Trump outrage of the day

[nereo]

Look, it’s not complicated - refrain from using derogatory nick-names.

[sui generis]

Look, it’s not complicated - refrain from using derogatory nick-names.

What are you, a school teacher? Keep your imputations to yourself, mate. No one needs to hear your lecturing.

How would it help for nereo to keep their imputations to themselves, when literally everyone else that has commented has said the same thing, essentially?  Can't you just ever give in and (at least, if not just a brief, humble apology) say, "nevermind folks, it was an attempt at a joke that obvs didn't go over" and let the thread move the F on?  Do you ALWAYS have to dig in your heels so that we have to spend the next umpteen posts and pages trying to point out the obtuseness of your comments??

I mean, it's just cringe-inducing to watch, honestly.  If you enjoy this kind of derailment, I guess there's nothing we can do, but just pointing out that you have the power to make this end.

[Bloop Bloop Reloaded]

The only person I've objected to is the person I quoted, who imputed that I used a racial slur. Everyone else is free to analyse the post in their own way and I haven't responded with any issues to the others. It's wrong of you to say "literally everyone else that has commented has said the same thing", since the others didn't accuse me of using a racial slur.

If anything, all I've done is answer direct call-outs against me (imputing I was using a racist slur). If anyone has derailed the thread, it's not me, friendo. I didn't respond to all the other commentary directed at my post.

So, go read it, and maybe calm yourself down, and think with a cool head instead of a hot one.

[JLee]

The only person I've objected to is the person I quoted, who imputed that I used a racial slur. Everyone else is free to analyse the post in their own way and I haven't responded with any issues to the others. It's wrong of you to say "literally everyone else that has commented has said the same thing", since the others didn't accuse me of using a racial slur.

If anything, all I've done is answer direct call-outs against me (imputing I was using a racist slur). If anyone has derailed the thread, it's not me, friendo. I didn't respond to all the other commentary directed at my post.

So, go read it, and maybe calm yourself down, and think with a cool head instead of a hot one.

I will say you are capable of putting an astonishing amount of sarcasm and condescension into text form.

[sui generis]

The only person I've objected to is the person I quoted, who imputed that I used a racial slur. Everyone else is free to analyse the post in their own way and I haven't responded with any issues to the others. It's wrong of you to say "literally everyone else that has commented has said the same thing", since the others didn't accuse me of using a racial slur.

If anything, all I've done is answer direct call-outs against me (imputing I was using a racist slur). If anyone has derailed the thread, it's not me, friendo. I didn't respond to all the other commentary directed at my post.

So, go read it, and maybe calm yourself down, and think with a cool head instead of a hot one.

*headdesk*

[deborah]

Look, it’s not complicated - refrain from using derogatory nick-names.

What are you, a school teacher? Keep your imputations to yourself, mate. No one needs to hear your lecturing.

Rule 1 of the forum rules is “don’t be a jerk”. This has gone beyond the bounds. It’s actually broken rules 2 and 4 as well. Pretty amazing for one line!

FWIW, I thought "Aussies are whacky"  when I read bloop-bloop's nickname for Rudy.   (DW is Jewish, btw, but Jewish people aren't usually censured for being rude).

Can we still refer to Donald Trump as "the orange baboon" under the new rules?

And we now have more rule breaking!

Can we get back on topic before the thread is shut down?

[GuitarStv]

Can we still refer to Donald Trump as "the orange baboon" under the new rules?

I'd prefer if you didn't.  Trump has got an awful long history of being a terrible human being, there's no need to make up schoolyard names to call him when the truth is more damning.

[RetiredAt63]

Continents and countries separated by a "common" language.

[scottish]

Can we still refer to Donald Trump as "the orange baboon" under the new rules?

I'd prefer if you didn't.  Trump has got an awful long history of being a terrible human being, there's no need to make up schoolyard names to call him when the truth is more damning.

Very well.   I shall demonstrate adult behaviour here.

[Travis]

This seems relevant to Trump's "Big Lie". Giuliani lost his NY law license because he knowingly lied about it being true.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/24/nyregion/giuliani-law-license-suspended-trump.html

A New York appellate court suspended Rudolph W. Giuliani’s law license on Thursday after a disciplinary panel found that he made “demonstrably false and misleading” statements about the 2020 election as Donald J. Trump’s personal attorney.

I don’t think we’ve given this extraordinary outcome an appropriate amount of contemplation.

Rudy Giuliani was - not too long ago - thetop federal prosecutor in one of the biggest and most important cities - has been suspended from practicing law by the very city he formerly served.

I read an article a couple nights about his suspension and in quoting the board's decision it turned into a recap of some of the most hilarious assertions he made. I'm not a lawyer or up on judicial procedure, but I have to believe that had this not been a series of presidential lawsuits, Giuliani would have been shown the door mid-argument rant.

[sonofsven]

The only person I've objected to is the person I quoted, who imputed that I used a racial slur. Everyone else is free to analyse the post in their own way and I haven't responded with any issues to the others. It's wrong of you to say "literally everyone else that has commented has said the same thing", since the others didn't accuse me of using a racial slur.

If anything, all I've done is answer direct call-outs against me (imputing I was using a racist slur). If anyone has derailed the thread, it's not me, friendo. I didn't respond to all the other commentary directed at my post.

So, go read it, and maybe calm yourself down, and think with a cool head instead of a hot one.

So, you say you're a lawyer? Wise career choice.

[deborah]

I mean it as a shortening of his name from Rudolph to "Rude as", as in very rude. Joo is my way of spelling his last name in a shortened way, which is what Australians do a lot.

[MOD NOTE: The Internet is bigger than one country, I suppose.  So I suggest you stop using that phrase elsewhere.]

I strongly object to this being justified as being typically Australian. It’s not. A certain small section of the population may, occasionally, shorten a name from Rudolph to Rude-as, under duress, but even that loutish group would be unlikely to go further.

[talltexan]

Can we still refer to Donald Trump as "the orange baboon" under the new rules?

I'd prefer if you didn't.  Trump has got an awful long history of being a terrible human being, there's no need to make up schoolyard names to call him when the truth is more damning.

I was playing bridge last night with the side of the family that supported Trump last November. You cannot really avoid the subject when you're playing that game.

[brandon1827]

I bet that's...interesting...@talltexan lol

Only Trump news I saw this weekend was that he's apparently started having "rallies" again. No major news network covered it and the only videos I saw were of people leaving en masse during the "speech"

[Roadrunner53]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-attacks-barr-mcconnell_n_60d95d16e4b066ff5abc1293

Love it!

[talltexan]

It's hard to feel bad for people who try to work with/work for Trump, only to be cast aside.

Bill Barr did more than all but maybe 3-4 other people to keep Trump in the WH. That is his legacy, no matter what he says or does now.

[bacchi]

I bet that's...interesting...@talltexan lol

Only Trump news I saw this weekend was that he's apparently started having "rallies" again. No major news network covered it and the only videos I saw were of people leaving en masse during the "speech"

Looking at the crowd pics makes me think that there will be a Spinal Tap moment eventually.

"It's not that Trump is losing popularity. It's just that his appeal is becoming more selective."

[Just Joe]

I'm just following along. Can you define what a "Spinal Tap" moment is?

[former player]

I'm just following along. Can you define what a "Spinal Tap" moment is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ6JxAgmxXg

[talltexan]

Bill Kristol tweeted that the problem is not that Trumpism offers an interesting policy, but merely that it still follows the road to power--at least state level power and possibly much more--and therefore must be guarded against. It is the very expression of corruption given the imprimature of popular governance.

[Sandi_k]

Bill Kristol tweeted that the problem is not that Trumpism offers an interesting policy, but merely that it still follows the road to power--at least state level power and possibly much more--and therefore must be guarded against. It is the very expression of corruption given the imprimature of popular governance.

Yes. The GQP is now mobilizing to take over the various Secretary of State positions at the state level, as they're in charge of the electoral votes and certification. I'll give them this - they know how to play a long game. And the Dems will be gobsmacked and out-manuevered.

[Travis]

Bill Kristol tweeted that the problem is not that Trumpism offers an interesting policy, but merely that it still follows the road to power--at least state level power and possibly much more--and therefore must be guarded against. It is the very expression of corruption given the imprimature of popular governance.

Yes. The GQP is now mobilizing to take over the various Secretary of State positions at the state level, as they're in charge of the electoral votes and certification. I'll give them this - they know how to play a long game. And the Dems will be gobsmacked and out-manuevered.

Prior to this last one, was there ever a vote-counting committee, secretary of state, or legislature that woke up one morning and said "what if we just didn't?"  Now it's been exposed just how easy it is to disrupt or possibly toss out election results.  In Michigan a member of the certifying committee abstained and in Georgia and a couple other places the election certifications came down to the integrity of the Republican secretaries of state who may find themselves out of a job the next time around.  The Arizona GOP started their own audit with instructions that sounded a lot like "don't come back until you get the result we want."  I think it was Stalin who said "voting is meaningless. Counting votes is all that matters."

[LennStar]

Quite sure it was Lenin, who also invented the rigged election system of the USSR and of course universal suffrage, which increased the unimportant mass, such putting pressures on the more select people to behave or else...

You have read the book in my sig? *cough cough*

[Roadrunner53]

Wish I could have witnessed this!

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-mark-milley-blm-protest-debate-book_n_60da4658e4b07b25f60e4904

[OtherJen]

They're getting closer. Trump Organization expects to be charged Thursday in Manhattan criminal case (CNBC)

[Glenstache]

They're getting closer. Trump Organization expects to be charged Thursday in Manhattan criminal case (CNBC)

Trump has been railing that all the things being charged are common practice and he is being singled out. Kind of like arguing a traffic violation because everyone rolls a stop sign now and then. And also, "so who else has been doing this, and can you write down their contact info for us?" It turns out that there is bipartisan support (outside of offices at least, who knows behind closed doors) right now for enforcement of tax cheats.

[sui generis]

Eh, it feels a little anticlimactic.  Not that you can't or shouldn't charge someone for simple things that "everyone" does, but like...that's really all they can come up with that's chargeable?  Although the article alludes to more, what I've been hearing is that this is likely it.
 There's really just so little accountability.

It seems like they were really hoping Weiseelberg would flip and he didn't.  He'll probably be charged and that he's willing to do an admittedly short amount of time (from what I've heard could be like 18 months +/-) for this family that he's obviously been loyal to for a super long time.  A year and a half in jail is just not enough to break that kind of loyalty.  They need a better stick.

[wenchsenior]

Eh, it feels a little anticlimactic.  Not that you can't or shouldn't charge someone for simple things that "everyone" does, but like...that's really all they can come up with that's chargeable?  Although the article alludes to more, what I've been hearing is that this is likely it.
 There's really just so little accountability.

It seems like they were really hoping Weiseelberg would flip and he didn't.  He'll probably be charged and that he's willing to do an admittedly short amount of time (from what I've heard could be like 18 months +/-) for this family that he's obviously been loyal to for a super long time.  A year and a half in jail is just not enough to break that kind of loyalty.  They need a better stick.

Yup, seriously anticlimactic, not because of the likely illegal things Trump and co have probably regularly engaged in, but b/c there's apparently no way to prosecute them without that flip.  People like Trump just get to walk between the raindrops, probably forever. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm not optimistic.

[sui generis]

Eh, it feels a little anticlimactic.  Not that you can't or shouldn't charge someone for simple things that "everyone" does, but like...that's really all they can come up with that's chargeable?  Although the article alludes to more, what I've been hearing is that this is likely it.
 There's really just so little accountability.

It seems like they were really hoping Weiseelberg would flip and he didn't.  He'll probably be charged and that he's willing to do an admittedly short amount of time (from what I've heard could be like 18 months +/-) for this family that he's obviously been loyal to for a super long time.  A year and a half in jail is just not enough to break that kind of loyalty.  They need a better stick.

Yup, seriously anticlimactic, not because of the likely illegal things Trump and co have probably regularly engaged in, but b/c there's apparently no way to prosecute them without that flip.  People like Trump just get to walk between the raindrops, probably forever. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm not optimistic.

Walk between the raindrops....such an apt analogy.

[sixwings]

It's amazing someone as awful as Trump inspires such loyalty among his henchmen. I guess instead of surrounding himself with the best people he surrounds himself with evil toadies.

[talltexan]

It involves carefully screening the henchmen for capability of being loyal above all else, then purposely pushing them into all kinds of questionable activities right away, such that your legal jeopardy is tied to their own.

[LennStar]

It's amazing someone as awful as Trump inspires such loyalty among his henchmen. I guess instead of surrounding himself with the best people he surrounds himself with evil toadies.

Trump is searching for only three qualities in his henchmen: loyality, loyality, loyality. That's totally normal (and advisable) for any dictator, and he behaves like one.
Of course if you have an "interesting file" on them that's a bonus. Again, it's totally normal for dictators to have their secret service find (or create) bad stuff about his advisors. Just look how many people get executed for corruption or "counter revolution" just a few month after taking over power. Or at any time if they might become dangerous, see little fatty Kim in North Korea, ordering his uncle to get killed.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

It's amazing someone as awful as Trump inspires such loyalty among his henchmen. I guess instead of surrounding himself with the best people he surrounds himself with evil toadies.

Trump is searching for only three qualities in his henchmen: loyality, loyality, loyality. That's totally normal (and advisable) for any dictator, and he behaves like one.
Of course if you have an "interesting file" on them that's a bonus. Again, it's totally normal for dictators to have their secret service find (or create) bad stuff about his advisors. Just look how many people get executed for corruption or "counter revolution" just a few month after taking over power. Or at any time if they might become dangerous, see little fatty Kim in North Korea, ordering his uncle to get killed.

Listening to NPR's review of the book 'Nightmare Scenario' - maybe it's just confirmation bias, but when Trump ripped off his mask after 'defeating Covid', that's when his last bastion of believers knew the s*@% was hitting the fan.

[nereo]

Eh, it feels a little anticlimactic.  Not that you can't or shouldn't charge someone for simple things that "everyone" does, but like...that's really all they can come up with that's chargeable?  Although the article alludes to more, what I've been hearing is that this is likely it.
 There's really just so little accountability.

It seems like they were really hoping Weiseelberg would flip and he didn't.  He'll probably be charged and that he's willing to do an admittedly short amount of time (from what I've heard could be like 18 months +/-) for this family that he's obviously been loyal to for a super long time.  A year and a half in jail is just not enough to break that kind of loyalty.  They need a better stick.

Yup, seriously anticlimactic, not because of the likely illegal things Trump and co have probably regularly engaged in, but b/c there's apparently no way to prosecute them without that flip.  People like Trump just get to walk between the raindrops, probably forever. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm not optimistic.

Walk between the raindrops....such an apt analogy.

I’ve been thinking lately about this bizarre aura of untouchability that many attribute to trump. Because he isn’t in prison the common narrative is he has avoided all consequences for his actions. Like most things Trump, I think it’s a purposefully constructed but false image. Sure, he’s never been convicted of a criminal offense, but he’s repeatedly squandered massive fortunes through serial legal settlements and blow backs. Ironically a common refrain up until several months ago was he would suffer no political price for there maelstrom he create during his presidency (which coincided with historically abysmal approval during an economic boom). Somehow the myth of being “Teflon Don”* persists even after losing as an incumbent and when the common wisdom would have him experiencing a “rally around the flag” moment.

Looking specifically at these latest indictments against his company and CFO, he could yet pay a substantial price. As reported up thread he’s got some $400 million in loans due over the next few weeks, and these charges all but guarantee the trump organization will not get favorable rates, if he’s able to refinance his debts at all. Since he insured these loans with his own assets this could get very messy. Meanwhile, a number of his properties are hemorrhaging cash due to the baggage his name now carries.

I completely understand (and subscribe to) the idea that there ought to be equal punishment, and recognize that Trump likely won’t ever face what a commoner like ourselves would. But he’s also likely pissed away the bulk of his fortune, squandered a $400MM inheritance, lost the presidency and -die hard supporters aside - will go down in history as one of the least popular presidents ever. The downside is that it only takes a few million to live like a king when you are a septuagenarian, and even if he’s forced to liquidate 90% of his business (unlikely) he will still be richer than hell.


*Ironic that people use the term “Teflon Don” to describe Trump, as the original Teflon Don (mafia boss John Gotti) ultimately was sentenced to life in prison, where he died after spending a decade in prison, primarily in solitary confinement.
 

[RetiredAt63]

All this makes me wonder what Melania's pre-nup looks like and if her assets are protected.

[nereo]

All this makes me wonder what Melania's pre-nup looks like and if her assets are protected.

Melania, and Ivana and Marla as well.  All reached settlements over infidelity and lord knows what else.  Seems for each that their settlement (or in the case of Melania’s renegotiated pre-nup) was so favorable and iron-clad they wouldn’t risk whatever they got for what certainly would have been many millions in exclusive book-rights for their story.

[nereo]

Reading through the indictments against Trump Organiation CFO Weisselberg, I can’t help but think how head-smackingly boneheaded they were.  In sum, both the organization and Weisselberg are being charged with paying Weisselberg “off the books” with apartments, cars and other perks so that Weisselberg could avoid some $900k in taxes.  But they wrote down all these perks in their own ledger - the very epitome of having “two sets of books”.

Says University of Chicago Law professor Daniel Hegel dryly, “If you pay your employees under the table, a good rule of thumb is not to write it down. It’s a big amount of money. It’s blatant violation of the law.  And it’s well documented.”

[LaineyAZ]

Reading through the indictments against Trump Organization CFO Weisselberg, I can’t help but think how head-smackingly boneheaded they were.  In sum, both the organization and Weisselberg are being charged with paying Weisselberg “off the books” with apartments, cars and other perks so that Weisselberg could avoid some $900k in taxes.  But they wrote down all these perks in their own ledger - the very epitome of having “two sets of books”.

Says University of Chicago Law professor Daniel Hegel dryly, “If you pay your employees under the table, a good rule of thumb is not to write it down. It’s a big amount of money. It’s blatant violation of the law.  And it’s well documented.”

And a former Trump official along with Weisselberg's former daughter-in-law also confirmed this.  Will be very interesting to see if Weisselberg will avoid prison given the eye witnesses and the documentation.

[FIPurpose]

Looks like this is at least 2nd degree tax fraud, but I'm guessing more info will come out and this actually ends up being 1st degree. Looks like there's a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years up to 25.

I'm trying to find what the added penalty would be for tax fraud. It looks like federal is a 75% penalty. So I'd expect that whatever they owe, they'll actually end up paying double or more back.

[partgypsy]

I also find it anticlimatic, esp as it is the head of the Trump organization, and not Trump himself being charged. Reminds me of the Contra affair of Reagan apparently not knowing what was going on (right).
anyways the only silver lining it will hit Trump in the pocketbook. It's going to be hard for him to borrow money, but otherwise, still he is pretty untouched considering the morass of corruption surrounding him.

[talltexan]

It's different than Iran-Contra in that Bush had the power of the pardon to protect himself. Trump no longer has that.

[frugalnacho]

Considering that Giuliani is Catholic, and the moniker is clearly a pun on his name, I think your post is downright silly. Don't insinuate that others are being anti-Semitic on a whim, and pull your flipping head into line, friendo.

No, it doesn’t look like you’re calling him Jewish. It looks like you’re calling him as rude as “Joo.” Who or what is “Joo”? I know what it sounds like when I read it out loud, and it certainly sounds like an anti-Semitic slur.

A Google search seems to just bring up Eminem lyrics.

In third grade all I used to do
Was sniff glue through a tube and play rubix cube
Seventeen years later I'm as rude as Joo
Schemein' on the first chick with the hugest boobs

Still not sure what Bloop’s use of the term was meant to imply or what it means.

The lyric is actually "rude as Jude"

[talltexan]

Wait, so Eminem can solve a Rubik's cube?

[frugalnacho]

not necessarily.  You can "play rubik's cube" indefinitely without solving it.  A rubik's cube isn't very hard though so I wouldn't be surprised if he could. 

[talltexan]

Indeeed, I suppose we are on a discussion thread in which people who earn only average incomes accumulate massive net worths by saving agressively over years. Compared to that, mastering a few algorithms to solve a Rubik's cube seems kind of un-impressive.

[Sugaree]

Yeah, solving a Rubik's cube is really just a matter of memorizing a set of moves.  It looks impressive, but isn't that hard.

[wenchsenior]

Considering that Giuliani is Catholic, and the moniker is clearly a pun on his name, I think your post is downright silly. Don't insinuate that others are being anti-Semitic on a whim, and pull your flipping head into line, friendo.

No, it doesn’t look like you’re calling him Jewish. It looks like you’re calling him as rude as “Joo.” Who or what is “Joo”? I know what it sounds like when I read it out loud, and it certainly sounds like an anti-Semitic slur.

A Google search seems to just bring up Eminem lyrics.

In third grade all I used to do
Was sniff glue through a tube and play rubix cube
Seventeen years later I'm as rude as Joo
Schemein' on the first chick with the hugest boobs

Still not sure what Bloop’s use of the term was meant to imply or what it means.

The lyric is actually "rude as Jude"

I don't even understand what "rude as Jude" or "Schemein'" mean, let alone Bloop's weirdness.

[frugalnacho]

Considering that Giuliani is Catholic, and the moniker is clearly a pun on his name, I think your post is downright silly. Don't insinuate that others are being anti-Semitic on a whim, and pull your flipping head into line, friendo.

No, it doesn’t look like you’re calling him Jewish. It looks like you’re calling him as rude as “Joo.” Who or what is “Joo”? I know what it sounds like when I read it out loud, and it certainly sounds like an anti-Semitic slur.

A Google search seems to just bring up Eminem lyrics.

In third grade all I used to do
Was sniff glue through a tube and play rubix cube
Seventeen years later I'm as rude as Joo
Schemein' on the first chick with the hugest boobs

Still not sure what Bloop’s use of the term was meant to imply or what it means.

The lyric is actually "rude as Jude"

I don't even understand what "rude as Jude" or "Schemein'" mean, let alone Bloop's weirdness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_Jude

The "schemein" is also misquoted, it's just scheming, as in to scheme, which I assume you do know what it means. 

[Just Joe]

It's amazing someone as awful as Trump inspires such loyalty among his henchmen. I guess instead of surrounding himself with the best people he surrounds himself with evil toadies.

+1

[OzzieandHarriet]

Sigh 🙄

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/07/trump-lawsuit-social-media/