U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[The Real Maroonblood]

1 minute ago, J.T.F.Robertson said:

 

Haha, beat me to it. A Mensa level f*****g idiot don't forget.

 

 

 

👍

[Sharpie]

2 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

The Republican senators have made it clear to everyone ... keeping their job is more important than doing their job.

 

 

Absolutely correct, since writing that post I have seen reports that McConnel is the driving force. He it is reputed feels that with a Supreme Court Republican majority for years hence, with the extreme number of Judges with Republican leanings being appointed, and with Trumps base the Republicans can be in power for many years into the future. I knew I never really liked McConnel now I know why.

[Maple Leaf]

5 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

 

Absolutely correct, since writing that post I have seen reports that McConnel is the driving force. He it is reputed feels that with a Supreme Court Republican majority for years hence, with the extreme number of Judges with Republican leanings being appointed, and with Trumps base the Republicans can be in power for many years into the future. I knew I never really liked McConnel now I know why.

 

It's hard to believe that Ruth Ginsberg will last another 5 years on the Supreme Court, given her known health issues, so whoever wins the election in November will get another appointment to make.

 

And you're right about McConnell. He most definitely puts Party before country.

[JackLadd]

Remember Trump’s henchman Pompeo last week bullied a woman journalist to point to Ukraine on a map, Trump couldn’t even point to the state of Missouri on a map. Lol. Total moron.

[annushorribilis III]

6 minutes ago, JackLadd said:

Remember Trump’s henchman Pompeo last week bullied a woman journalist to point to Ukraine on a map, Trump couldn’t even point to the state of Missouri on a map. Lol. Total moron.

I've just seen on Twitter, Trump congratulated the state of Kansas on their Superb Owl win.

 

Kansas City is in Missouri. 

[JackLadd]

1 minute ago, annushorribilis III said:

I've just seen on Twitter, Trump congratulated the state of Kansas on their Superb Owl win.

 

Kansas City is in Missouri. 

 

Trump is in Crazytown

 

[ri Alban]

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

[Justin Z]

10 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

 

If it were an isolated incident, sure. 100% justified in light of the track record. I think my favourite spoofs have been people drawing lines around Missouri with sharpies a la the hurricane sharpie incident

[I P Knightley]

10 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

It would be for you or me. There's a state called Kansas and a city called Kansas, so you'd think they were linked. But, then, neither of us is a stable jeenius who's been made president of the united states. It's fair to expect better from potus; therefore fair to rip the piss out of him for being a dumbass moron. 

 

I wonder if he's realised that his fancy white house is not in Washington state?

[Maple Leaf]

8 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

 

Yes, it's an easy mistake to make if one is ignorant of US geography.  The President of the US should know US geography.

 

Also, remember that Trump frequently praises his own intelligence and has referred to himself as a genius. "Pride cometh before a fall."

 

He deserves to be ridiculed on this, especially since he is incapable of admitting he made a mistake.

[The Real Maroonblood]

18 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

[ri Alban]

8 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

It would be for you or me. There's a state called Kansas and a city called Kansas, so you'd think they were linked. But, then, neither of us is a stable jeenius who's been made president of the united states. It's fair to expect better from potus; therefore fair to rip the piss out of him for being a dumbass moron. 

 

I wonder if he's realised that his fancy white house is not in Washington state?

Does it not bridge the two states?

[J.T.F.Robertson]

15 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

A bit OTT to give him stick on this, is it not. Easy mistake to make.

 

How is it an "easy mistake to make"? He's (unbelievably) President of these here United States, he should fekin know better.

What else doesn't he "know". (100% rhetorical, or 101% if you're as ignorant as him)

[Justin Z]

To be fair I thought the Kansas City that everyone is aware of, and which is in Missouri, was in Kansas until I was at least 8 or 9 years old.

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Does it not bridge the two states?

You’re a WUM.

[ri Alban]

Just now, The Real Maroonblood said:

You’re a WUM.

Mmmmmmeeeeeeeeee??????????!!!!!!

[Justin Z]

 

Oof

[Francis Albert]

1 hour ago, Justin Z said:

 

Oof

Probably attracting queues of kids desperate to be deported from Des Moines Iowa.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Francis Albert

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

Does it not bridge the two states?

 

Nope, they are 2 separate cities, although linked by bridges over the Missouri river.  I've been to both. 

[annushorribilis III]

5 hours ago, JackLadd said:

 

Trump is in Crazytown

 

There's more.....

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article239913588.html

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, Craig Gordons Gloves said:

 

Nope, they are 2 separate cities, although linked by bridges over the Missouri river.  I've been to both. 

Would you pass that knowledge on to President Clown.

Edited February 3, 2020 by The Real Maroonblood

[dobmisterdobster]

Who thought it was a good idea to try and impeach Trump over a Ukrainian phone call about Joe Biden of all people?

 

The Democrats have totally Hibsed this up.

[redjambo]

41 minutes ago, dobmisterdobster said:

Who thought it was a good idea to try and impeach Trump over a Ukrainian phone call about Joe Biden of all people?

 

The Democrats have totally Hibsed this up.

 

What Trump did was most definitely wrong, using his political position for personal purposes in a way which conflicted with US foreign policy (although I'm not sure you actually see it as wrong, to be honest).

 

However, for probably the first time, I agree with you on this one, dob. There was never going to be a chance of getting this to stick. I think that the Democrats hoped that witnesses would be called and that several of the Republicans would put country before party and self preservation, so that even though the impeachment wouldn't carry, the damage to Trump, both in the eyes of the public and within his own party, would be great enough to significantly lessen his chances of re-election.

 

It was a misguided hope at best. I don't think it has caused the Democrats any damage, but it has certainly used up time and resources that could have been used much profitably elsewhere.

 

 

[Maple Leaf]

5 hours ago, dobmisterdobster said:

Who thought it was a good idea to try and impeach Trump over a Ukrainian phone call about Joe Biden of all people?

 

The Democrats have totally Hibsed this up.

 

Possibly, but did they have an option?

 

One of the responsibilities of the Legislative Branch is to control the excesses of the Executive Branch.  Trump broke the law over the Ukraine thing.  Even the most ardent Republicans accept that.  The Democrats called him out on it, even 'though there was no possibility of a conviction in a Republican-controlled Senate.  But if they had ignored Trump's illegal behaviour it would have sent a message to Trump that he could do whatever he wanted with impunity.

 

The Senate have just sent the same message to Trump, but that was beyond the control of the Dems.  I don't think the Dems had a choice but to impeach, as futile as that was.

[redjambo]

4 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Possibly, but did they have an option?

 

One of the responsibilities of the Legislative Branch is to control the excesses of the Executive Branch.  Trump broke the law over the Ukraine thing.  Even the most ardent Republicans accept that.  The Democrats called him out on it, even 'though there was no possibility of a conviction in a Republican-controlled Senate.  But if they had ignored Trump's illegal behaviour it would have sent a message to Trump that he could do whatever he wanted with impunity.

 

The Senate have just sent the same message to Trump, but that was beyond the control of the Dems.  I don't think the Dems had a choice but to impeach, as futile as that was.

 

That's a good point, Maple Leaf.

[Justin Z]

Republicans Say Trump Was Right, Kansas City Chiefs Indeed Based in Kansas

 

Trump deleted and corrected his tweet. That, however, did not deter his most loyal sycophants from defending the president’s original, erroneous missive. “Kansas City is in Kansas and it is also in Missouri. … [It’s like when] people call them the New York Giants, but they’re in New Jersey,” explained Fox News host Steve Doocy. Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, used the occasion to lecture the liberal East Coast media for its bias:

 

 

 

Sick to my back teeth of these cult enablers--and of seeing them hard at work in the US and the UK.

[Sharpie]

The Impeachment was a thing worthy of discussion both views being relevant, for or against. It is difficult to believe that such a large group of allegedly dedicated and honorable men would swear an oath to be impartial in judgement, and before and after taking that oath and before hearing the first word of an Impeachment trial, have stated they would acquit the President. To me, but I am a simple soul that is breach of everything I was ever taught about swearing to tell the truth. Probably the first indications of oncoming dictatorship are the abandonment of all accepted priciples and beliefs, and loyalty to one individual only, to the neglect of the people one is elected to represent. 

[Sharpie]

Heard a little bit on radio that Trump has been counselled quite seriously not to mention Impeachment in his State of ther Union address. There are allegedly some Republicans who if he does will vote for Censure in the Impeachment vote.

[milky_26]

20 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

Heard a little bit on radio that Trump has been counselled quite seriously not to mention Impeachment in his State of ther Union address. There are allegedly some Republicans who if he does will vote for Censure in the Impeachment vote.

bob what does that last bit mean in real terms?

[Sharpie]

45 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

bob what does that last bit mean in real terms?

 

I listened to a reporter on the radio. Trump as stated will be giving his address tonight. The opinion being expressed is that some Senators have fears that any mention of the Impeachment and the probable acquittal could take away from the very good news of trade agreements, the economy and other things that to be fair have been good, the Impeachment however a major negative.

I have since heard reports that lead me to believe that you may not be able to vote in the hearings for anything other than removal or acquittal.

I guess in a way what it means in real terms is that some Senators who will be running for election in November have fears that talk of the Impeachment in this particular historic setting could be damaging to those with hard fights for election ahead. Some admit that Trump with the call done wrong, but not enough for removal, but still feel for the benefit of appearance that some action should be taken.

Edited February 4, 2020 by bobsharp

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

Strongly suspect he’ll win again. The Dems seem intent on undermining themselves 

[Maple Leaf]

2 hours ago, Dusk_Till_Dawn said:

Strongly suspect he’ll win again. The Dems seem intent on undermining themselves 

 

I think you're right.  The Democratic candidates seem to be all over the place.  Unless they get their act together, I think Trump will have a more comfortable victory than in 2016.

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, Dusk_Till_Dawn said:

Strongly suspect he’ll win again. The Dems seem intent on undermining themselves 

Like the Labour Party.

[milky_26]

50 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

I think you're right.  The Democratic candidates seem to be all over the place.  Unless they get their act together, I think Trump will have a more comfortable victory than in 2016.

sadly i think you could be right.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

4 hours ago, bobsharp said:

 

I listened to a reporter on the radio. Trump as stated will be giving his address tonight. The opinion being expressed is that some Senators have fears that any mention of the Impeachment and the probable acquittal could take away from the very good news of trade agreements, the economy and other things that to be fair have been good, the Impeachment however a major negative.

I have since heard reports that lead me to believe that you may not be able to vote in the hearings for anything other than removal or acquittal.

I guess in a way what it means in real terms is that some Senators who will be running for election in November have fears that talk of the Impeachment in this particular historic setting could be damaging to those with hard fights for election ahead. Some admit that Trump with the call done wrong, but not enough for removal, but still feel for the benefit of appearance that some action should be taken.

Censure was never an option put on the table. They got greedy, rushed it and went whole hog. They tried to placate their base with an impeachment that had no chance of passing. 67 votes was never viable.

[Sharpie]

42 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Censure was never an option put on the table. They got greedy, rushed it and went whole hog. They tried to placate their base with an impeachment that had no chance of passing. 67 votes was never viable.

Yes thank you, I of course was thinking of a criminal trial where you could start at murder and after evidence and witnesses decide it was manslaughter or even assault with no intention to kill, but I guess in Impeachment you state what you want to prove and are stuck with it. I put to much faith in a reporter.

[JackLadd]

His cash for Biden dirt on Ukraine has actually worked to hurt Biden. We're looking down the barrel of another 4 years of this moron. 

[Maple Leaf]

A few personal predictions about tonight's SOTU speech by Trump:

 

- He will take personal credit for the robust US economy ignoring the fact that it had been robust for 7 years before his election.

- He will praise the building of The Wall, ignoring that he promised Mexico would pay for it.

- He will not mention his impeachment for having broken the law

- He will make no attempt to build bridges in a deeply partisan nation, but will criticise Democrats

- He will take credit for having killed "the biggest terrorist in the world"

- He will make a complimentary comment about Putin

- He will make a complimentary comment about Kim

- He will take a shot at Iran

- He will praise Israel

- He will make some reference to being the most attacked President in US history.

 

That's ten predictions.  I'll post my score tomorrow.

 

[Maple Leaf]

2 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

A few personal predictions about tonight's SOTU speech by Trump:

 

- He will take personal credit for the robust US economy ignoring the fact that it had been robust for 7 years before his election. Yes.

- He will praise the building of The Wall, ignoring that he promised Mexico would pay for it. Yes.

- He will not mention his impeachment for having broken the law. Yes

- He will make no attempt to build bridges in a deeply partisan nation, but will criticise Democrats. Yes

- He will take credit for having killed "the biggest terrorist in the world". Yes

- He will make a complimentary comment about Putin. No

- He will make a complimentary comment about Kim. No

- He will take a shot at Iran. No

- He will praise Israel.No 

- He will make some reference to being the most attacked President in US history. No.

 

That's ten predictions.  I'll post my score tomorrow.

 

 

Five out of ten.  Not very good.

[ri Alban]

11 hours ago, Dusk_Till_Dawn said:

Strongly suspect he’ll win again. The Dems seem intent on undermining themselves 

I thought that too. Now? I think Bernie will take him quite easily, unless!!! something happens to him, which I suspect may happen.

Edited February 5, 2020 by ri Alban

[redjambo]

5 hours ago, ri Alban said:

I thought that too. Now? I think Bernie will take him quite easily, unless!!! something happens to him, which I suspect may happen.

 

Bernie hasn't got a chance, sadly. He'll never win the middle ground over, in very much the same way that Jeremy Corbin couldn't.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

6 hours ago, ri Alban said:

I thought that too. Now? I think Bernie will take him quite easily, unless!!! something happens to him, which I suspect may happen.

[Justin Z]

1 hour ago, redjambo said:

 

Bernie hasn't got a chance, sadly. He'll never win the middle ground over, in very much the same way that Jeremy Corbin couldn't.

This is probably correct, because the Overton Window of the United States has shifted so far to the right since World War II that its so-called "left wing" would be centre-right in basically any other western democratic society.

 

So if he can't win the "middle ground" over, if he can't get the vast majority of the population to stop voting against their own interests, then I say welp, **** them all. Let Rome burn and get my violin ready, I've had enough of it.

[redjambo]

10 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

This is probably correct, because the Overton Window of the United States has shifted so far to the right since World War II that its so-called "left wing" would be centre-right in basically any other western democratic society.

 

So if he can't win the "middle ground" over, if he can't get the vast majority of the population to stop voting against their own interests, then I say welp, **** them all. Let Rome burn and get my violin ready, I've had enough of it.

 

I'd never heard of the Overton Window before - an interesting concept. Thanks.

[Justin Z]

Sure thing @redjambo

 

Sobering video:

 

https://twitter.com/JRubinBlogger/status/1224919018009698305

 

[Kalamazoo Jambo]

3 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Bernie hasn't got a chance, sadly. He'll never win the middle ground over, in very much the same way that Jeremy Corbin couldn't.

 

What's just as worrying is the middle ground (or even Warren, for that matter) won't win some of the Bernie support over. The Bernie or Bust thing is back.

 

For what it's worth, I am as yet undecided about my top pick for the Dem nominee, but I can't imagine a realistic scenario where I wouldn't vote for whoever is going against Trump.

[Maple Leaf]

3 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Bernie hasn't got a chance, sadly. He'll never win the middle ground over, in very much the same way that Jeremy Corbin couldn't.

 

I was talking to an American friend yesterday. She calls herself a Democrat but comes from a Republican family in South Carolina.  When I asked her about Bernie, she said "He's a socialist. Americans hate socialists."

 

She despises Trump, but says that none of the Democratic candidates appeals to her.

[Sharpie]

Not a lot to say about the whole thing that I watched from beginning to end. I heard Trump give a speech that had been carefully written for him that he seemed to manage for once not to ad lib with his own stupid comments.

What I did see was an overwight heavily made up bald man with a phoney highly expensive combover, refuse to shake hands at an official State  ceremony with his oppositons Congressional leader. This same leader a seventy nine year old woman, with cosmetic surgery to give her the tv appearance of a woman much younger, tear up in an act of childish petulance the President of the United States speech and throw it to the floor.

 

I have been a strong critic of Trump, have not as I can remember been anywhere close to being similarly critical of Pelosi, but as far as I am concerned, and as has been pointed out a non United States resident or citizen, but I am a North American, the action of those two world leaders was equally by both insulting to the gravity and ceremony  of the situation, and encouragement to the less civil members of their Country to act in an improper and ill mannered way.

 

 

[Justin Z]

Agree wholeheartedly, Bob. Right-minded people have the moral high ground over the likes of Trump for as long as they don't stoop to his level. Pelosi apparently couldn't help herself doing just that yesterday.

[Sharpie]

24 minutes ago, Kalamazoo Jambo said:

 

What's just as worrying is the middle ground (or even Warren, for that matter) won't win some of the Bernie support over. The Bernie or Bust thing is back.

 

For what it's worth, I am as yet undecided about my top pick for the Dem nominee, but I can't imagine a realistic scenario where I wouldn't vote for whoever is going against Trump.

 

I can understand your difficulty in making a choice, if I had a vote I would share that problem. I cannot believe based on my beliefs of the dark ages of my youth, but at this time my choice would be Buttisgeig. He is young, is a veteran, presents himself well, has experience although in the minor leagues of municipal politics.  He seems to have a good ability to raise funds.Some of his advantages are his youthful appearance, his military service, the obvious to some thing that Trump douldn't help but attack and scoff at, and which he could respond to in kind and be just as cruel. I couldn't vote for Bernie if he gave me a million dollars, I like Biden but there is some whether true or not baggage, and Elizabeth Warren is  pretty good at campaigning but I doubt could get into a jaickets off fight with Trump.