that to getting voters to believe active duty military are worthy of the scorn they heaped on Kerry. Make Trump own those coffins showing up at Dover; we really think he can swiftboat the war dead? He's proven surprisingly politically adept but let's not give him too much credit here. The right swiftboated a partisan liberal in the heat of a Presidential campaign; swiftboating random dead soldiers is a completely different matter altogether
2. and there are a significant number of people who have a genuine respect for troops and military service such that if you can get people to internalize a narrative that Trump is both incompetent and reckless with American lives, it would be highly damaging for him politically. Even if it was 5% of his voters, that would constitute a significant erosion of political capital.

I remain entirely cynical about the moral credibility of most voters, particularly Trumpkins but I am equally convinced that fundamentally, perpetuating a narrative that Trump is incompetent in ways that threaten the safety of military members serving in war one of if not the most potentially damaging memes available. Yes: lots of Trumpkins, mouthbreathers, and principle-free right-wingers cynically wave the flag. But tons of people -- many Trump voters -- buy into a sincere nationalism and the value of the lives of people serving down to their very core and will become outraged if a collection of stories starts to build that suggests Trump's malfeasance here. The Iraq War is a great example; I am confident the hypothetical interchange 5ive wrote out happened all over America circa 2003 but I'm equally convinced that by 2006, the message had more or less sunk in and the damage was done to Bush. Once people saw that it was a pointless quagmire, the costs in human life and resources spent became stark. Heck, the Democrats haven't had a period of success like 2006-2008 in DECADES. That wasn't a bad script to follow and the first-draft of the screenplay was written in 2003. The groundwork was laid in repeating things like "this is a pointless quagmire" and "all Bush's fault" over and over.

Last edited by DVaut1; 02-07-2017 at 03:53 AM.
02-07-2017 , 03:46 AM
I like CNN's move with Kellyanne Conway. If you're going to get frozen out and undermined as journalists by the Administration, and if she's just coming on to present misinformation, then it's not good journalism to keep bringing her back. She's obviously not credible and ratings are the only excuse to bother with her at all. They have an obligation to provide credible information but zero obligation to make themselves a platform for propaganda (Trump's or otherwise).

20 years ago I'd have disagreed with the above because, nonsense or not, you ought to report what government representatives are saying, and then call it out as needed. But today with Twitter they're getting it out there in a very quotable and reportable medium so that's covered.

They probably won't stay the course on her but I hope they do. Make the White House send a representative who can sensibly answer questions. And if they can't or won't, then you choose the next best source. I'm sure they don't want to lose their voice to former Obama staffers doing analysis bits or John McCain whoever.
02-07-2017 , 04:01 AM
Surprisingly the mainstream media's infatuation and embrace of access to government officials made them forget that the value proposition cut both ways. CNN rebuking Conway seems like the first sort of inkling in a while that the media is doing the government a tremendous service giving bureaucrats and lackeys like Conway tons of incredibly valuable free media time to say stuff.

Trump Admin will pout and threaten to take their ball to FNC or Facebook Live or whatever to play with them instead but CNN's posturing here does constitute a problem for them.
02-07-2017 , 04:09 AM
On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency (1988)

Good book on the subject of media and access.
02-07-2017 , 04:12 AM
John Bercow's excellent stand deserves a mention. He is the speaker in the house of commons and is getting much praise but also a great deal of flak from the government . It's worth realising that he is a UK conservative



Quote:
I must say to the honourable gentleman, to all who signed his early day motion and to others with strong views about this matter on either side of the argument, that before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall.

After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall.
Quote:
So far as the Royal Gallery is concerned, again I operate on advice, I do not perhaps have as strong a say in that matter. It is in a different part of the building, although customarily an invitation to a visiting leader to deliver an address there would be issued in the names of the two speakers.

I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery.
Quote:
And I conclude by saying to the honourable gentleman this: We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker.

However, as far as this place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons.

      
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