Jambo-Jimbo Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 17 minutes ago, SwindonJambo said: There are still tens of millions of adoring nut jobs there who'll vote for him regardless. He could spend the next 3 months doing nothing but hold his microphone to his bum and doing huge farts and they'd still loudly applaud him. When I said decent Americans, that didn't include his nutter base, as long as someone told them what they wanted to hear, that lot would vote for a single celled organism...............................oh wait, they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 17 minutes ago, Barack said: Added into, there's not a snowman Nazi's chance in the 7th circle of Hell, of it actually being delayed. So there's that... What happens if America goes to war (e.g Iran) does the election still go ahead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, ri Alban said: What happens if America goes to war (e.g Iran) does the election still go ahead? They had an election in November 1944, during the biggest global war in history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 minute ago, JFK-1 said: They had an election in November 1944, during the biggest global war in history. Cheers 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Trump can’t delay the election, experts say Quote President Trump on Thursday raised the prospect of delaying the November election while making unsubstantiated claims that mail-in voting will lead to fraud. There has been no evidence to back up Trump’s repeated claims about fraud in mail-in voting. Trump has previously denied that he wanted to move the November election. In April, responding to Democratic rival Joe Biden’s suggestion that he would try to change the date, Trump said, “I never even thought of changing the date of the election. Why would I do that? November 3rd. It’s a good number. No, I look forward to that election and that was just made up propaganda.” Even if he wanted to, though, the president has no power over when the United States holds federal elections. If not the president, then who does? Congress. Unlike some constitutional language that can be widely interpreted, the founders were unambiguous about how Election Day would be chosen: Congress is charged with choosing the date, and that date must be the same for the entire country. Congress chose a date, the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November, in 1845, and it has never been changed. But what about in an emergency like the one we’re in? Even in an emergency, such as a global pandemic, the president can’t circumvent Congress and postpone or cancel the general election. And it’s extremely unlikely Congress would move it. “In an emergency, the president is able to do a lot of things he normally could not do, but only because he has been designated these powers by Congress in laws such as the National Emergencies Act,” said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, a nonprofit group that advocates for eased ballot access. “But in this case, the Constitution empowers Congress, not the president, to select Election Day. No laws passed by Congress have delegated these powers to the president, even in an emergency, so Congress is the only entity that has the power to change the date of the election.” But haven’t lots of states changed primary election dates? This is different from primary election dates, which are set by states governed by different rules. For general elections for federal offices, states are bound by federal law. Any effort by a state to unilaterally move or cancel the November election would be unlawful, and any results of a future election would be invalid, said Nicholas Stephanopoulos, professor at Harvard Law School. Really, there’s nothing he could do? Well, a president could try to lobby Congress to change the date. In a hypothetical scenario in which Trump wanted the election moved, he could publicly advocate for it and persuade Republicans to agree, but both chambers of Congress would need to vote to change the date. Even if Trump got his party behind him, the House is controlled by the Democrats, who would be unlikely to take the unprecedented step of postponing the general election at Trump’s behest. Is there anything else the president could do to affect Election Day? Rick Hasen, professor of law and political science for the University of California at Irvine’s law school, said there are other ways that the president could change how the election works without actually moving the date. If the coronavirus is still a factor in the fall, Trump could claim emergency powers to keep people in cities where outbreaks have been worse from going to polling places in person, in the name of public health, Hasen said. That could depress turnout in the heavily populated urban areas that tend to vote Democratic. Former vice president Joe Biden, Trump’s presumptive challenger this fall, in April warned supporters that Trump may try to move the election and also mentioned his moves to put conditions on a loan for the U.S. Postal Service, which is struggling amid the coronavirus crisis. Biden claimed Trump was trying to make it harder for people to vote by mail, which he has attacked before. “That’s the only way he thinks he can possibly win,” Biden said. Election officials in both parties, as well as many Democrats, are trying to expand vote-by-mail in response to growing concerns that voters won’t be comfortable going to polling places this fall because of the coronavirus. Many Republicans, including Trump, have rejected these efforts. Hasen said the president could also lean on state legislatures to take voting for president away from citizens entirely in the name of public safety. The members of the electoral college who officially choose the president do not need to be chosen by the voting public. Instead, the state legislatures could select the presidential electors as they did in the early days of our republic. This would be problematic for Democrats, Hasen said, if Republican-held legislatures in swing states went that path. But it’s not that likely. “That would be constitutional,” Hasen said, “but I believe it would provoke massive social unrest.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/24/can-president-trump-delay-election/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_election-explainer-10-am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 minute ago, Barack said: Vietnam War...World War I...World War II...American Civil War...all went ahead, no problems. Inventing his own wee war, won't get him off the hook either. 👍🏻 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 3 hours ago, EH11_2NL said: I have a friend who lived in the states for 3 years. She said without a doubt, they are some of the dumbest people she has ever met and she has lived all over the world. She also said they barely even know what is happening in the next state never mind the rest of the country. Few have passports and have no desire to travel outwith their own state. This doesn't apply to all obviously but she was scathing about the midwest and bible belt country. This might explain their unwavering support for a loony. They are almost a cult. The religious crazies are a large part of his base and for the life of me I don't get why. A 'pussy grabbing' prostitute using lying con man is their idea of a fit leader? It's a dysfunctional failing society and that's been illuminated far more now than ever before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwindonJambo Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Jambo-Jimbo said: When I said decent Americans, that didn't include his nutter base, as long as someone told them what they wanted to hear, that lot would vote for a single celled organism...............................oh wait, they did. That’s true I imagine a lot of moderate Republicans (assuming there are some) will hold their noses and vote for Biden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 38 minutes ago, JFK-1 said: Trump can’t delay the election, experts say This piece certainly is an attempt at comfort. And yet, none of the institutional bulwarks that we told ourselves would restrain this jackass have held. So it ends up sounding to me like the White Star Line assuring me that the Titanic is unsinkable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Thor Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Barack said: Surprised it took this long in all honesty to actually say (Tweet) the words. Nice deflection too for Herman Cain's death, from Covid-19 related illness. poor Herman was at the indoor and mask/social distance free MAGA rally in Tulsa and boom two weeks later diagnosed with Covid-19 and now pan bread. I'm sure these facts are unrelated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 20 minutes ago, Justin Z said: This piece certainly is an attempt at comfort. And yet, none of the institutional bulwarks that we told ourselves would restrain this jackass have held. So it ends up sounding to me like the White Star Line assuring me that the Titanic is unsinkable. You may be right, I really don't know. But while it may appear there are no lines he can step over that anybody would say no that's a red line. Surely if there are red lines this is one. It begins to have the feel of a conspiratorial coup. The majority of the population don't want him. Any attempt to interfere with their desire to be rid of this maniac at the earliest possible time may result in societal chaos. But then those planning a coup would desire societal chaos. Like Hitler following the burning of the Reichstag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I wouldn't doubt for a moment that Trump is capable of absolutely anything. This isn't a normally functioning adult human being. His own niece has sated that he's capable of absolutely anything. She has both expertise and personal experience of him I don't. I will take her word for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 57 minutes ago, Barack said: I'll just leave this here. George Wallace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Barack said: I'll just leave this here. Yet he can't help but do PR for a war criminal, praising George W. Bush, while never mentioning progressives, Black or otherwise, in a eulogy for a Black civil rights activist. Swoon. 😒 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, Justin Z said: Yet he can't help but do PR for a war criminal, praising George W. Bush, while never mentioning progressives, Black or otherwise, in a eulogy for a Black civil rights activist. Swoon. 😒 I would take George W. Bush rather than Trump in a heartbeat. Hell I might take George Wallace ahead of Trump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, Barack said: Wallace was Governor, of that well known Liberal & trailblazing State - Alabama. Also ran for *President. Did quite well in a 3rd candidate capacity if I remember rightly. (*Sad indictment if ever was needed.) "He is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and populist views. ... Wallace notoriously opposed desegregation and supported the policies of "Jim Crow" during the Civil Rights Movement, declaring in his 1963 inaugural address that he stood for "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." In summary: A massive racist. Attempting to block integration at the University of Alabama, Governor George Wallace makes his infamous stand at the schoolhouse door to protest a federal order that allowed desegregation at the University of Alabama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 26 minutes ago, JFK-1 said: I would take George W. Bush rather than Trump in a heartbeat. Hell I might take George Wallace ahead of Trump. While I would too, that in no way means he deserves to be praised at John Lewis' memorial service, and by the first Black president no less. And that's the entire point. We're so exhausted from Trump that many of us would take George W. Bush back. Take a moment and think about how depressing that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) The hypocrisy would be comical if it weren't so sickeningly hypocritical. What If Fox News Covered Trump the Way It Covered Obama? Edited July 30, 2020 by JFK-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maple Leaf Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 3 hours ago, ri Alban said: George Wallace? He was the governor of Alabama for several terms, and was a dedicated segregationist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Slight digression, though not really. A good cop exposed a police department's practice of having barbecues with beers for cops who shot and killed criminal suspects, and also the practice of "badge bending" to signify that the officer wearing it had killed someone . . . and his employment was terminated. Vallejo police held parties, bent badges after fatal shootings, shocking report says "Some days I feel like I work with a bunch of thugs who take pleasure out of hurting people," an anonymous department employee told Open Vallejo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldar Hadzimehmedovic Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 2 hours ago, JFK-1 said: The hypocrisy would be comical if it weren't so sickeningly hypocritical. What If Fox News Covered Trump the Way It Covered Obama? What can you say about Fox that hasn't been said already? It will not be a sad day when Rupert Murdoch is no longer with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruyff Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 The man's a feckin maniac. Who knows what he will do to cling on to power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Justin Z said: Slight digression, though not really. A good cop exposed a police department's practice of having barbecues with beers for cops who shot and killed criminal suspects, and also the practice of "badge bending" to signify that the officer wearing it had killed someone . . . and his employment was terminated. Vallejo police held parties, bent badges after fatal shootings, shocking report says "Some days I feel like I work with a bunch of thugs who take pleasure out of hurting people," an anonymous department employee told Open Vallejo. For a long time I have felt US police are little more than almost vigilantes with a badge. Nowhere near the professionalism and actual public servants British police for all their flaws are. I have never had any concerns about having any dealings with British police. I do with US police. The US never seemed to mature from frontier Wyatt Earp type policing. It's not defunding they need to look at. It's complete reorganisation. Become real police. There are plenty of models in Western Europe they could emulate the best from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Justin Z said: Slight digression, though not really. A good cop exposed a police department's practice of having barbecues with beers for cops who shot and killed criminal suspects, and also the practice of "badge bending" to signify that the officer wearing it had killed someone . . . and his employment was terminated. Vallejo police held parties, bent badges after fatal shootings, shocking report says "Some days I feel like I work with a bunch of thugs who take pleasure out of hurting people," an anonymous department employee told Open Vallejo. How can the United States get it so wrong in so many ways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said: What can you say about Fox that hasn't been said already? It will not be a sad day when Rupert Murdoch is no longer with us. The video is one of the best I have seen when it comes to highlighting the absurd hypocrisy. I think pretty much every single thing they were accusing Obama of is being committed by Trump right now ten fold. With not a murmur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Just now, davemclaren said: How can the United States get it so wrong in so many ways? The simple answer is that we're never, ever honest with ourselves. We have created fairy stories about literally every aspect of our history, our government and our lives. That sort of myth making is at the core of American exceptionalism and our refusal to ever acknowledge our faults has left us with nothing but. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 4 minutes ago, Justin Z said: The simple answer is that we're never, ever honest with ourselves. We have created fairy stories about literally every aspect of our history, our government and our lives. That sort of myth making is at the core of American exceptionalism and our refusal to ever acknowledge our faults has left us with nothing but. Out of curiosity how did an American end up following Hearts? I'm in the US but I am Scottish born and bred and lived the vast majority of my life in Scotland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackLadd Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) Trump called the 2016 election rigged and we later found out it was, but not for Hillary. Edited July 31, 2020 by JackLadd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 6 hours ago, Barack said: Wallace was Governor, of that well known Liberal & trailblazing State - Alabama. Also ran for *President. Did quite well in a 3rd candidate capacity if I remember rightly. (*Sad indictment if ever was needed.) "He is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and populist views. ... Wallace notoriously opposed desegregation and supported the policies of "Jim Crow" during the Civil Rights Movement, declaring in his 1963 inaugural address that he stood for "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." In summary: A massive racist. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Z Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, JFK-1 said: Out of curiosity how did an American end up following Hearts? I'm in the US but I am Scottish born and bred and lived the vast majority of my life in Scotland. A picture is worth a thousand words, even if it's a picture of words so here are two pictures from the programme when we played Aberdeen in December... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 7 minutes ago, Justin Z said: A picture is worth a thousand words, even if it's a picture of words so here are two pictures from the programme when we played Aberdeen in December... An immigrant like me? Travelling in opposite directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 2 hours ago, Justin Z said: The simple answer is that we're never, ever honest with ourselves. We have created fairy stories about literally every aspect of our history, our government and our lives. That sort of myth making is at the core of American exceptionalism and our refusal to ever acknowledge our faults has left us with nothing but. I think part of the problem is over the top patriotism. Some take any suggestion of some facet of the country not being the best in the world as an insult. And my experience in Oklahoma suggests that's a Republican supporter phenomenon. How can you improve anything if you're the greatest nation in the world and the best at everything? And regarding any criticism being regarded as an insult here's a little anecdote of how bizarrely deep that can run. And this didn't even involve a criticism of the US. Years ago I used to inhabit yahoo chatrooms and in those chatrooms encountered people from all around the world, including Americans. I remember an incident where a Scottish girl in the chatroom mentioned that her sister had married an American sailor she met when he was posted in Scotland. Her sister now lived in Texas and she had visited there. There was a guy from Texas in the chatroom and he asked her if she would like to emigrate to Texas or even the US in general. She said she was happy where she was and didn't see herself ever emigrating to the US or anywhere else. At that he becomes offended and even belligerent. As if it's insulting to him that she wouldn't want to leave the land of her birth to go live in the land of his birth. Quite bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real Maroonblood Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 4 hours ago, Justin Z said: The simple answer is that we're never, ever honest with ourselves. We have created fairy stories about literally every aspect of our history, our government and our lives. That sort of myth making is at the core of American exceptionalism and our refusal to ever acknowledge our faults has left us with nothing but. That’s quite sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trotter Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 3 hours ago, JFK-1 said: I think part of the problem is over the top patriotism. Some take any suggestion of some facet of the country not being the best in the world as an insult. And my experience in Oklahoma suggests that's a Republican supporter phenomenon. How can you improve anything if you're the greatest nation in the world and the best at everything? And regarding any criticism being regarded as an insult here's a little anecdote of how bizarrely deep that can run. And this didn't even involve a criticism of the US. Years ago I used to inhabit yahoo chatrooms and in those chatrooms encountered people from all around the world, including Americans. I remember an incident where a Scottish girl in the chatroom mentioned that her sister had married an American sailor she met when he was posted in Scotland. Her sister now lived in Texas and she had visited there. There was a guy from Texas in the chatroom and he asked her if she would like to emigrate to Texas or even the US in general. She said she was happy where she was and didn't see herself ever emigrating to the US or anywhere else. At that he becomes offended and even belligerent. As if it's insulting to him that she wouldn't want to leave the land of her birth to go live in the land of his birth. Quite bizarre. This is the bit for me. Over here you see almost daily levels of patriotism that are just...unnecessary. From Stars and Stripes flying literally everywhere, to fawning 'thank you for your service' tributes to men and women in the military/first responders, to the chants of "USA USA USA" at sports events, to the constant reminders that "the land of the free and the home of the brave" is somehow the absolute pinnacle of human 'values' and can do no wrong. It's just weird to be done to this extreme. Now I'm not for a second saying you shouldn't be proud of your country, especially men and women who put themselves in harms way to protect others. I will also admit that moving to Texas was absolutely the best thing I've ever done, but to me it all just seems like a massive over-compensation for something. But for the life of me I can't work out what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETTY29 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 6 hours ago, JFK-1 said: For a long time I have felt US police are little more than almost vigilantes with a badge. Nowhere near the professionalism and actual public servants British police for all their flaws are. I have never had any concerns about having any dealings with British police. I do with US police. The US never seemed to mature from frontier Wyatt Earp type policing. It's not defunding they need to look at. It's complete reorganisation. Become real police. There are plenty of models in Western Europe they could emulate the best from. And imagine if you were black.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovecraft Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 2 hours ago, trotter said: This is the bit for me. Over here you see almost daily levels of patriotism that are just...unnecessary. From Stars and Stripes flying literally everywhere, to fawning 'thank you for your service' tributes to men and women in the military/first responders, to the chants of "USA USA USA" at sports events, to the constant reminders that "the land of the free and the home of the brave" is somehow the absolute pinnacle of human 'values' and can do no wrong. It's just weird to be done to this extreme. Now I'm not for a second saying you shouldn't be proud of your country, especially men and women who put themselves in harms way to protect others. I will also admit that moving to Texas was absolutely the best thing I've ever done, but to me it all just seems like a massive over-compensation for something. But for the life of me I can't work out what it is. Might be a bit controversial, but the US has the potential to become the next Nazi regime. All it is takes is one bat shit mental leader, mixed in with blind patriotism and a large group of sheeple "crazies". Add into that mix a pile of sycophantic politicians and right wing leaders, all supported by bizarre propaganda pushed by privately owned highly politicised media. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwindonJambo Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 19 hours ago, Jambo-Jimbo said: Alarm bells must be going off in the heads of all decent Americans. Gonna get a whole lot more scarier before he's out of the Whitehouse. It's reassuring that it was Republican politicians who've publicly told him that a postponement is not possible. I can well imagine that a good few of them privately want Trump gone and are willing to tolerate one term of Biden before putting up a sane candidate next time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53599363 But I'm sure he'll try something else next. If all else fails, he'll dismiss the result and scream 'fake nooz'. I expect him to be removed from the White House by security, accompanied by the mother of all meltdowns. Unfortunately he has a minimum of nearly 6 more months in office and can do a lot of damage in that time. I don't understand why outgoing US Presidents get 10 weeks between the Presidential Election and exiting the White House. I prefer our system of being out on your arse the very next day with no opportunity to do damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo-Jimbo Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 18 minutes ago, SwindonJambo said: It's reassuring that it was Republican politicians who've publicly told him that a postponement is not possible. I can well imagine that a good few of them privately want Trump gone and are willing to tolerate one term of Biden before putting up a sane candidate next time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53599363 But I'm sure he'll try something else next. If all else fails, he'll dismiss the result and scream 'fake nooz'. I expect him to be removed from the White House by security, accompanied by the mother of all meltdowns. Unfortunately he has a minimum of nearly 6 more months in office and can do a lot of damage in that time. I don't understand why outgoing US Presidents get 10 weeks between the Presidential Election and exiting the White House. I prefer our system of being out on your arse the very next day with no opportunity to do damage. I think the few adults amongst the Rupublican party have realised that another 4 years of Trump will see them out of power for a decade or more, so yes a short one term Democrat win would be preferable to say 12 -16 years out of power. I'm assuming an outgoing President can still issue executive orders, if so, then yes he could a hell of a lot of damage in a very short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boof Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 The dipshit really needs to be Truman Show-ed. Let him think he's passing any number of executive orders then, come inauguration day, let him emerge blinking into the sunlight to realise he's actually been sectioned and in a secure unit for 10 weeks. Then charge and jail the *******. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maple Leaf Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 3 hours ago, Lovecraft said: Might be a bit controversial, but the US has the potential to become the next Nazi regime. All it is takes is one bat shit mental leader, mixed in with blind patriotism and a large group of sheeple "crazies". Add into that mix a pile of sycophantic politicians and right wing leaders, all supported by bizarre propaganda pushed by privately owned highly politicised media. A perfect description of America today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maple Leaf Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 5 hours ago, trotter said: This is the bit for me. Over here you see almost daily levels of patriotism that are just...unnecessary. From Stars and Stripes flying literally everywhere, to fawning 'thank you for your service' tributes to men and women in the military/first responders, to the chants of "USA USA USA" at sports events, to the constant reminders that "the land of the free and the home of the brave" is somehow the absolute pinnacle of human 'values' and can do no wrong. It's just weird to be done to this extreme. Now I'm not for a second saying you shouldn't be proud of your country, especially men and women who put themselves in harms way to protect others. I will also admit that moving to Texas was absolutely the best thing I've ever done, but to me it all just seems like a massive over-compensation for something. But for the life of me I can't work out what it is. Many years ago I travelled to California on business. As I checked into my hotel the receptionist asked me if I was ex-military. I said "Yes, I was in the army." She replied, "Thank you for your service." I said, "No need to thank me, I didn't want to go. I was conscripted." She looked at me all doe-eyed and cooed, "But you protected our freedoms, and that's what counts." I just shrugged and left it at that. I didn't want to deflate her mood by telling her it was the British army, not American. And I was in the Pay Corps!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovecraft Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 15 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said: A perfect description of America today. Yup. But instead of brown shirts, they are wearing MAGA hats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I P Knightley Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Maple Leaf said: Many years ago I travelled to California on business. As I checked into my hotel the receptionist asked me if I was ex-military. I said "Yes, I was in the army." She replied, "Thank you for your service." I said, "No need to thank me, I didn't want to go. I was conscripted." She looked at me all doe-eyed and cooed, "But you protected our freedoms, and that's what counts." I just shrugged and left it at that. I didn't want to deflate her mood by telling her it was the British army, not American. And I was in the Pay Corps!! I have the scene in my head now: Receptionist: "Army, you say? Which regiment?" M/L: "I'm not at liberty to say." Receptionist: "Allow me to give you a blowie, Mr Leaf." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterion Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Maple Leaf said: A perfect description of America today. Pretty much what Trump would aim for if he had an extra 2yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri Alban Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 5 hours ago, Lovecraft said: Might be a bit controversial, but the US has the potential to become the next Nazi regime. All it is takes is one bat shit mental leader, mixed in with blind patriotism and a large group of sheeple "crazies". Add into that mix a pile of sycophantic politicians and right wing leaders, all supported by bizarre propaganda pushed by privately owned highly politicised media. Imagine the damage a China/Russia/USA alliance could cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maple Leaf Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 1 hour ago, ri Alban said: Imagine the damage a China/Russia/USA alliance could cause. There was a Tripartite Pact between three dictatorships in the 1940s. They caused a bit of bother for everybody else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey J J Jr Shabadoo Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 2 hours ago, Maple Leaf said: Many years ago I travelled to California on business. As I checked into my hotel the receptionist asked me if I was ex-military. I said "Yes, I was in the army." She replied, "Thank you for your service." I said, "No need to thank me, I didn't want to go. I was conscripted." She looked at me all doe-eyed and cooed, "But you protected our freedoms, and that's what counts." I just shrugged and left it at that. I didn't want to deflate her mood by telling her it was the British army, not American. And I was in the Pay Corps!! I left the US for Scotland when I was 10 months old. Went back 22 years ago, aged 25 with a broad Dalkeith accent. The immigration officer saluted me and said "welcome home, sir." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Internet Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 2 hours ago, ri Alban said: Imagine the damage a China/Russia/USA alliance could cause. The USA would be like China and Russia's ****ing idiot cousin who gets to tag along because he's rich and gullible and will do what they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NANOJAMBO Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Even by Trumps "standards" this is quite something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 5 hours ago, Jambo-Jimbo said: I think the few adults amongst the Rupublican party have realised that another 4 years of Trump will see them out of power for a decade or more, so yes a short one term Democrat win would be preferable to say 12 -16 years out of power. I'm assuming an outgoing President can still issue executive orders, if so, then yes he could a hell of a lot of damage in a very short time. When he says something crazy others later persuade him and probably without outright saying you know that was ****ing stupid, that it was at least inadvisable. Trump calls them libtard pussies but then in public states that what he said was a joke to get those pussy libs in a froth. A raging pandemic with 150K dead and over 4 million infected is the perfect time for a Trump joke. So funny. What's actually happening when Trump cracks his jokes is that he's floating ideas to see what the response will be. He's not smart enough to figure out the likely response himself. We can all see what's coming. Biden predicted attempts to cancel/intefere with the election months ago and Obama talked of it just days ago. And Trump already previously raised the spectre of 'his people'. Going as far as naming the '2nd amendment' people. I read a Washington Post article recently which reported that Trump gun nuts are already roving the streets in places where protests have been taking place. Walking around openly threatening protesters with automatic military style rifles. And being openly tolerated by police. Everything he's currently doing should in itself be viewed as criminal. He's raving about using the military to put down anarchists while encouraging anti democracy anarchy. The Russian bots have already been deployed, they're not going to give up another four gloriously chaotic years of this idiot without a fight. Is it beyond Putin to engineer some sort of major incident prior to the election? In an attempt to prod the orange idiot into even further undemocratic craziness? I would think not. Unlike him Putin actually is a very smart operator indeed. He knows how Trump will likely respond to a specific prod before Trump knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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