U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[Sharpie]

6 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

And I would of course say it has a lot to do with what the writer writes and what the reader reads into what he writes.

 

There does rightly or wrongly seem to be an opinion that you do tend to write comments that would appear to be defensive for the man. Reminds me a wee bit of the old tale of the woman who went to see her soldier son in a parade, when asked how it was she  pointed out that it was fine except her wee Jimmy was the only one in step.

[Francis Albert]

3 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

 

There does rightly or wrongly seem to be an opinion that you do tend to write comments that would appear to be defensive for the man. Reminds me a wee bit of the old tale of the woman who went to see her soldier son in a parade, when asked how it was she  pointed out that it was fine except her wee Jimmy was the only one in step.

I was going to post a simple smiley but got bored looking through all the silly available emoticons or whatever they are called.

So accept a virtual smiley please.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

42 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Where have I defended Trump? Criticising some of his more ineffective and counterproductive critics (among whom I should say I am emphatically not including you) is not the same as defending him.

 

Why does criticism of a world leader by members of the public need to be productive?

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

I read this yesterday. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/25/us/politics/alabama-ten-commandments-supreme-court.html

 

Leaving aside the fact that Alabama is one of the worst states from an education perspective and they'd probably be better off focusing their attention and money on trying to solve that it's also an interesting insight into why 'middle america' is such a fan of Trump.  It's also quite terrifying tbh.  

[Francis Albert]

5 minutes ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said:

 

Why does criticism of a world leader by members of the public need to be productive?

 

Where did I say it needed to be productive?

 

Ineffective - posters on here. Justified and correct and makes people feel good but unlikely to change a single vote in the USA.

 

The UN (!),  Trudeau, etc, TV chat show hosts and comedians recycling tired "satire" to Trump's opponents but (to the extent anyone else watches or listens) quite possibly counter- productive as far as Trump supporters and voters are concerned. 

 

Of course I am not saying everyone is not entitled to say what they want. Even when they seem not to extend that privilege to others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[southcap]

15 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

 

Where did I say it needed to be productive?

 

Ineffective - posters on here. Justified and correct and makes people feel good but unlikely to change a single vote in the USA.

 

The UN (!),  Trudeau, etc, TV chat show hosts and comedians recycling tired "satire" to Trump's opponents but (to the extent anyone else watches or listens) quite possibly counter- productive as far as Trump supporters and voters are concerned. 

 

Of course I am not saying everyone is not entitled to say what they want. Even when they seem not to extend that privilege to others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are completely free to say what you want.

 

Everyone else is entitled to say you are talking shite.

 

Just like you are entitled to tell people they are talking shite about Donald Trump

 

Thus, the world goes round.

 

I still have this image of you defending Trump though, not sure why,  It's not even in context, I just do.

 

 

 

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Third woman now alleging sexual misconduct by Kavenaugh.

[Francis Albert]

59 minutes ago, southcap said:

You are completely free to say what you want.

 

Everyone else is entitled to say you are talking shite.

 

Just like you are entitled to tell people they are talking shite about Donald Trump

 

Thus, the world goes round.

 

I still have this image of you defending Trump though, not sure why,  It's not even in context, I just do.

 

 

 

I have a bit more hair.

And i have never  said anyone was talking shite about Trump.

 

[Sharpie]

23 minutes ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said:

Third woman now alleging sexual misconduct by Kavenaugh.

 Another Michael Avenatti client. She certainly has a story thats for sure.  If the Republicans do what they seem bound to do rush this nomination through they could live with the ramifications for years, and most certainly this November. They have an old fart like McConnel pushing it, his  time to live with though   is limited, not so the young bucks with ambition.

Edited September 26, 2018 by bobsharp

[Mark M]

8 hours ago, Smithee said:

We already know Trump could fart in a can and a percentage of Americans would applaud wildly, the point being made here is about the unprecedented levels of open contempt even the western world has for the us president.

 

It's never happened before, the man's a buffoon. 

 

And yet the buffoon can simply point at the smug ,chattering class types exemplified by Merkel and say 'look what she did' and his work is pretty much done.

 

Until the Davos Class come up with an authentic tone and message that resonate with the electorate's instincts then the wave of Trump, Brexit and dare I say Corbyn type populismwon't stop anytime soon.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

Is anyone watching his news conference? I can't believe the guys in white coats haven't been in to whisk the rambling, egotistical maniac away yet, it's almost as if he's "on" something.

What an effin' bampot and this is the feckin American President. 

 

He's still at it. Will someone (anyone) please pull his plug, "embarrassing" doesn't come close to covering this.  Now the king of Saudi Arabia is "a great guy".

 

I keep meaning to get this off but he's still pratling on. Loves everyone and everywhere (Iran aside, naturally)

He needs sanctioned. How much rope does this guy need before he finally hangs himself?

 

EDIT: meant sectioned. 

Edited September 26, 2018 by J.T.F.Robertson

[Geoff the Mince]

Trump is becoming more unhinged  his press conference at the moment has to be his worst yet 

 

it's a car crash . He does not have a clue about anything outside of trade  and is a compulsive liar .

 

He needs locked up for his own sake . 

 

 

[Geoff the Mince]

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

Is anyone watching his news conference? I can't believe the guys in white coats haven't been in to whisk the rambling, egotistical maniac away yet, it's almost as if he's "on" something.

What an effin' bampot and this is the feckin American President. 

 

He's still at it. Will someone (anyone) please pull his plug, "embarrassing" doesn't come close to covering this.  Now the king of Saudi Arabia is "a great guy".

 

I keep meaning to get this off but he's still pratling on. Loves everyone and everywhere (Iran aside, naturally)

He needs sanctioned. How much rope does this guy need before he finally hangs himself?

 

 

 

I've never heard anything like it . . Rambling complete shite  ! 

[J.T.F.Robertson]

15 minutes ago, Geoff the Mince said:

Trump is becoming more unhinged  his press conference at the moment has to be his worst yet 

 

it's a car crash . He does not have a clue about anything outside of trade  and is a compulsive liar .

 

He needs locked up for everyone's sake . 

 

 

 

Amended.

 

[Ulysses]

 

7 minutes ago, Barack said:

Absolute narcsisstic drivel.

 

He's seething about yesterday. That's what's promoted this rare press conference.

 

Quite pitiful to view, really.

 

 

[Sharpie]

This news conference is exactly what Woodward talks about in his book. Aides say they ask him a question and he goes of off subject and rambles on an on. This is why his legal team have told him not to allow an interview with Mueller, he doesn't know when to stop talking, will contradict himself and of course lie during his rambling. I there is any question about his mental health his explanation proved it.

[Unknown user]

22 hours ago, Francis Albert said:

 

Unfortunately that percentage of Americans elected him. And whatever the anti-Trump bubble that delights in his humiliation on the world stage thinks, that percentage of Americans will largely be even more inclined to vote for him because the General Assembly of the United Nations laughs at him.

 

Harsh reality and not very funny (certainly not ROFL funny) but that is the case.

 

 

I note that Fox edited the laughter out of their report by the way

[I P Knightley]

10 hours ago, bobsharp said:

This news conference is exactly what Woodward talks about in his book. Aides say they ask him a question and he goes of off subject and rambles on an on. This is why his legal team have told him not to allow an interview with Mueller, he doesn't know when to stop talking, will contradict himself and of course lie during his rambling. I there is any question about his mental health his explanation proved it.

I tried watching the news conference and had to switch off. The guy doesn't have the attention span to hear a question. He hears a couple of words and decides to riff about himself in relation to those words. At least when Thatcher ignored the question, she had a point prepared which she wanted to put across - it was calculated and choreographed. Trump meanders and dribbles with complete randomness.

[Francis Albert]

52 minutes ago, Smithee said:

I note that Fox edited the laughter out of their report by the way

An own goal IMO

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Never would have believed if find a supreme court nomination process so fascinating ?. Quite gripping viewing this. Blasey Ford sure sounds like she's telling the truth. 

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

2 minutes ago, Barack said:

It certainly is. Because it's potentially a historic, (& not in a good way, for millions of Americans) appointment. Hearing her testimony, is something else from reading it. 

 

I actually will be surprised, if the Republican's bow to it, and don't appoint him.

 

It has clearly traumatised her. What must it be like for her to hear her own president call the whole thing a con job? ?

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Just now, Barack said:

I'd imagine what most people on Earth think, that haven't just evolved from a *mushroom. 

 

(* Any imagery, related to Trump's penis, in the above analogy, is purely coincidental.)

 

?

[J.T.F.Robertson]

13 minutes ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said:

 

It has clearly traumatised her. What must it be like for her to hear her own president call the whole thing a con job? ?

 

Why, hypothetically, would any woman of her standing put herself through this quasi-interrogation procedure simply to relate a fabrication? To sabotage the Republican Party? Puleese, don't make me laugh!

 

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Just now, Barack said:

Notice slimy Ted Cruz is on the committee.

 

Also, great format going, whereby the GOP Senator's, keep interrupting Mitchell, while she tries to do her job.

 

Well thought out, in the interests of trying not to appear like deeply Conservative, middle-aged & elderly Senator's, with a blatant agenda...they've appeared...well...that, really.

 

Quite an obvious attempt to disguise the fact that every question she's faced with would have come from a man. Even though they're all sitting there in plain sight. ?

 

This is what Christine Blasey Ford is looking at as she describes her sexual assault. https://t.co/GGxmuHnNpZ

 

Reminder: there is not a single woman Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee as we listen to this. And there never has been in the committee's history. Not one. https://t.co/5CYeafRZf3

 

?

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

You're not going to get anywhere trying to pick holes in someone's account of their own anxiety and PTSD when that person is a psychology professor. ?

[JackLadd]

Lindsay Graham has turned into trump licking ****** since his buddy McCain past away. Scum. 

[Geoff the Mince]

I honestly  ain't a scooby if he done what she said .

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

Based on this, i know how i believe more.  And it isn't a ranting mentalist who claims to have drunk beer and keeps his calendars from 30 years ago. Quite a spectacular meltdown live on tv.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

24 minutes ago, Craig Gordons Gloves said:

Based on this, i know how i believe more.  And it isn't a ranting mentalist who claims to have drunk beer and keeps his calendars from 30 years ago. Quite a spectacular meltdown live on tv.

 

It's fairly obvious to me that she's telling the truth. But then what do I know? Why on earth would she risk everything she has - her career and even her life - to be a pawn in some political stunt? Makes absolutely no sense. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Eldar Hadzimehmedovic

[Watt-Zeefuik]

I don't like Gorsuch or Alito or Roberts. I don't like their judicial philosophy, the way they've ruled, or the way they talk about the court. Cases like Citizens United and Heller and others where they've reinterpreted pieces of the Constitution in favor of large corporations and the NRA make me furious. (Gorsuch hasn't had that many chances to rule on the top court but his judicial philosophy is pretty clearly defined)

 

But they always come across as having some manner of integrity and seem to care about that of the court. Kavanaugh, increasingly over the last week but particularly today, comes across as a slimeball and an opportunist trying to pass himself off as a choirboy. If he told me the sun came up in the east I'd go check. He played his part correctly during the initial hearings but the mask flat fell off and shattered today. He has Scalia's cynicism and power hunger with none of the old fraud's rascally charisma.

 

And the GOP will still probably ram him through. Because they don't care.

[Sharpie]

I listened to Trump the other day saying he was disappointed in Kavanaugh being so weak in his interview in Fox, he told Kavanaugh he should fight get angry and be stronger, Kavanaugh done exactly what he was told to do even going off at a tangent to a simple question requiring a simple answer. The interviewing commitee member rightly stated I asked a question got no answer instead got a filibuster. I also thought his claim that the whole thing was part of a plot to get revenge by the Clintons because of his participation in President Clintons case. I was a bit surprisd that he missed the opportunity to start chanting "lock her up".

 

Regardless of the accusations the drinking and the bad drunk , I have to think that he has indicated a danger of bias in his future decisions as a Supreme Cpourt Judge, I certainly wonder how he could decide anything in a really Judge like manner if the name Clinton was even mentioned, I had to go out and missed some of the hearing questions, but having watched the after hearing panels, I am fairly sure the vote tomorrow will be a positive for him and he will be appointed.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

On 26/09/2018 at 14:24, Francis Albert said:

 

Unfortunately that percentage of Americans elected him. And whatever the anti-Trump bubble that delights in his humiliation on the world stage thinks, that percentage of Americans will largely be even more inclined to vote for him because the General Assembly of the United Nations laughs at him.

 

Harsh reality and not very funny (certainly not ROFL funny) but that is the case.

 

 

I'm well aware that the right-wing religious racists want him to survive and keep defending him/turning a blind eye to his sexual assaults (and lesser misdemeanours).

[The Real Maroonblood]

9 hours ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said:

 

It's fairly obvious to me that she's telling the truth. But then what do I know? Why on earth would she risk everything she has - her career and even her life - to be a pawn in some political stunt? Makes absolutely no sense. 

Totally agree.

[Sidelight]

6 hours ago, Ugly American said:

I don't like Gorsuch or Alito or Roberts. I don't like their judicial philosophy, the way they've ruled, or the way they talk about the court. Cases like Citizens United and Heller and others where they've reinterpreted pieces of the Constitution in favor of large corporations and the NRA make me furious. (Gorsuch hasn't had that many chances to rule on the top court but his judicial philosophy is pretty clearly defined)

 

But they always come across as having some manner of integrity and seem to care about that of the court. Kavanaugh, increasingly over the last week but particularly today, comes across as a slimeball and an opportunist trying to pass himself off as a choirboy. If he told me the sun came up in the east I'd go check. He played his part correctly during the initial hearings but the mask flat fell off and shattered today. He has Scalia's cynicism and power hunger with none of the old fraud's rascally charisma.

 

And the GOP will still probably ram him through. Because they don't care.

 

I respectively disagree with almost your entire content.

Ford’s testimony was a train wreck.

On the other hand, Kavanaugh’s testimony has blown the allegations out of the water.

It seems that there is no end to Trump derangement syndrome.

What low ball scheme or act will surface next in this war remains to be seen.

[Maple Leaf]

9 hours ago, bobsharp said:

I listened to Trump the other day saying he was disappointed in Kavanaugh being so weak in his interview in Fox, he told Kavanaugh he should fight get angry and be stronger, Kavanaugh done exactly what he was told to do even going off at a tangent to a simple question requiring a simple answer. The interviewing commitee member rightly stated I asked a question got no answer instead got a filibuster. I also thought his claim that the whole thing was part of a plot to get revenge by the Clintons because of his participation in President Clintons case. I was a bit surprisd that he missed the opportunity to start chanting "lock her up".

 

Regardless of the accusations the drinking and the bad drunk , I have to think that he has indicated a danger of bias in his future decisions as a Supreme Cpourt Judge, I certainly wonder how he could decide anything in a really Judge like manner if the name Clinton was even mentioned, I had to go out and missed some of the hearing questions, but having watched the after hearing panels, I am fairly sure the vote tomorrow will be a positive for him and he will be appointed.

 

I thought the Dems were extremely weak today.  Where did Feinstein disappear to?  She was indirectly attacked by the Republicans several times and didn't challenge any of them.  Was she even in the room for Kavanaugh's rant?

 

My wife watched the Kavanaugh opening remarks with me.  She's a very mild-mannered, quietly-spoken person, but part way through his speech she got up to leave the room and said, "That guy needs to grow a pair!"

 

I agree with your comment about Kavanaugh's obvious bias which, to me, showed his unsuitability for the SCOTUS job, but not a single Dem challenged him on it.  They're pathetic.  Compare the polite Dems to the apoplectic Graham on the other side.  Where was their matching passion?

 

But you're right ... Kavanaugh will win the committee vote today, and the Senate vote soon, and Donald Trump will be hailed by the Conservative Right as the greatest President in American history.

[ri Alban]

6 hours ago, alfajambo said:

 

I respectively disagree with almost your entire content.

Ford’s testimony was a train wreck.

On the other hand, Kavanaugh’s testimony has blown the allegations out of the water.

It seems that there is no end to Trump derangement syndrome.

What low ball scheme or act will surface next in this war remains to be seen.

You ma man, are something else. 

[ri Alban]

True or not, he's not fit for office with his attitude. 

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

I see the republican strategy is to say that they accept the she was assaulted but not by Kavanaugh, thereby not getting into the hot water of attacking a victim but that Brett is also a good boy. 

 

Alfa - what did you see/hear that makes you form the opinion that her testimony was a train wreck and his blew all allegations out the water? I saw things very differently, i saw a composed and intelligent woman who didn't need to expose herself to this answer questions in an honest and calm manner, i also saw a judge lose his temper on various occasions and rant about various things.  He was also helped by some very partisan senators including the last one who led him down the path of denying everything in front of god etc.  I don't believe him, i believe her. What should happen is that the nomination should be delayed until a proper investigation has been carried out to either give him the opportunity to be exonerated and take a seat in the court free from these claims or for evidence to show that he is guilty.  

[Sharpie]

7 hours ago, alfajambo said:

 

I respectively disagree with almost your entire content.

Ford’s testimony was a train wreck.

On the other hand, Kavanaugh’s testimony has blown the allegations out of the water.

It seems that there is no end to Trump derangement syndrome.

What low ball scheme or act will surface next in this war remains to be seen.

 

That is a really awful post, it is one thing to be loyal, and to express a different opinion, but to suggest that Kavanaugh presented good testimony is absurdity at the highest level.  He answered direct questions with rambles about his shool grades, his high level of intelligence and other self aggrandising comments. He blatantly lied about the devils triangle, about boofting,, and other matters including the meaning of the letter F at girls names. The suggestion was that Renate was just another one of the group. In the army we would have referred to such a friend as the company bike. All groups develop their own language.

 

How any reasonable person with a modicum of intelligence cannot see through the horrible individual Trump is to my moderate level of intelligence  unbelieveable. This very subject Kavanaugh, is a blatant example of Trumps selfish self serving attitude, his sole desire for Kavanaugh to be confirmed is to give Trump a feeling of security for he and his family at least while a serving president.

i

[Sidelight]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_C7o5INBzw

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

11 minutes ago, alfajambo said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_C7o5INBzw

 

Your description of Blasey Ford's testimony as a trainwreck is pretty vague. Do you think she was lying?

[Sharpie]

10 minutes ago, alfajambo said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_C7o5INBzw

 

Lindsey Graham, Trumps bumboy, please sir if I am good can I come to your golf  course on the weekend, what do you want sir, I really would like to be yor attorney general so I can save you and your family from the prosecutions you deserve. By the way sir before I get off my knees I will make sure you never have to show your income tax returns. Is that the man you are using to prove Kavanaugh is innocent of the allegations made by Dr Ford. His good friend John McCain must be spinning in his Annapolis grave right now.

 

Let me pose to you a polite question, what are your views on Roe v Wade, would your opinion on abortion have anything to do with your obvious support of Trump. As a man of the bible do you feel that an action to remove a statute that is repulsive to many christians, justifies supporting Donald Trump, an adulterer, a fornicator, a liar a self admitted abuser of women, is it worth the risk of possibly extending the term of a man who is described as a moron, a liar, an idiot, and has been subjected to numerous comments about his mental health.

 

I can understand the thinking, the belief and emotion engendered in some by abortion. I however look at the big picture, life and death are givens they happen to us all, the cause of death are too numerous to even consider, the age of death same thing, some were inescapable, some were not, some were accident some were deliberate, abortion is just an other in the long list. I don't know if you are pro or con for abortion, but can quite honestly see it as the only reason an intelligent man could be so supportive of two liars, abusers of women,  allowing his strong christian views to supercede his reasoning.

[Don Dan]

I’m just listening to this on Sky News and both sides are putting up some pretty powerful arguments. I have no idea who did what or who didn’t do what. One thing that jump out to me was that Kavanaugh was an investigator judge on the Bill Clinton,  Monica Lewinski, I didn’t have sex with that woman scandal. This whole thing reeks of something what of I don’t know but America is the loser here.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Dannie Boy

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

14 minutes ago, Dannie Boy said:

I’m just listening to this on Sky News and both sides are putting up some pretty powerful arguments. I have no idea who did what or who didn’t do what. One thing that jump out to me was that Kavanaugh was an investigator judge on the Bill Clinton,  Monica Lewinski, I didn’t have sex with that woman scandal. This whole thing reeks of something what of I don’t know but America is the loser here.

 

Again though, same question. Is she lying? None of the political manoeuvres matter if she's telling the truth. If what she says did actually happen, it makes no difference if Democrats did everything to seek her out to thwart this nomination. 

[Cade]

Any nation which has politically appointed judges is a basket case.

The Judiciary should be kept totally separate from the Executive and the Legislature, unbiased and apolitical.

 

The USA is a ridiculous nation.

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

1 hour ago, alfajambo said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_C7o5INBzw

 

A video of a senator grandstanding is all you have to offer? It's pretty obvious that Lindsay Graham has his eyes set on a prize bigger than being a senator, possibly the AG role if Sessions doesn't survive - all he's doing here is giving himself some publicity for Trump and his devotees.  This is also the same Lindsay Graham who represents South Carolina so i guess he has to reflect the views of his constituents of good ole boys and girls (who know their place and don't dare tell him differently)

Edited September 28, 2018 by Craig Gordons Gloves

[redjambo]

For me, I have no clue whether or not Christine Ford is lying. But what I do know is that other witnesses need to be called and all the allegations properly examined. The position is too important to warrant otherwise.

 

 

[Don Dan]

3 minutes ago, Eldar Hadzimehmedovic said:

 

Again though, same question. Is she lying? None of the political manoeuvres matter if she's telling the truth. If what she says did actually happen, it makes no difference if Democrats did everything to seek her out to thwart this nomination. 

 

Is she lying, no idea but if you listen to the Senators  a few things jump out. Opportunist revelation of the alleged incident but only when it suited the Democrats. 3 witnesses contradict the Ford testimony. Why wait 35 years to come forward which now means Ford can’t remember where it happened or exactly when it happened. The sad thing is Ford and the  allegation along with the other allegations have become a battle between Left and Right. 

[ri Alban]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

Any nation which has politically appointed judges is a basket case.

The Judiciary should be kept totally separate from the Executive and the Legislature, unbiased and apolitical.

 

The USA is a ridiculous nation.

Well that's Scotland and England fecked. 

[JackLadd]

Sleazebag liar Kavanaugh gets FBI Investigation. One week.