U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[Watt-Zeefuik]

1 hour ago, XB52 said:

although I agree that the Iraq war was a disaster, for certain parties the headline in your link would be seen as a roaring success. The very last thing they want is a stable middle east

 

Certainly some, but the main architects and supporters of the war, including Hitch, appeared to sincerely believe that you knock over one dictator and everyone will just decide they want to be rational capitalists and besties with the US.

 

At least Kissinger wasn't that dumb. Evil and not nearly as clever as he thinks of himself, but with enough sense that if you plunder their resources for pennies, they're not going to throw you a parade.

[Notts1874]

3 hours ago, Barack said:

I'll be tugging something, if this ends up in his disgraced removal from Office. I doubt it'll be my heart strings.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Trump now saying that Giuliani was only one day in the job and he'll get his facts right as he learns the job.

 

Trump throwing his friend under the bus it would seem, Trump also said Giuliani might be making a statement later today.

 

That'll be interesting.

[milky_26]

9 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

Trump now saying that Giuliani was only one day in the job and he'll get his facts right as he learns the job.

 

Trump throwing his friend under the bus it would seem, Trump also said Giuliani might be making a statement later today.

 

That'll be interesting.

i wonder if that statement will be like trumps medical report that trump wrote himself

[Sharpie]

What a wonderful day, Giuliani was wrong in what he said, I am so happy that The President was correct in what he said about the Stormy Daniels thing in was it number six explanation or number 9, you can all say what you like but the President is a fantastic example of honesty and integrity. He is just surrounded by people who get their pleasure by reclining dormant in front of a moving bus.

 

As a complete admirer of Doanald Trump, I was elated to see a few miniutes ago he and General Kelly expressing their love, admiration and respect for each other. There is a rumor that Turmp adised Kelly that he is secure in his present situation.  A White House source did say that things may change when an under the bus appointment becomes available.  The shortage of buses is a result of some travel plans submitted by Prius.

[The Real Maroonblood]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44007312

Trumpet at an NRA love in going on about knife crime in London.

He is an absolute roaster.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

Just now, The Real Maroonblood said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44007312

Trumpet at an NRA love in going on about knife crime in London.

He is an absolute roaster.

 

He also mimicked the "thrusting" motion whilst in the midst of his havers and seemed well practiced in the art. (although, tbf, he does have experience in the "back-stabbing" department)

 

 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

4 minutes ago, Barack said:

Especially liked the miming of stabbings.

 

Just so people were absolutely clear what a knife is.

 

Just now, J.T.F.Robertson said:

 

He also mimicked the "thrusting" motion whilst in the midst of his havers and seemed well practiced in the art. (although, tbf, he does have experience in the "back-stabbing" department)

 

 

 

Snap!

 

[Victorian]

W T actual.. 

 

 

[The Real Maroonblood]

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

 

He also mimicked the "thrusting" motion whilst in the midst of his havers and seemed well practiced in the art. (although, tbf, he does have experience in the "back-stabbing" department)

 

 

[shaun.lawson]

The brave, intrepid President Bone Spurs will head into the terrifying Londonistan war zone on Friday 13 July. What could possibly go wrong? 

[The Real Maroonblood]

4 minutes ago, shaun.lawson said:

The brave, intrepid President Bone Spurs will head into the terrifying Londonistan war zone on Friday 13 July. What could possibly go wrong? 

Everything hopefully.

[shaun.lawson]

His comments remind me of this actually. This thread is utter genius.

 

 

[OBE]

The wife's council pension update, had a wee shifty, wished I hadn't. The councils contribution to my wee diamonds pension is...20.9%. Biggest employer in East Lothian.

 

 

[The Real Maroonblood]

25 minutes ago, Old Blue Eyes said:

The wife's council pension update, had a wee shifty, wished I hadn't. The councils contribution to my wee diamonds pension is...20.9%. Biggest employer in East Lothian.

 

 

Trump has a lot to answer for

[Cade]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/05/trump-team-hired-spy-firm-dirty-ops-iran-nuclear-deal

 

 

[Ulysses]

Trump's approval ratings are slowly but steadily improving.

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html

 

 

[deesidejambo]

That speech to the NRA is just incredible.    He infers that if every single person had a gun the world would be safer!     Give me strength.

[Ulysses]

John McCain is still trying to promote some decency and a sense of public service over the narcissistic nastiness and windbaggery of Trump.

 

New York Times: John McCain Battles Donald Trump With His Dying Breaths

 

McCain is a conservative, and someone whose politics I couldn't contemplate supporting.  But as his campaign against Obama in 2008 showed, he is a fundamentally decent politician with a strong sense of public duty.

 

As for Trump?  If I found something like him on my shoe I'd use something other than my hands to clean it off.

[Sharpie]

In another post I mistakenly used Prius name instead of Pruitt and I apologise to Prius  for this.  How Pruitt can be maintained in his position with the alleged misuse of departmental money, and relationships with lobbyists is a sad reflection of the ethical nature of the leader and his views on same.  It is all very well to say that the man does an excellent job, and there is agreement of this by many, but his inability or refusal to explain some of his expenses is to say the least questionable. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

8 hours ago, deesidejambo said:

That speech to the NRA is just incredible.    He infers that if every single person had a gun the world would be safer!     Give me strength.

 

The scariest thing about it, is that Trump the NRA and their supporters probably believe it.

 

[Justin Z]

4 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

The scariest thing about it, is that Trump the NRA and their supporters  ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶a̶b̶l̶y̶  believe it.

 

 

Fixed

[Mac_fae_Gillie]

9 hours ago, deesidejambo said:

That speech to the NRA is just incredible.    He infers that if every single person had a gun the world would be safer!     Give me strength.

I don't think I've ever used the word "godsmacked" but jesus seen that speech not only insult the UK  a place he is due to visit but also France. The fact this come a few weeks after children marched thru out the USA to tighten gun controls is crazy. He has totally laid his support at 100% gun freedom.

London is in a period of gang violence that has limited effect on most people its not great but vast majority of the attacks are targeted thus joe average is safe.. give these gangs guns and bullets been sprayed about then bystanders will get hit. Trump yet again makes no sense in his arguments, an increase violence should mean more gun control not less.. knives are a lethal but limited weapon. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

5 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

 

Fixed

 

I get the distinct impression that many within the NRA support would love nothing more than a return to the good old wild West days, Dodge City, Tombstone etc.

[Justin Z]

5 minutes ago, Mac_fae_Gillie said:

I don't think I've ever used the word "godsmacked" but jesus seen that speech not only insult the UK  a place he is due to visit but also France. The fact this come a few weeks after children marched thru out the USA to tighten gun controls is crazy. He has totally laid his support at 100% gun freedom.

London is in a period of gang violence that has limited effect on most people its not great but vast majority of the attacks are targeted thus joe average is safe.. give these gangs guns and bullets been sprayed about then bystanders will get hit. Trump yet again makes no sense in his arguments, an increase violence should mean more gun control not less.. knives are a lethal but limited weapon. 

 

He does this for the mind control aspects, not because he actually believes anything he's saying. He knows who the sheep are and is well aware of the tinpot dictatorship tactics to control them.

 

3 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

I get the distinct impression that many within the NRA support would love nothing more than a return to the good old wild West days, Dodge City, Tombstone etc.

 

This is not at all wrong.

[Cade]

In actual fact, gun laws were far tighter in the Wild West than they are today in most states.

[Maple Leaf]

20 hours ago, Ulysses said:

Trump's approval ratings are slowly but steadily improving.

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html

 

 

 

It's probably safe to say that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that Trump could do or say that would cause his approval rating to drop below about 30%.  That's his base, and it consists of neo-cons, Evangelical Christians, white supremacists, and the NRA, among others.  Those people don't care much about the sex scandals, the lies, the non-disclosure of his tax returns, the turmoil in the White House, his buffoonery, and other stuff that causes palpitations among liberals.  He is their man, and they will stick with him.  Come the 2020 election, those 30% are in the bag for him.

 

The question is, will he get back to the 46% that got him elected in 2016?  If he doesn't get back to that 46%, he will almost certainly lose.  Remember that Clinton, his rival, got 48% , and that only 57% of the electorate turned out to vote.  So, if his rival in 2020 can push up even 1%, or the voter turnout goes up by even 1%, Trump's 46% will certainly lose him the election.  And he's still below 46% today. 

 

But some things are working in his favour:  unemployment is very low, the stock market is doing well, optimism in the business community is high.  And he has yet to play his *ahem* trump card ... he hasn't started a war.  That always helps a President's ratings.

 

2020 is still a ways away, and no Democrat has yet stepped forward to challenge him, but it would be premature for anyone to rule Trump out at this stage. 

 

 

[Cade]

Giuliani thinks there is a chance Trump will plead the 5th on the Russia collusion affair

 

 

[Maple Leaf]

1 minute ago, Cade said:

Giuliani thinks there is a chance Trump will plead the 5th on the Russia collusion affair

 

 

 

In that case, prepare for the meltdown on CNN ... but nowhere else.

[Cade]

"Mr President, did you commit treason?"

 

"I prefer not to answer as I may incriminate myself"

 

 

[Ulysses]

10 minutes ago, Cade said:

"Mr President, did you commit treason?"

 

"I prefer not to answer as I may incriminate myself"

 

 

 

"Mr. President, was the treason you committed ugly and small?"

 

"No, it was the biggest, best and most byoodiful treason ever.......

 

 

 

......awwww shit, oops."

[Sharpie]

Giuliani says Mueller wants Trump to be interviewed under Oath so that he can get him for Perjury,  but if he commits Perjury its because he is lying, so the inference I take is that Giuliani  knows the facts and knows that Trump would have to lie to to attempt to prove his innocence,  so if he fails to tell the truth about something they say is not a crime why lie about it and commit an actual crime.  All he has to say is what he has already said and that has has been said before, the money was paid to protect his wife and family, we all know he weathered the Stormy, and I am sure his wife knows also, so why not admit it and get it over with.  Of course he may not want to account to Mueller why on Air Force One he counselled members of his retinue to lie aboiut the meeting at Trump Tower which is one of the most significant factors in the read my lips there was no collusion statements. 

 

There are two factors I am sure investigators and prosecutors just love, a stupid accused, with an even dumber lawyer.  I am a frequent defender of those of us who are blessed with age but an old fool like Giuliani just defeats all our arguments.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

6 hours ago, Cade said:

Giuliani thinks there is a chance Trump will plead the 5th on the Russia collusion affair

 

 

 

Not possible! Taking the 5th = guilt, as per their illustrious leader. No way would he be that much of a hypocrite. 

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

13 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

It's probably safe to say that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that Trump could do or say that would cause his approval rating to drop below about 30%.  That's his base, and it consists of neo-cons, Evangelical Christians, white supremacists, and the NRA, among others.  Those people don't care much about the sex scandals, the lies, the non-disclosure of his tax returns, the turmoil in the White House, his buffoonery, and other stuff that causes palpitations among liberals.  He is their man, and they will stick with him.  Come the 2020 election, those 30% are in the bag for him.

 

 

 

Speaking in 2016.

'US Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is so confident in his support base that he said he could stand on New York’s Fifth Avenue “and shoot somebody” and still not lose voters.'

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/24/donald-trump-says-he-could-shoot-somebody-and-still-not-lose-voters

 

And he's right, which is a shocking indictment on not only the state of American politics but also large sections of the American populace. 

[peter_hmfc]

An armed citizen could have stopped the Bataclan attack?

 

Is this ***t trying for self-sabotage?

 

Delusional is not the world.

 

I'm sure Stephen Paddock could have been stopped with a ****ing slingshot.

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

I’m at a conference this week and the keynote speaker this morning was President Obama. That was a great hour listening to him, no politics, it was all about values, humanity and regardless of political persuasion, respect. what a difference between him and the current incumbent. Genuinely a privilege to hear him speak. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

On 5/6/2018 at 13:56, Maple Leaf said:

 

It's probably safe to say that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that Trump could do or say that would cause his approval rating to drop below about 30%.  That's his base, and it consists of neo-cons, Evangelical Christians, white supremacists, and the NRA, among others.  Those people don't care much about the sex scandals, the lies, the non-disclosure of his tax returns, the turmoil in the White House, his buffoonery, and other stuff that causes palpitations among liberals.  He is their man, and they will stick with him.  Come the 2020 election, those 30% are in the bag for him.

 

The question is, will he get back to the 46% that got him elected in 2016?  If he doesn't get back to that 46%, he will almost certainly lose.  Remember that Clinton, his rival, got 48% , and that only 57% of the electorate turned out to vote.  So, if his rival in 2020 can push up even 1%, or the voter turnout goes up by even 1%, Trump's 46% will certainly lose him the election.  And he's still below 46% today. 

 

But some things are working in his favour:  unemployment is very low, the stock market is doing well, optimism in the business community is high.  And he has yet to play his *ahem* trump card ... he hasn't started a war.  That always helps a President's ratings.

 

2020 is still a ways away, and no Democrat has yet stepped forward to challenge him, but it would be premature for anyone to rule Trump out at this stage. 

 

 

 

Everything comes down to the midterms at this point. If it's the tidal wave that the polls sometimes hint at, we will see a very different Presidency in 2019 -- Trump will doubtless start sucking up to Democrats and blaming (admittedly with considerable justification) that it's the Congressional GOP that screwed everything up. And, of course, that makes impeachment an actual possibility -- if the Dems somehow beat the built-in headwinds in the Senate, wobbly GOP Senators might go ahead and pull the trigger on removal if it gets before them.

 

If the Democrats pick up seats and narrowly win the House but not the Senate, the environment in the country is only going to get more poisonous, which is hard to imagine but I can't see any other result.

 

If the GOP holds both houses, even with small Democratic gains.... God help us.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

Oh, also, watch the West Virginia primary tomorrow. The seat is held by Joe Manchin, the most conservative Democrat in the Senate and generally a spineless shill for any corporate interest willing to throw money at him.

 

He's in a primary race against Paula Jean Swearengin, an actual strong believer in things like unions and the ability to not have a natural gas pipeline run through your back yard. I hope she wins but don't have much optimism.

 

The GOP primary is where the real shitshow is. There are two fairly conservative Republicans in the race, and then there's Don Blankenship. He ran a coal company where he personally directed crews to go against safety regulation and mine out support columns. This directly led to a mine disaster that killed 29 workers. Blankenship went to prison for this, and now he's out running for Senate, claiming to be "Trumpier than Trump."

 

Like in Alabama, Trump is backing one of his opponents. However, if Blankenship wins the primary, expect that to end in a hurry.

 

Manchin is good for only one thing -- a vote against McConnell as Majority Leader, so I have exactly zero enthusiasm for his re-election campaign. But Blankenship is up there with Roy Moore in the morally outrageous category. (Workplace murder vs. pedophilia and rape, hard call....)

[SpruceBringsteen]

1 hour ago, Ugly American said:

Oh, also, watch the West Virginia primary tomorrow. The seat is held by Joe Manchin, the most conservative Democrat in the Senate and generally a spineless shill for any corporate interest willing to throw money at him.

 

He's in a primary race against Paula Jean Swearengin, an actual strong believer in things like unions and the ability to not have a natural gas pipeline run through your back yard. I hope she wins but don't have much optimism.

 

The GOP primary is where the real shitshow is. There are two fairly conservative Republicans in the race, and then there's Don Blankenship. He ran a coal company where he personally directed crews to go against safety regulation and mine out support columns. This directly led to a mine disaster that killed 29 workers. Blankenship went to prison for this, and now he's out running for Senate, claiming to be "Trumpier than Trump."

 

Like in Alabama, Trump is backing one of his opponents. However, if Blankenship wins the primary, expect that to end in a hurry.

 

Manchin is good for only one thing -- a vote against McConnell as Majority Leader, so I have exactly zero enthusiasm for his re-election campaign. But Blankenship is up there with Roy Moore in the morally outrageous category. (Workplace murder vs. pedophilia and rape, hard call....)

 

I don't think people will fully get this Blankenship thing. I'll post a video and point out that it's not a parody. People here WILL vote for him.

 

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

3 hours ago, SpruceBringsteen said:

 

I don't think people will fully get this Blankenship thing. I'll post a video and point out that it's not a parody. People here WILL vote for him.

 

 

 

God help America if someone like Blankenship wins.

 

On second thoughts if Blankenship wins then America is truly beyond help, period.

 

[Bindy Badgy]

 

[Justin Z]

This guy . . .

 

. . . gets it.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Trump set to pull out of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

26 minutes ago, Barack said:

"Did the black guy sign this off? Great. Another thing to reverse." 

 

That's about the size of it.

 

[XB52]

Once again the Zionists say jump and Trump says how high. I just hope, for once, that the uk, France etc tell him where to go and continue their part of the deal. 

[Maple Leaf]

1 hour ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

Trump set to pull out of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

 

 

Which does two things:

 

One, it proves that America's signature on an agreement means nothing.  I'm sure that North Korea will be especially interested in that.

 

Two, it paves the way for Iran to restart it's program to produce nuclear weapons.  I'm sure that North Korea will take note of that too.

 

Well done, President Invisible Bone Spurs.  You've just made a stable situation unstable.  

[XB52]

2 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Which does two things:

 

One, it proves that America's signature on an agreement means nothing.  I'm sure that North Korea will be especially interested in that.

 

Two, it paves the way for Iran to restart it's program to produce nuclear weapons.  I'm sure that North Korea will take note of that too.

 

Well done, President Invisible Bone Spurs.  You've just made a stable situation unstable.  

And that is exactly the point

[Watt-Zeefuik]

The Iran deal was probably the single best thing the US has done in terms of international peacemaking since the Good Friday accords... and he just went and tore it up.

 

Worth mentioning as well that it's not just Obama who helped put them together -- his first Secretary of State laid a huge amount of the groundwork to make them happen.  Wonder if Trump is also obsessed with whoever that was....

[Cade]

Gloves off in Syria now.

 

 

[Ibrahim Tall]

55 minutes ago, Cade said:

Gloves off in Syria now.

 

 

 

You could be correct alarmingly quick, the IAF has apparently just conducted an air strike near Damascus. Possibly on an Iranian base.