Author Topic: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...  (Read 1419253 times)

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2700 on: July 12, 2018, 10:19:06 PM »
I know we are in information overload these days, what with Trump pummeling NATO and teeing off on England, then welcoming time alone with Putin next week; but Strzok needs to be commended for his composure under what would be considered (in normal times) unreasonable and ridiculously biased insinuation.  Getting your name dragged even further through the mud publicly (after acknowledging your failings in your private life) is not an easy time to defend the institution of the FBI and its mission to defend American ideals against the outrageous charge that a single agent with personal issues made the whole FBI vulnerable to an attack on democracy.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/house-strzok-hearing-bickering/index.html

Quote
Even by the clown show standards of the House of Representatives, this was not democracy's finest hour.
...
But as an example of the mind-blowing rabbit holes and political polarization spawned by Russia's election meddling operation it was priceless.

bacchi

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2701 on: July 12, 2018, 11:01:36 PM »
I know we are in information overload these days, what with Trump pummeling NATO and teeing off on England, then welcoming time alone with Putin next week; but Strzok needs to be commended for his composure under what would be considered (in normal times) unreasonable and ridiculously biased insinuation.  Getting your name dragged even further through the mud publicly (after acknowledging your failings in your private life) is not an easy time to defend the institution of the FBI and its mission to defend American ideals against the outrageous charge that a single agent with personal issues made the whole FBI vulnerable to an attack on democracy.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/house-strzok-hearing-bickering/index.html

Quote
Even by the clown show standards of the House of Representatives, this was not democracy's finest hour.
...
But as an example of the mind-blowing rabbit holes and political polarization spawned by Russia's election meddling operation it was priceless.

Strzok was prepared, no question about it. The entire proceeding was a joke and, at times, he treated it like one. One of the funnier lines from a Congressling was, "I am a dentist so I read body language very, very, well." Lol. Yeahhh, ok.

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2702 on: July 13, 2018, 12:07:24 AM »
I know we are in information overload these days, what with Trump pummeling NATO and teeing off on England, then welcoming time alone with Putin next week; but Strzok needs to be commended for his composure under what would be considered (in normal times) unreasonable and ridiculously biased insinuation.  Getting your name dragged even further through the mud publicly (after acknowledging your failings in your private life) is not an easy time to defend the institution of the FBI and its mission to defend American ideals against the outrageous charge that a single agent with personal issues made the whole FBI vulnerable to an attack on democracy.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/house-strzok-hearing-bickering/index.html

Quote
Even by the clown show standards of the House of Representatives, this was not democracy's finest hour.
...
But as an example of the mind-blowing rabbit holes and political polarization spawned by Russia's election meddling operation it was priceless.

Strzok was prepared, no question about it. The entire proceeding was a joke and, at times, he treated it like one. One of the funnier lines from a Congressling was, "I am a dentist so I read body language very, very, well." Lol. Yeahhh, ok.

Yup.  It's like, we're Republican so we are uncovering this conspiracy and therefore able to say whatever batshit craziness point scoring attempts we want.  But as any reasonable person would know, one employee, no matter how flawed, cannot bring down the FBI.  On the other hand, the POTUS just happens to be one that can destroy American institutions (and actively, before our eyes, seems to be doing so, despite this ridiculous side-show).

I mean, does anyone really think a love affair that failed to stop Trump from becoming President really matters?
« Last Edit: July 13, 2018, 12:09:36 AM by EscapeVelocity2020 »

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2703 on: July 13, 2018, 12:50:36 AM »
You know what is really odd to me (conspiracy theory warning), is why a functioning Democracy would not demand access to Trump's meeting with Putin.  If there is even a reasonable contingent of the electorate that is unsettled by a closed meeting, then there should not be a closed meeting (historically, given how powerful the Presidency is).  Congress should stand up to this trampling of Democracy and the Judiciary should, as a backstop, ensure it does not happen again.  And yet the other branches of government are silent...  Wow, being an American citizen really does feel like being a Roman.  Pathetic, spoiled, and ultimately responsible for having a good thing but not fighting hard enough for it after having it for so long...

On a side note, recessions are really good for the environment, so it's not all sadness and disappointment IMHO.

Roadrunner53

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2704 on: July 13, 2018, 05:55:37 AM »
Donny Boy doesn't feel welcomed in London so he isn't going and he mentioned the baby Donny blimp! Hahaha...can we fly one over every state capitol in the USA?

One can only imagine what he will do in the presence of the Queen...

MasterStache

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2705 on: July 13, 2018, 06:47:49 AM »
I know we are in information overload these days, what with Trump pummeling NATO and teeing off on England, then welcoming time alone with Putin next week; but Strzok needs to be commended for his composure under what would be considered (in normal times) unreasonable and ridiculously biased insinuation.  Getting your name dragged even further through the mud publicly (after acknowledging your failings in your private life) is not an easy time to defend the institution of the FBI and its mission to defend American ideals against the outrageous charge that a single agent with personal issues made the whole FBI vulnerable to an attack on democracy.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/house-strzok-hearing-bickering/index.html

Quote
Even by the clown show standards of the House of Representatives, this was not democracy's finest hour.
...
But as an example of the mind-blowing rabbit holes and political polarization spawned by Russia's election meddling operation it was priceless.

Strzok was prepared, no question about it. The entire proceeding was a joke and, at times, he treated it like one. One of the funnier lines from a Congressling was, "I am a dentist so I read body language very, very, well." Lol. Yeahhh, ok.

He sure was. Republicans will stop at nothing to discredit the FBI and anyone involved in the Russia investigation. Even stooping to personal attacks during a "professional " hearing. Desperation is sinking in bigly, especially with the POTUS!

https://twitter.com/gelles/status/1017179171506749441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017179171506749441&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pastemagazine.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2Freporter-claims-to-have-given-information-to-the-f.html

Republicans want this investigation to end so badly. I think it's just getting started.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/atd-indictments-0514.png?w=1150

EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2706 on: July 13, 2018, 09:00:17 AM »
Seriously, how is this even possible?  https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/13/politics/trump-uk-visit-theresa-may/index.html

Does he not know he is the President of, what at least used to be, the most influential country in the world? 
Quote
President Donald Trump denied Friday that he criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May, the day after a British tabloid published an interview with him in which he did just that. He dismissed the interview, conducted by a Rupert Murdoch-owned publication, as "fake news" saying it didn't include his comments praising May.

I know editing tricks and cuts, getting outraged at things taken out of context, but using the threadbare 'fake news' when you are working with an established ally?  Cuh'mon Trump, you meant everything you said.  And Americans should be outraged, kicking England when it is down is below the belt (unless you are Putin, then it's pretty amazing).

I just keep thinking, the next 10 years (my key retirement years and my kids becoming adults) are going to be a hot, nasty mess!  Invading Iraq on false pretenses happened, what, 15 years ago...

Roadrunner53

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2707 on: July 13, 2018, 10:01:05 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Kris

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2708 on: July 13, 2018, 10:09:14 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Congress is run by Republicans. They are so corrupt they won't stop him unless it becomes clear to them they will lose everything. And the voters in their districts aren't mad enough yet to strike any fear into their hearts.

The SC can only react to cases that are brought to them.

dividendman

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2709 on: July 13, 2018, 10:10:49 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

There are laws on the books. The cabinet can remove him (via statute)  and the congress can remove him (via the constitution: impeachment and senate trial).

jim555

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2710 on: July 13, 2018, 10:33:38 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable.
But he said he is a "stable genius" yesterday.  LOL

wenchsenior

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2711 on: July 13, 2018, 10:42:13 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

MasterStache

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2712 on: July 13, 2018, 11:26:02 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

GuitarStv

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2713 on: July 13, 2018, 11:49:29 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

People keep saying this, but I don't believe so.  I think it's because they approve of what he's doing.

DarkandStormy

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2714 on: July 13, 2018, 11:52:34 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

People keep saying this, but I don't believe so.  I think it's because they approve of what he's doing.

They're willing to put up with the craziness if they get tax cuts (check) and right-wing SCOTUS justices (check).

nereo

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2715 on: July 13, 2018, 11:53:43 AM »
It occurred to me that Sea Cucumbers are pretty close to real-life spineless assholes.


EscapeVelocity2020

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2716 on: July 13, 2018, 12:05:16 PM »
It occurred to me that Sea Cucumbers are pretty close to real-life spineless assholes.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?

nereo

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2717 on: July 13, 2018, 12:19:12 PM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

People keep saying this, but I don't believe so.  I think it's because they approve of what he's doing.

They're willing to put up with the craziness if they get tax cuts (check) and right-wing SCOTUS justices (check).

I waffle on this. 
Yes, they are thrilled to have gotten two SCOTUS picks and a reduction in the corporate tax rate.  But they've given up any semblance of free trade (tariffs!), a foreign doctrine with the US as the leader (Putin & Kim are 'smart cookies' and 'strong leaders'!), a balanced budget/debt reduction (rising deficits as far as the eye can see) any hope that the party will appeal more to minorities (the 2012 GOP autopsy)... they've even given up on a major infrastructure overhaul and their chants of "repeal and replace" have been drowned out by "build that wall" and "lock her up".  Now the only attention they give to healthcare is whenever they give it another paper cut - they've given up on replacing it entirely.

jrhampt

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2718 on: July 13, 2018, 12:23:02 PM »
It occurred to me that Sea Cucumbers are pretty close to real-life spineless assholes.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?

We already took to the streets in protest last year.  Now we are busy running for office and working on midterm elections because the only way to get Trump out is to vote in people who will oppose him.  We don’t have the votes to do anything else right now.

Nicholas Carter

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2719 on: July 13, 2018, 12:45:36 PM »
  Congress should stand up to this trampling of Democracy and the Judiciary should, as a backstop, ensure it does not happen again.  And yet the other branches of government are silent... 
In general, when people like Trump are elected to executive positions, it's because people believe that those institutions have become so dysfunctional that the no longer have any value worth protecting. Whatever problems caused this collapse of popular faith, combined with a deafening absence of popular support after the fact, typically leaves the old institutions paralyzed until the executive is out of power.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?
I don't think we are seeing apathy, so much as paralysis.The people who want to change things can be broken into four groups:
People who are doing the wrong thing
There's still a lot of disagreement about how we got here: Why weren't the Democrats able to make a persuasive case against him, how did we get a Republican party that put him up to begin with, how did our institutions atrophy to the point that he can drive policy at all levels?
With a bunch of different diagnoses, people are acting on a bunch of different cures. Not all of these cures are productive. At the best, a lot of people are wasting time on action that doesn't change anything, and at worst, some people are actually making things worse trying to fix it. Several of these actions are at direct cross-purpose: Should the Democrats more more left, toward the center, become more unified, become more regional? They can't do all four at once, which leads us to:
People fighting internal battles
We got here because, collectively, we didn't do the right things. But who was doing the wrong things? Leftist movements turn on each other while the Democratic administration endlessly debates its own strategy. Picking a new strategy is necessary, but it doesn't have any appearance of being action. A lot of people are putting all their political energy into planning, putting off any actions until they've convinced everyone to go along with them. This turn inward, combined with the energy from a lot of the most involved people pointing at each other, leads to:
People despairing
The best lack all conviction while the wrong are full of passionate intensity. People don't know what they're supposed to be doing, or they know what they should be doing, and can't convince anybody to help, or they're 100% committed to doing something that no one can convince them isn't helping.
If you are not a leader type in your politics, if you just want a person you can trust to explain what you should do so you can do it, then this is very dispiriting. You don't know what you should do, and if you ask four people for advice you get five plans. You feel helpless that anything you can do will make any difference, your outrage just exhausts you, you feel like you're chasing shadows.
This is an emotion that leads to disengagement. "Come back to me when you have a plan." To end this thing on a good note:
People who are voices in the wilderness
There are some people (who is a matter of opinion) who understand what needs to be accomplished. Some of them have the right plan to accomplish those things. Given time and commitment, the best case scenario is that these people eventually resolve the internal debates about what to do next in their favor, convince the people working at cross purposes to them to stop, and present a unified vision for the people who feel paralyzed about how they, personally, can contribute to making it happen.

GuitarStv

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2720 on: July 13, 2018, 01:39:28 PM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

People keep saying this, but I don't believe so.  I think it's because they approve of what he's doing.

They're willing to put up with the craziness if they get tax cuts (check) and right-wing SCOTUS justices (check).

I waffle on this. 
Yes, they are thrilled to have gotten two SCOTUS picks and a reduction in the corporate tax rate.  But they've given up any semblance of free trade (tariffs!), a foreign doctrine with the US as the leader (Putin & Kim are 'smart cookies' and 'strong leaders'!), a balanced budget/debt reduction (rising deficits as far as the eye can see) any hope that the party will appeal more to minorities (the 2012 GOP autopsy)... they've even given up on a major infrastructure overhaul and their chants of "repeal and replace" have been drowned out by "build that wall" and "lock her up".  Now the only attention they give to healthcare is whenever they give it another paper cut - they've given up on replacing it entirely.

The things that they've eagerly traded for corporate tax cuts and two supreme court picks just aren't all that important to the modern Republican party (maybe thirty years ago).  They clearly no longer give a shit about free trade, the US as a world leader, a balanced budget, or infrastructure.  Those are maybe still used as talking points to rile up their base . . . but Trump has now proven that they were utterly without Republican backing.  Republicans never even pretended to care about implementing any working version of health care, so no surprises on that front.

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2721 on: July 13, 2018, 02:05:41 PM »
It occurred to me that Sea Cucumbers are pretty close to real-life spineless assholes.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?

I'm kind of surprised by this comment. I know I have been to several protests since Jan 2017: Local women's march, an airport protest during the open salvos of the travel ban, local march for our lives  in March, and an immigration protest two weeks ago.

I had never been to a protest in my life until this administration and I know I am not alone. But many of the people in my social circle are out there doing far more than me. Do you really feel like people aren't taking to the streets? I feel like everyone around me is pretty vigorously standing up for the things they care for.


MasterStache

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2722 on: July 13, 2018, 02:07:51 PM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

I just assumed it was rhetorical. They can but won't do anything to stop him. It's simply because they are spineless assholes.

People keep saying this, but I don't believe so.  I think it's because they approve of what he's doing.

I am not seeing the difference ( :

DarkandStormy

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2723 on: July 13, 2018, 02:19:48 PM »
The House Freedom Caucus is filing a motion to impeach Rod Rosenstein.

JLee

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2724 on: July 13, 2018, 02:33:28 PM »
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-russia-clinton-hack_us_5b48d9d0e4b0e7c958faf810

Quote
In the morning of July 27, 2016, Donald Trump encouraged Russian hackers to find emails that had been deleted from Hillary Clinton’s private server that she used while serving as secretary of state.

“I will tell you this, Russia: If you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said at a press conference in Florida. “I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”

Russia appeared to be listening and heeded Trump’s call, according to a bombshell revelation on Friday. A grand jury convened by special counsel Robert Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officials for their involvement in hacking the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 election.

Kris

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2725 on: July 13, 2018, 03:09:16 PM »
On a relatively banal note, here's your daily reminder that our current president is a complete and utter boob:

https://www.truthexam.com/2018/07/donald-trump-broke-royal-protocol-and-blocked-and-walked-in-front-of-the-queen-video/

hoping2retire35

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2726 on: July 13, 2018, 07:55:12 PM »
  Congress should stand up to this trampling of Democracy and the Judiciary should, as a backstop, ensure it does not happen again.  And yet the other branches of government are silent... 
In general, when people like Trump are elected to executive positions, it's because people believe that those institutions have become so dysfunctional that the no longer have any value worth protecting. Whatever problems caused this collapse of popular faith, combined with a deafening absence of popular support after the fact, typically leaves the old institutions paralyzed until the executive is out of power.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?
I don't think we are seeing apathy, so much as paralysis.The people who want to change things can be broken into four groups:
People who are doing the wrong thing
There's still a lot of disagreement about how we got here: Why weren't the Democrats able to make a persuasive case against him, how did we get a Republican party that put him up to begin with, how did our institutions atrophy to the point that he can drive policy at all levels?
With a bunch of different diagnoses, people are acting on a bunch of different cures. Not all of these cures are productive. At the best, a lot of people are wasting time on action that doesn't change anything, and at worst, some people are actually making things worse trying to fix it. Several of these actions are at direct cross-purpose: Should the Democrats more more left, toward the center, become more unified, become more regional? They can't do all four at once, which leads us to:
People fighting internal battles
We got here because, collectively, we didn't do the right things. But who was doing the wrong things? Leftist movements turn on each other while the Democratic administration endlessly debates its own strategy. Picking a new strategy is necessary, but it doesn't have any appearance of being action. A lot of people are putting all their political energy into planning, putting off any actions until they've convinced everyone to go along with them. This turn inward, combined with the energy from a lot of the most involved people pointing at each other, leads to:
People despairing
The best lack all conviction while the wrong are full of passionate intensity. People don't know what they're supposed to be doing, or they know what they should be doing, and can't convince anybody to help, or they're 100....
Ok Ipadding and the delete quote is taking too long, anywho. I think you are on to it.

Remember how parties realigned, in ;1810s, 1850s, 1930, and somewhat in the 1960s, this is what is happening again. The party you voted for is likely not to be the party you vote for in 10 years (assuming your values don't change). I believe this is where the frustration and much more so, the confusion comes from.

As an addendum. Trump more or less understands there is a realignment and  knows he gets to play president while we figure this out.

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2727 on: July 13, 2018, 08:45:21 PM »
Yes I would agree that there is a realignment. A lot of white working class and union members voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton.
A lot of farmers also voted for Donald Trump.

So far Donald Trump's trade war with China has caused Soybean prices to slump 15%, and the conservative Supreme Court took a blow to public service employee unions.

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2728 on: July 13, 2018, 09:01:35 PM »
China has almost a monopoly on rare earth elements that are crucial in manufacturing smart phones, electric/hybrid cars, semiconductors, light bulbs, heating elements and more.

Here's one commenter in the NY Times article about China's ability to stop providing these minerals to US companies:

"We have a ten year old boy (at least his mental state) conducting a trade war with China. He does not understand trade. He does not understand China has a strong hand. He does not understand that China can cut off the world supply of rare earth metals to the point that major industries in the United States will be crippled. Trump is neither strategic or tactical; he is incompetent. He is going to destroy our economy. China is in the driver's seat; Trump is reason all us are going to be taken on a bumpy ride. My only satisfaction in this nightmare is that the people who voted for him will begin paying the price for their misinformed, stupid choice."

How Rare Earths (What?) Could Be Crucial in a U.S.-China Trade War
https://nyti.ms/2LaOe2h

dang1

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2729 on: July 13, 2018, 09:42:04 PM »
It occurred to me that Sea Cucumbers are pretty close to real-life spineless assholes.

It's like all of the smart, sharp, energetic people in America are Sponge-Bob watching, pot smoking, mental weaklings.  Shit, even in the 70's people got out, organized, and did something signficant about (the SHtF Vietnam) travesty!  Is that what we need to move us off the couch to the streets to stop Trump's message that he represents us?  Do we really have to lose something dear in order to stand up to his obvious BS?  Are we going to be remembered as the passive generation that watched America flop off the pedestal with no call on the foul (sorry, watching a lot of World Cup)?

I'm kind of surprised by this comment. I know I have been to several protests since Jan 2017: Local women's march, an airport protest during the open salvos of the travel ban, local march for our lives  in March, and an immigration protest two weeks ago.

I had never been to a protest in my life until this administration and I know I am not alone. But many of the people in my social circle are out there doing far more than me. Do you really feel like people aren't taking to the streets? I feel like everyone around me is pretty vigorously standing up for the things they care for.

a San Francisco Bay Area county is ending its Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract to detain immigrants at a jail, partly because: "..work of the Sheriff’s Office has been overshadowed by the attention the contract brings. “Managing protests .. [has] become expensive and time-consuming for our staff,” he said. “And to be very fair, one must acknowledge a growing chorus of community groups and individuals, from both within and outside the county, that have focused on undocumented immigrants’ issues..”

Kyle Schuant

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2730 on: July 13, 2018, 10:51:21 PM »
China has almost a monopoly on rare earth elements that are crucial in manufacturing smart phones, electric/hybrid cars, semiconductors, light bulbs, heating elements and more.

Here's one commenter in the NY Times article about China's ability to stop providing these minerals to US companies:
What you and the commentator don't realise is that while China is the major producer now, in the past they were also produced in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa - and the United States. They also appear in tailings from uranium mining. Chinese production dropped world prices in the 1990s and most mines were mothballed, and extracting from tailings was economically unviable.

Back in the 1970s OPEC embargoed much the West in retaliation for its support of Israel. In response, the West brought in fuel efficiency standards, there were solar panels on the White House and so on. And all sorts of previously marginal oilfields became useful, Texas and Alaska had a boom, etc. Seeing demand drop, OPEC's income dropped, and there was every prospect that it would drop further as the world used less oil and more from their own countries rather than importing it from OPEC; OPEC was destroying its own economic future. So after a few years they lifted the embargo and started producing so much that the price crashed and the Texas oilfields started closing.

If China were to stop production or sale of rare earths, prices would go up, those mines would be re-opened and the tailings would be worked with. Hell, someone other than Japan might even start recycling all the electronic junk we throw away. With new supplies this would drop prices again and China would have a much smaller market share. And for some applications, substitutes for rare earths might be found. This would hurt the Chinese economy long-term.

If you stop supplying the world with your stuff, there is every chance they'll find somewhere else to get it from if at all physically possible, and they might even learn to do without it entirely, so that when you decide to supply it again nobody is buying.

So I don't see China cutting off the supply of rare earths (or anything else) except in case of war. It's just not in their long-term interests. Of course, countries do sometimes do things against their own interests, so it's not impossible, but is unlikely.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2018, 11:01:49 PM by Kyle Schuant »

dang1

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2731 on: July 13, 2018, 11:02:05 PM »
China has almost a monopoly on rare earth elements that are crucial in manufacturing smart phones, electric/hybrid cars, semiconductors, light bulbs, heating elements and more.

Here's one commenter in the NY Times article about China's ability to stop providing these minerals to US companies:
.. Of course, countries do sometimes do things against their own interests, so it's not impossible, but is unlikely.
the white working class, too ? https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-the-white-working-class-votes-against-itself/2016/12/22/3aa65c04-c88b-11e6-8bee-54e800ef2a63_story.html?utm_term=.2daec3648f58

Kyle Schuant

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2732 on: July 14, 2018, 12:45:30 AM »
The white working class, as I believe I've mentioned before in this thread, were fucked either way. Neither party was going to do anything much to help them, particularly the unemployed portion; so they went with the guy who did not actually insult them, and who didn't deny they and their country had problems.

Gin1984

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2733 on: July 14, 2018, 07:21:28 AM »
On a relatively banal note, here's your daily reminder that our current president is a complete and utter boob:

https://www.truthexam.com/2018/07/donald-trump-broke-royal-protocol-and-blocked-and-walked-in-front-of-the-queen-video/
Honestly is anyone surprised?  Even their own citizens had started a petition asking the Queen not to meet with him. He has no class. Maybe their government should have listened.

Kris

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2734 on: July 14, 2018, 08:17:11 AM »
On a relatively banal note, here's your daily reminder that our current president is a complete and utter boob:

https://www.truthexam.com/2018/07/donald-trump-broke-royal-protocol-and-blocked-and-walked-in-front-of-the-queen-video/
Honestly is anyone surprised?  Even their own citizens had started a petition asking the Queen not to meet with him. He has no class. Maybe their government should have listened.

Nope, not surprised at all. It was a given he would eff up that meeting. The only question was how, and in how many ways.

jrhampt

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2735 on: July 14, 2018, 08:52:15 AM »
The white working class, as I believe I've mentioned before in this thread, were fucked either way. Neither party was going to do anything much to help them, particularly the unemployed portion; so they went with the guy who did not actually insult them, and who didn't deny they and their country had problems.

This is incorrect.  The other party was interested in expanding Medicare and Medicaid, as opposed to cutting both.  They went with the guy who lied to them, because they were angry.  It’s called “cutting off your nose to spite your face”.

Roadrunner53

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2736 on: July 14, 2018, 10:20:32 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.

wenchsenior

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2737 on: July 14, 2018, 10:25:41 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.

They don't bother me.  I just wondered if you legitimately didn't understand all the answers people have given.  Personally, I think Trump is mentally ill, a vile asshole, and a traitor to the country.  I vent about it all the time...though not so much on this board.  I wasn't being snarky with you, just wasn't sure if venting was what you were doing.

Davnasty

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2738 on: July 14, 2018, 10:30:06 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.
It's not just wench. I don't want to be rude and it's not really a big deal either way, like they said if it's just venting that's cool, but otherwise its not really adding much to the discussion. When the question is posed at least one and usually more people will take the time to respond so if the question has already been addressed it's taking away from the discussion.

Roadrunner53

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2739 on: July 14, 2018, 10:56:37 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.

They don't bother me.  I just wondered if you legitimately didn't understand all the answers people have given.  Personally, I think Trump is mentally ill, a vile asshole, and a traitor to the country.  I vent about it all the time...though not so much on this board.  I wasn't being snarky with you, just wasn't sure if venting was what you were doing.

Yes, I am very capable of understanding the answers people have given. LOL. I just find it amazing that Trump does new dastardly deeds each day and there seems no way to stop him. We, the little people, seem to have no way to stop him except during the next election which is far away. So much more damage will be done by then.

wenchsenior

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2740 on: July 14, 2018, 11:16:36 AM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.

They don't bother me.  I just wondered if you legitimately didn't understand all the answers people have given.  Personally, I think Trump is mentally ill, a vile asshole, and a traitor to the country.  I vent about it all the time...though not so much on this board.  I wasn't being snarky with you, just wasn't sure if venting was what you were doing.

Yes, I am very capable of understanding the answers people have given. LOL. I just find it amazing that Trump does new dastardly deeds each day and there seems no way to stop him. We, the little people, seem to have no way to stop him except during the next election which is far away. So much more damage will be done by then.

It is shocking to realize how much 'restraint on the presidency' is based only on custom and assumption that most people want a functioning democracy.  Both of which have turned out to be empty.

rocketpj

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2741 on: July 14, 2018, 02:52:25 PM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable.
But he said he is a "stable genius" yesterday.  LOL

Every time he asserts how sane he is it gives me grave concerns. 

Seriously, who feels the need to assert how smart and sane they are?  Stupid, unstable people.  Does he repeat the mantra into his mirror every morning?

jrhampt

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2742 on: July 14, 2018, 03:10:56 PM »
The Orange one can't seriously be mentally stable. Why can't Congress or Supreme Court do something to stop him? Are there no laws on the books to control an out of control maniac?

Roadrunner, you have asked this same question repeatedly on these forums. Is it just rhetorical venting? If so, cool.  I vent constantly to friends and family.  But if it is not rhetorical, many of us have repeatedly answered you.

Wench, I'll make a note of that but if my postings bother you, I would suggest you don't read them or "repeatedly" respond to them. That is a very easy fix! Thank you for sharing.

They don't bother me.  I just wondered if you legitimately didn't understand all the answers people have given.  Personally, I think Trump is mentally ill, a vile asshole, and a traitor to the country.  I vent about it all the time...though not so much on this board.  I wasn't being snarky with you, just wasn't sure if venting was what you were doing.

Yes, I am very capable of understanding the answers people have given. LOL. I just find it amazing that Trump does new dastardly deeds each day and there seems no way to stop him. We, the little people, seem to have no way to stop him except during the next election which is far away. So much more damage will be done by then.

The next election is less than four months away.  That is our next chance to curtail him; don’t forget to take advantage of it. 

Roadrunner53

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2743 on: July 14, 2018, 03:22:54 PM »
Yes, get out and vote and put the word out. Drive your elderly neighbors too.

TrudgingAlong

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2744 on: July 15, 2018, 11:23:57 AM »
The white working class, as I believe I've mentioned before in this thread, were fucked either way. Neither party was going to do anything much to help them, particularly the unemployed portion; so they went with the guy who did not actually insult them, and who didn't deny they and their country had problems.

And yet he’s recently declared poverty not a problem here in the US. You know, so he can stop programs that help the working class in trouble. What they were sadly too dense to realize is he was USING them, not experiencing a wave of empathy. He hasn’t a single empathetic bone in his body.

scottish

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2745 on: July 15, 2018, 11:48:32 AM »
Trump has announced that he will run for re-election in 2 years.

That is all.

Kris

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2746 on: July 15, 2018, 12:04:01 PM »
Trump has announced that he will run for re-election in 2 years.

That is all.

We did already know this, though. He filed his paperwork almost immediately after he took office, so that he could start accepting campaign contributions for 2020. And he’s been holding campaign rallies all along.

nereo

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2747 on: July 15, 2018, 02:30:34 PM »
Trump has announced that he will run for re-election in 2 years.

That is all.

We did already know this, though. He filed his paperwork almost immediately after he took office, so that he could start accepting campaign contributions for 2020. And he’s been holding campaign rallies all along.
..but... but... but... i thought he wasn't beholden to campaign donors because he didn't need their money...

Glenstache

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2748 on: July 15, 2018, 03:09:25 PM »
Speculation on rest of presidency: more golf. Lots of golf. So much golf.  But, not a single green that isn't on a Trump-branded property.

MasterStache

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Re: So Let's Speculate about the Future of a Full Trump Presidency...
« Reply #2749 on: July 15, 2018, 06:09:26 PM »
Speculation on rest of presidency: more golf. Lots of golf. So much golf.  But, not a single green that isn't on a Trump-branded property.

Ahhh remember when playing golf every weekend was the worst thing Trump was doing at the time?

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!