U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[graygo]

7 hours ago, A Boy Named Crow said:

I hadn't thought as far as a civil war,  but I have been wondering if covid 19, the Trump presidency (especially of he gets a second term), the reduction  in the need for companies to actually employ real people (given leaps in AI etc), the economic rise of China and an increasingly aggressive Russia might not spell the end of America as a/the major world power. 

 

The US is effectively an empire, with cultural and economic influence that spans the globe, but all empires up to now have fallen. If America proves itself incapable of getting its shIt together (by sealing with covid in a sensible manner and by coming up with a proper commander in chief), it could end up undoing all the advantages it held after the world wars. If the population is decimated and the government in chaos, there not a reasonable chance business could flee such a basket case? Where would a country that's power base is so reliant on big business stand then?

 

Culturally its influence is on the wane too, content providers like Netflix are increasingly running with what used to be niche "world cinema" as prime shows, rather than the hollywood stuff prevalent in the cinemas. People aren't being force fed the "American Dream" anymore.

 

I'm not saying the above will inevitably lead to the demise of the States,  I just think we're standing at an interesting junction in history right now. Your point about a civil war gets even more interesting when you consider the US is a country that largely embraces a paranoid loathing of state intervention in its citizens lives. How does that work out when millions upon millions are made redundant by AI and the rest of the world starts thinking about some form of UBI?

 

I'm out of coffee now...

 

Good post, I maybe should have said civil unrest bordering on civil war.

[felix]

Trump was only being sarcastic in his intravenous disinfectant advice,  nothing to see here ... :-

 

 

 

[Cade]

He's nowhere near intelligent enough to be sarcastic.

He got brought up short for coming out with something ludicrous and doesn't know how to react.

 

This may be the first time anybody has said "no" to him in his entire life.

[Justin Z]

The right wing media in the US summed up in two headlines.

 

 

 

[The Internet]

Imagine being such a shitheap country that you make Britain look and feel like an utter Utopia

 

 

[The Real Maroonblood]

35 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

The right wing media in the US summed up in two headlines.

 

 

 

[Sharpie]

A doctor also told him no when he asked did he have to go like other men to Vietnam, he was told no, and then in joy contracted bone spurs. Hail to the Chief.

[JFK-1]

If this suggestion to inject disinfectant had been part of a comedy sketch everyone would have laughed but deemed it unrealistic. This guy truly is about as stupid as anyone can get and still be walking/talking. A real life cartoon character. And they elected it.

[Jambos_1874]

1 minute ago, JFK-1 said:

If this suggestion to inject disinfectant had been part of a comedy sketch everyone would have laughed but deemed it unrealistic. This guy truly is about as stupid as anyone can get and still be walking/talking. A real life cartoon character. And they elected it.

 

In fairness, the majority of Americans did not vote for him but their  convoluted electoral system (which you would need a PhD to understand) resulted in him being elected. Makes Nixon look like an honest man. 

[Sharpie]

Its really something when the President of the United States has to curtail his briefing appearances because he cannot be tusted to make honest and sensible comments. The irony is that he was going well in the polls in what had become a daily election campaign platform, and now has destroyed everything he had gained. Only Donald Trump could achieve this o comprehensively

[JFK-1]

 

[Cade]

1 hour ago, Jambos_1874 said:

 

In fairness, the majority of Americans did not vote for him but their  convoluted electoral system (which you would need a PhD to understand) resulted in him being elected. Makes Nixon look like an honest man. 

It's not that difficult.
Essentially each State has a number of College Votes for president, based on population size.
A first-past-the-post vote is taken, with the winner then receiving that state's College Votes.

 

As with all FPTP systems around the world, this can result in someone becoming President with a startlingly low percentage of the popular vote.

For (a very basic) example; if every single person in Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming,Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,Nebraska and New Mexico all voted for the same Presidential candidate that would add up to 54 College votes from all those states combined.

Then if 51% of California voted for his opponent, he gets all 55 College votes from that state.

So 45% of California and 100% of all the other mentioned states get the guy they voted against as their overlord for the next 4 years.

 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

1 hour ago, bobsharp said:

Its really something when the President of the United States has to curtail his briefing appearances because he cannot be tusted to make honest and sensible comments. The irony is that he was going well in the polls in what had become a daily election campaign platform, and now has destroyed everything he had gained. Only Donald Trump could achieve this o comprehensively

 

4 pm Mtn's won't be the same.

 

[RobboM]

Trump is surely needing to change the subject after this latest monumental **** up.

Expect the unexpected

[trotter]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

It's not that difficult.
Essentially each State has a number of College Votes for president, based on population size.
A first-past-the-post vote is taken, with the winner then receiving that state's College Votes.

 

As with all FPTP systems around the world, this can result in someone becoming President with a startlingly low percentage of the popular vote.

For (a very basic) example; if every single person in Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming,Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,Nebraska and New Mexico all voted for the same Presidential candidate that would add up to 54 College votes from all those states combined.

Then if 51% of California voted for his opponent, he gets all 55 College votes from that state.

So 45% of California and 100% of all the other mentioned states get the guy they voted against as their overlord for the next 4 years.

 

I think the part people can't get their head around is that 'your' vote doesn't directly count towards who wins. 'Your' vote leads to an electoral college win, and then 'their' vote decides the presidency. 

 

[Tazio]

 

[graygo]

No briefing tonight or did I miss it?

[Dagger Is Back]

11 minutes ago, graygo said:

No briefing tonight or did I miss it?

Don’t think there was one tonight. 
 

Trumps getting his hair done

 

[hueyview]

45 minutes ago, Dagger Is Back said:

Don’t think there was one tonight. 
 

Trumps getting his hair done

 

Brilliant mate .....

Please god in a year or two... When folk survive....  Let's never have leaders who don't care about people...  

[Sharpie]

So old Donald opened his mouth and let his belly rumble again. Apparently Pence announced that he would be present at the Air Force Academy to speak at their Commencement Day proceedings. The Air Force Academy have all cadets quarantined on the Academy campus. Trump not to be outdone has apparently stated that he will be doing the same thing at West Point. The problem is West Point have not been told about this  and apparently had nothing planned for that time.They in fact sent all cadets home during the Pandemic. Now if this attendance by Trump is a fact they have to get about a thousand cadets back to the Academy, find billets where they can be quarantined, and make arrangements for the occasion. For the non Trumpets this is just another opportunity to shake ones head with a wry grin.

 

[hueyview]

23 hours ago, bobsharp said:

Not a good day for Der Furor, said something stupid then denies it and gets caught telling a whopper, when I was a kid parents used to tell us every time you lied you got a black spot on your heart, old Trumpies heart must look like a coal face in a mine.

 

More bad news the Navy has recommended that Captain Crozier be given back command of his ship. Polls are not looking good. If Biden just stays in isolation, says nothing he might be able to win.

 

Trump refuses to take questions at the shortest briefings yet, and Dr Brix and Fauci not in attendance.

At least Hitler was a former soldier , I disagreed with, but trumps privileged  llife.... I know how i hated national socialism...  

I watch some of these creatures walking in groups in America waving about automatic weapons......  

 

The poor folk.....

If I wasn't socialist bi am now.....    Up the rebels.?..

 

[Dagger Is Back]

9 hours ago, hueyview said:

Brilliant mate .....

Please god in a year or two... When folk survive....  Let's never have leaders who don't care about people...  

 

You can but hope that this is a reset button and that the world could be a better place

[Dagger Is Back]

10 hours ago, graygo said:

No briefing tonight or did I miss it?

See he’s gone in the huff and refused to do a briefing because the fake press ask him nasty questions

 

That’s a world leader 🤦‍♂️

[Marvin]

Got sent this earlier.

[The Real Maroonblood]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

Got sent this earlier.

[Boof]

3 hours ago, Dagger Is Back said:

See he’s gone in the huff and refused to do a briefing because the fake press ask him nasty questions

 

That’s a world leader 🤦‍♂️

 

Did anybody check the nearest fridge? Or is that just Boris?

[Cade]

[The Real Maroonblood]

6 minutes ago, Cade said:

A big f*****g bairn.

[The Mighty Thor]

51 minutes ago, Cade said:

That's a great shame. His pressers are on a par with the absolute WTF'ery of the Tiger King. 

He'll be back. He can't not have the attention. 

[Sharpie]

57 minutes ago, Cade said:

 

I seem to recall is that his constant refrain was that the fake news channels were having low ratings. They are now being credited with record ratings, for me that means high, if he actually meant low he should have said so. Usually a comment so mixed up and possibly wrong, would be described as foot in mouth, but if that was so in Trumps case that could be even worse if his tongue contracted bone spurs.

[I P Knightley]

40 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

That's a great shame. His pressers are on a par with the absolute WTF'ery of the Tiger King. 

He'll be back. He can't not have the attention. 

He's possibly taking on board some advice that the Covid press conferences are damaging his ratings?

 

33 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

 

I seem to recall is that his constant refrain was that the fake news channels were having low ratings. They are now being credited with record ratings, for me that means high, if he actually meant low he should have said so. Usually a comment so mixed up and possibly wrong, would be described as foot in mouth, but if that was so in Trumps case that could be even worse if his tongue contracted bone spurs.

I took it that he was talking about the record ratings that he's getting for his covid conferences. The pride of the man would suggest that he wants to make it known that he's as popular as the last episode of M*A*S*H.

 

However, we've learnt that what he says, what he intends to say and what he wanted what he said to mean are completely random, idiotic thoughts.

[Sharpie]

1 hour ago, I P Knightley said:

He's possibly taking on board some advice that the Covid press conferences are damaging his ratings?

 

I took it that he was talking about the record ratings that he's getting for his covid conferences. The pride of the man would suggest that he wants to make it known that he's as popular as the last episode of M*A*S*H.

 

However, we've learnt that what he says, what he intends to say and what he wanted what he said to mean are completely random, idiotic thoughts.

 

I read it when he said They get record ratings, he was referring to the Lamestream Media, and they are getting record ratings by not telling the truth and the American people are getting nothing.  When he says not worth the time and effort I certainly thought he was referring to the time he was spending on the briefings. I just thought it strange that constantly at any time he is at a podium and is asked a question particularly by CNN in his angry reply he refers to them as fake news, and that their ratings are dropping. For Trump to use the word truth in any content unless it was to say " I try at all times not to tell the truth." it Is an absolute misuse of the word.

 

[JFK-1]

On 25/04/2020 at 12:12, Jambos_1874 said:

 

In fairness, the majority of Americans did not vote for him but their  convoluted electoral system (which you would need a PhD to understand) resulted in him being elected. Makes Nixon look like an honest man. 

 

 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

 

It's encouraging to see he's acquired some overdue humility following his disinfectant advice. 

Must have had a helluva scare during the night though. 

 

[ri Alban]

In denial now about the rise in disinfectant ingestion inquiries.

[Sharpie]

Watched Lindsey Graham on Fox. Wants an investigation into China about Coronavirus. Wants heavy sanctions, wants to cut the trade ties, wants China condemned for arresting and imprisoning protestors for Democracy in Hong Kong. Almost sounds like he wants China to react, that could  be a mistake, they are not a government to be threatened. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by bobsharp

[I P Knightley]

46 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

Watched Lindsey Graham on Fox. Wants an investigation into China about Coronavirus. Wants heavy sanctions, wants to cut the trade ties, wants China condemned for arresting and imprisoning protestors for Democracy in Hong Kong. Almost sounds like he wants China to react, that could  be a mistake, they are not a government to be threatened. 

He probably believes he's safe to do so as he's seen the Chinese army and they pose no threat since they're only a bunch of little pottery people. 

[JFK-1]

Quote

President Donald Trump has said he "can't imagine why" US hotline calls about disinfectant have risen after he suggested injecting the substance to treat coronavirus.

 

It's baffling to him, what could have caused this? Is this normal? Or a lack of imagination? In his case normal I suppose.

Trump 'can't imagine why' US disinfectant calls spiked

[The Mighty Thor]

1 hour ago, JFK-1 said:

 

It's baffling to him, what could have caused this? Is this normal? Or a lack of imagination? In his case normal I suppose.

Trump 'can't imagine why' US disinfectant calls spiked

And his twitterati are fully behind that narrative too. 

 

It was a just bantz.

[I P Knightley]

57 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

It's baffling to him, what could have caused this? Is this normal? Or a lack of imagination? In his case normal I suppose.

Trump 'can't imagine why' US disinfectant calls spiked

I know that everything is on a spectrum but there seems to me to be a significant difference between supporters of their arse, Trump, and supporters of our arse, Johnson. The video clips in that article have exceptions but there is an enormous amount of denial which, I get the feeling, is typical of Trumpers.

 

Trump's supporters seem to have got behind him and will remain there no matter how absurd or dangerous his utterings; they just won't criticise him. Over here, Tory supporters seem more willing to accept that he's a buffoon - "but he's our buffoon". Trump acts like a child and people indulge him; Boris acts like a dick and there's a weary sigh of, "That's Boris for you".

 

Trumps lot are even more horrible than Johnson's.

[Dagger Is Back]

[The Real Maroonblood]

5 minutes ago, Dagger Is Back said:

[JackLadd]

1 hour ago, Dagger Is Back said:

 

 

[Justin Z]

2 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

I know that everything is on a spectrum but there seems to me to be a significant difference between supporters of their arse, Trump, and supporters of our arse, Johnson. The video clips in that article have exceptions but there is an enormous amount of denial which, I get the feeling, is typical of Trumpers.

 

Trump's supporters seem to have got behind him and will remain there no matter how absurd or dangerous his utterings; they just won't criticise him. Over here, Tory supporters seem more willing to accept that he's a buffoon - "but he's our buffoon". Trump acts like a child and people indulge him; Boris acts like a dick and there's a weary sigh of, "That's Boris for you".

 

Trumps lot are even more horrible than Johnson's.

 

I think each in their own way, they excuse their behaviour with a cultish sort of devotion. It's just one is pure, starry eyed adulation, the other is more "but that's the personality that gets things done for the betterment of Britain". Both are completely insane premises, but ever so slightly distinct. Perhaps if you take cultural differences into account, they're essentially the same phenomenon.

[Sawdust Caesar]

12 hours ago, J.T.F.Robertson said:

 

It's encouraging to see he's acquired some overdue humility following his disinfectant advice. 

Must have had a helluva scare during the night though. 

 

I think the show of humility is down to the study done on his press briefings. It showed that during these pandemic briefings he talked for 13 hours at the podium. In them he has spent 4 and a half minutes giving condolences/showing sympathy for all the folks that have died, 10 minutes on Hydroxychloroquine, 45 minutes praising himself and 2 and a half hours attacking others.

[Lovecraft]

He will be back.

 

He can't stay away.

 

And he can't shut up.

 

At least the other insane world leaders are smart enough to know when to shut up.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

2 hours ago, Justin Z said:

 

I think each in their own way, they excuse their behaviour with a cultish sort of devotion. It's just one is pure, starry eyed adulation, the other is more "but that's the personality that gets things done for the betterment of Britain". Both are completely insane premises, but ever so slightly distinct. Perhaps if you take cultural differences into account, they're essentially the same phenomenon.

The way the Tory scumbags refer to Johnson as "the boss" is sickening. Fat, lying, boorish, coward that gets journalists beaten up is far more accurate.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Joey J J Jr Shabadoo

[Maple Leaf]

5 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

I know that everything is on a spectrum but there seems to me to be a significant difference between supporters of their arse, Trump, and supporters of our arse, Johnson. The video clips in that article have exceptions but there is an enormous amount of denial which, I get the feeling, is typical of Trumpers.

 

Trump's supporters seem to have got behind him and will remain there no matter how absurd or dangerous his utterings; they just won't criticise him. Over here, Tory supporters seem more willing to accept that he's a buffoon - "but he's our buffoon". Trump acts like a child and people indulge him; Boris acts like a dick and there's a weary sigh of, "That's Boris for you".

 

Trumps lot are even more horrible than Johnson's.

 

You're right.

 

Despite everything, according to the latest polls, 43% of Americans think he's doing a good job.

 

Just consider the pandemic.  The USA has only about 3% of the world's population, yet has suffered about 25% of the total worldwide deaths.  He downplayed the disease for weeks yet, by sometime next week, in only a couple of months, America will have lost more people to COVID-19 than in the entire 12-year Vietnam War. 

 

The economy has tanked. Unemployment is at it's highest in decades. America is diminished in the eyes of the world (OK, that's subjective on my part), and 43% approve of his performance.

 

As Justin says, we're looking at a cult, and there is no reasoning with members of a cult.

[vegas-voss]

1 hour ago, Lovecraft said:

He will be back.

 

He can't stay away.

 

And he can't shut up.

 

At least the other insane world leaders are smart enough to know when to shut up.

Right at the start he said he was putting Mike Pence in charge.As soon as these pressers started he had to be the man front and centre.

[redjambo]

4 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

Right at the start he said he was putting Mike Pence in charge.As soon as these pressers started he had to be the man front and centre.

 

I can't believe I am saying this, but I watched a couple of the press conferences and thought that Mike Pence came over quite well, far more statesmanlike than Trump, although with his tongue firmly stuck up his boss's ass during his presentations. I didn't think Pence had it in him to sound so sensible.