U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[The Real Maroonblood]

16 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

The WH is accusing Jim Acosta of "placing his hands" on a WH interm and that is the reason why his media pass has been revoked.

 

Watch the video and decide for yourself.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7688219/trump-bans-cnn-reporter-jim-acosta-from-white-house/

 

She’s the trumpet from trying to take the microphone of him.

Trump’s comments are laughable. No surprise there.

 

[JimKongUno]

America has some god awful newsreaders and journalists . Acosta is possibly the worst of them all . Im glad we dont have plonkers like him on the news here .

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

How did this roaster ever get elected? 

[Cade]

22 minutes ago, Dusk_Till_Dawn said:

How did this roaster ever get elected? 

40-50 years of dumbing down, racist nationalism and the fact that the last american civil war never really ended.

[Placid Casual]

1 hour ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

The WH is accusing Jim Acosta of "placing his hands" on a WH interm and that is the reason why his media pass has been revoked.

 

Watch the video and decide for yourself.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7688219/trump-bans-cnn-reporter-jim-acosta-from-white-house/

 

 

That video used by the White House has been doctored – speeded up to make it look worse. The doctored video reportedly originated on Infowars ffs.

 

But most people will not know that before "deciding for themselves".

 

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/doctored-video-of-cnn-reporter-s-stoush-with-trump-goes-viral

[Jambo-Jimbo]

51 minutes ago, Placid Casual said:

 

That video used by the White House has been doctored – speeded up to make it look worse. The doctored video reportedly originated on Infowars ffs.

 

But most people will not know that before "deciding for themselves".

 

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/doctored-video-of-cnn-reporter-s-stoush-with-trump-goes-viral

 

Does look to have been speeded up.

 

But is anybody really surprised that this administration is trying to shut-up any media outlet which it deems as being unfriendly towards them, as we have seen time and time and time again the only media which Trump likes is those outlets which heap praise and adulation upon him and only ask friendly questions, everybody else is labeled as 'fake news'.

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by Jambo-Jimbo

[The Real Maroonblood]

12 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

Does look to have been speeded up.

 

But is anybody really surprised that this administration is trying to shut-up any media outlet which it deems as being unfriendly towards them, as we have seen time and time and time again the only media which Trump likes is those outlets which heap praise and adulation upon him and only ask friendly questions, everybody else is labeled as 'fake news'.

 

Enemies of the USA must love him.

He’s doing a grand job for them.

[Justin Z]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

40-50 years of dumbing down, racist nationalism and the fact that the last american civil war never really ended.

 

This is one of the most accurate answers I've ever read, to be fair.

[Seymour M Hersh]

3 hours ago, JimKongUno said:

America has some god awful newsreaders and journalists . Acosta is possibly the worst of them all . Im glad we dont have plonkers like him on the news here .

 

You're right there it seems to be they want to be the centre of attraction and the news nowadays rather than just reporting it. Unfortunately we are heading in the same direction in the UK.

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by Seymour M Hersh

[Sharpie]

Of course Susan Huckabee Sanders, his facilitator, put out that Acosta assaulted the young girl, hence the what Acosta described last night to Anderson Cooper as a suspension, the pulling of his White House pass.Replays of the incident showed quite clearly he did not. Not only is Trump a liar, a bully, a self claimed hard man, he is also quite naive if he"honestly", a word that is inappropriate in any discussion about him believes the non base masses believe him.

[The Real Maroonblood]

4 minutes ago, bobsharp said:

Of course Susan Huckabee Sanders, his facilitator, put out that Acosta assaulted the young girl, hence the what Acosta described last night to Anderson Cooper as a suspension, the pulling of his White House pass.Replays of the incident showed quite clearly he did not. Not only is Trump a liar, a bully, a self claimed hard man, he is also quite naive if he"honestly", a word that is inappropriate in any discussion about him believes the non base masses believe him.

He’s an expert on woman?

[Notts1874]

So grabbing a woman by the pussy is fair game but you can't brush a women's arm with your hand? Seems fair enough 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

6 hours ago, JimKongUno said:

America has some god awful newsreaders and journalists . Acosta is possibly the worst of them all . Im glad we dont have plonkers like him on the news here .

 

One of Trump's greatest skills is that he intuitively picks on people who are compromised but still doing their jobs. Comey, Sessions, Acosta, Rosenstein, and many of his other favorite targets get repeated abuse because he knows full well that people like me, who can't stand him but also can't stand Jeff Sessions, are going to get ill at our stomachs trying to stand up for these folks.

 

He takes the "you can't con an honest man" adage to new heights.

 

I can't stand any of the cable news channels but White House journalists being self-absorbed narcissists is about as unusual as politicians being interested in power. Acosta did what journalists are supposed to do in that video.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Barack said:

Touch of the revenge actions from Huck-San's here, I think. Was only a couple of weeks ago, that she threw an absolute wobbly at Acosta in particular, & other fake news media. Again, Acosta's crime? Asking proper pertinent questions.

 

She became flustered & the other's in the room sensed it, & pressed her more. She became quite irritable, verging on tears at one point almost. She was made to look utterly stupid.

 

Don't think Kelly & Trump liked that, hence Huck-Sans flowery reasoning in the WH statement. 

 

Would like to see a walkout of the WHPC at some point over this. Words of solitude in their outlets are one thing, a bigger message, imo, would be the other. 

 

And that is exactly what Trump wants, as we'd then have to rely on Fox News & Infowars for any information relating to Trump & the WH.

 

What I'd like to see is, when a reporter asks a question and Trump avoids giving an answer is for the next reporter to ask the very same question and then the next reporter and then the next and so on, instead of the press pack walking out it's more likely to be Trump who walks out, now wouldn't that be much more pleasing.

[Justin Z]

8 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

What I'd like to see is, when a reporter asks a question and Trump avoids giving an answer is for the next reporter to ask the very same question and then the next reporter and then the next and so on, instead of the press pack walking out it's more likely to be Trump who walks out, now wouldn't that be much more pleasing.

 

This exact scenario played out in Arizona in 1987 when batshit insane governor Evan Mecham, who was eventually impeached, dubbed columnist and reporter John Kolbe a non-person. Kolbe still showed up to the next press conference, asked the first question and Mecham ignored him, continuing to look around the room. Another two reporters repeated Kolbe's question. Mecham then ended the press conference.

 

Dug up an article on it.

[Justin Z]

I've just seen that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalised with three broken ribs after suffering a fall in her office.

 

Jesus H f***ing Christ what is next.

[Maple Leaf]

39 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

I've just seen that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalised with three broken ribs after suffering a fall in her office.

 

Jesus H f***ing Christ what is next.

 

What's next is that she might retire, giving Trump an opportunity to appoint yet another conservative judge to the Supreme Court.  And with the Senate now the way it is, there will be nothing to stop him.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

2 hours ago, Justin Z said:

I've just seen that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalised with three broken ribs after suffering a fall in her office.

 

Jesus H f***ing Christ what is next.

Is there footage of Trump tripping her?

 

[Gorgiewave]

I found myself supporting the Republicans for the first time. Hillary, dismissal of democracy and feminist fundamentalism have put me off the Democrats.

[ri Alban]

6 minutes ago, Gorgiewave said:

I found myself supporting the Republicans for the first time. Hillary, dismissal of democracy and feminist fundamentalism have put me off the Democrats.

Your type of people. Pure Tory Unionists, who'll make Trump King Donald the first. 

Edited November 8, 2018 by ri Alban

[Justin Z]

18 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Is there footage of Trump tripping her?

 

If there is, it's probably about as legitimate as the Tapper stuff.

 

Maybe someone could put something together like they did with this . . .

[Gorgiewave]

27 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Your type of people. Pure Tory Unionists, who'll make Trump King Donald the first. 

 

Tory Republicans, aye?

 

Republican Unionists I'll give you:

 

[ri Alban]

44 minutes ago, Gorgiewave said:

 

Tory Republicans, aye?

 

Republican Unionists I'll give you:

 

My mistake, they don't cut taxes and health care for the poor, or enjoy killing foreign people. 

Edited November 8, 2018 by ri Alban

[Gorgiewave]

2 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

My mistake, they don't cut taxes and health care for the poor, or enjoy killing foreign people. 

 

Cutting taxes makes people less poor! They keep their money!

[JackLadd]

The thing that scares me most about Trump isn't Trump himself, cretinous imbecile, coward, bully and liar that he is, it's the fact he has legions of numbskulls that think he fit to be president. We live in scary times. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

3 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

What's next is that she might retire, giving Trump an opportunity to appoint yet another conservative judge to the Supreme Court.  And with the Senate now the way it is, there will be nothing to stop him.

 

As long as Trump is President, she won't retire until there's absolutely no way she can get to work any more. She'll have people prop her up there to keep him from naming her replacement.

 

Absolute legend that woman is.

[ri Alban]

16 minutes ago, JackLadd said:

The thing that scares me most about Trump isn't Trump himself, cretinous imbecile, coward, bully and liar that he is, it's the fact he has legions of numbskulls that think he fit to be president. We live in scary times. 

Armed to the teeth 

[alwaysthereinspirit]

1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

Armed to the teeth 

 

1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

Armed to the teeth 

 You do know that there are also numbskulls that DONT think he’s fit to be President.

Armed to the teeth.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

Armed to the teeth 

 

And willing to defend the 2nd amendment at the expense of other amendments, especially the 1st amendment.

 

Now that's something to be really scared of, because once you stiffle free speech.................well we all know where that leads.

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 minute ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

 

 You do know that there are also numbskulls that DONT think he’s fit to be President.

Armed to the teeth.

 

Indeed.

A recipe for disaster, that's what it is, but that'll please some, it's what they hope and pray for, on both sides.

[Seymour M Hersh]

47 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

 

 You do know that there are also numbskulls that DONT think he’s fit to be President.

Armed to the teeth.

 

There were possibly even more who hated Obama due to his skin colour and were armed to the teeth and then some. Yet there was never any (that I can recall) suggestions or rumours of an assignation attempt on him. 

[Unknown user]

2 hours ago, JackLadd said:

The thing that scares me most about Trump isn't Trump himself, cretinous imbecile, coward, bully and liar that he is, it's the fact he has legions of numbskulls that think he fit to be president. We live in scary times. 

We really do. A presidential liar on an unprecedented scale, and these people will cheer him all the way. Incredible.

 

But really it's just history repeating itself, Trump's just the latest demagogue in a centuries long cycle. Hopefully the planet will last long enough to see the next part of the cycle. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

2 hours ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

 

There were possibly even more who hated Obama due to his skin colour and were armed to the teeth and then some. Yet there was never any (that I can recall) suggestions or rumours of an assignation attempt on him. 

 

There's a whole wikipedia page on it. Most of them, of course, never got anywhere close to pulling it off, but plenty made plans or threats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_threats_against_Barack_Obama

 

On similar topics, there's been one attempt on Trump's life, during the campaign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Donald_Trump

 

And two during GWB's term: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_attempts_against_George_W._Bush

 

Clinton had pot shots taken at the White House. The closest anyone's actually gotten to a real assassination was of course Hinkley's shot at Reagan.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

3 hours ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

 

There were possibly even more who hated Obama due to his skin colour and were armed to the teeth and then some. Yet there was never any (that I can recall) suggestions or rumours of an assignation attempt on him. 

Obama never engaged the right wing media the same way Trump does the left.

There is no respect from some for Trump or even the office of President. He’s an easy target because of his loose demeanor. 

Obama was, because of his skin color given a free ride sometimes. Accusations of racism would have been the norm if he had been treated as Trump sometimes is.

The next black a President will have it tougher. He’ll just be another President who one side dislikes.

what happened yesterday has been brewing for a long time. Especially from a reporter who thinks he’s the show.

Hopefully that’s the first and last White House reporter banned for a long long time.

[ri Alban]

5 hours ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

 

 You do know that there are also numbskulls that DONT think he’s fit to be President.

Armed to the teeth.

Are there. ?

[Sidelight]

The left has moved into TDS overdrive. Hatred and denial of his presidency, now all consuming it seems. Growing economy, better trade agreements, reduced taxes, more jobs, sensible accountable immigration. The left doesn’t like that. Trumps indisputable success has exposed the ineffectual Obama Corp. This seems to have greater stirred the hubble bubble toil and trouble concoction and further driven the left into off the scale magnitudes of hypocrisy, maliciousness and denial. Destroy Trump at any cost. At this stage nothing is too radical or off limits to his enemies.

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by alfajambo

[I P Knightley]

26 minutes ago, alfajambo said:

The left has moved into TDS overdrive. Hatred and denial of his presidency, now all consuming it seems. Growing economy, better trade agreements, reduced taxes, more jobs, sensible accountable immigration. The left doesn’t like that. Trumps indisputable success has exposed the ineffectual Obama Corp. This seems to have greater stirred the hubble bubble toil and trouble concoction and further driven the left into off the scale magnitudes of hypocrisy, maliciousness and denial. Destroy Trump at any cost. At this stage nothing is too radical or off limits to his enemies.

 

Really? "Indisputable"?

 

I can dispute it.

 

He lost Congress in the mid-terms - that's not a success.

 

His claims of increase in job numbers can be countered by the massive increase in national debt. That's not a success.

 

IF there's a sense of nothing being off limits, I'd suggest it's because that fat, orange buffoon himself has removed so many limits with his mocking of reporters; unsupported self-aggrandisement; shouting down of people with different views; blind support for crooks, criminals and liars and his general loutishness. He took the gloves off first; his followers took the gloves off next so it would be no surprise if his "enemies" took their gloves off. I don't recall his "enemies" sending bombs to his supporters, though.

[Sidelight]

39 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

Really? "Indisputable"?

 

I can dispute it.

 

He lost Congress in the mid-terms - that's not a success.

 

His claims of increase in job numbers can be countered by the massive increase in national debt. That's not a success.

 

IF there's a sense of nothing being off limits, I'd suggest it's because that fat, orange buffoon himself has removed so many limits with his mocking of reporters; unsupported self-aggrandisement; shouting down of people with different views; blind support for crooks, criminals and liars and his general loutishness. He took the gloves off first; his followers took the gloves off next so it would be no surprise if his "enemies" took their gloves off. I don't recall his "enemies" sending bombs to his supporters, though.

TDS - Mostly

[JimKongUno]

57 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

Really? "Indisputable"?

 

I can dispute it.

 

He lost Congress in the mid-terms - that's not a success.

 

 

 

Its almost a given that the presidents party will lose congress . They only lost 20 odd seats in congress and even gained a few in the senate

 

Obama lost 63 seats , the congress and the senate in his mid term .

[Sidelight]

1 hour ago, I P Knightley said:

IF there's a sense of nothing being off limits, I'd suggest it's because that fat, orange buffoon himself has removed so many limits with his mocking of reporters; unsupported self-aggrandisement; shouting down of people with different views; blind support for crooks, criminals and liars and his general loutishness. He took the gloves off first; his followers took the gloves off next so it would be no surprise if his "enemies" took their gloves off. I don't recall his "enemies" sending bombs to his supporters, though.

Why do you discriminate against a person because of his colour/appearance and your perception of intellectual capacity?

“shouting down of people with different views “

In a real threat to freedom of the press (let’s not mention internet censorship to conservative media) an angry thuggish screaming Antifa mob assault the door of Tucker Carlson’s home. Meanwhile the bastion of truth and impartiality CNN whine about Acosta losing WH access.  However, that’s what you get when you try to ram home propaganda at a WH press conference.

 

[Sidelight]

1 hour ago, JimKongUno said:

 

Its almost a given that the presidents party will lose congress . They only lost 20 odd seats in congress and even gained a few in the senate

 

Obama lost 63 seats , the congress and the senate in his mid term .

The much fabled ‘blue wave’ never materialised. Set against the background of far-fetched predictions, then the Republicans can be pleased. Seats gained in the Senate, fewer lost in the House than suggested. If this was a referendum on Trump the President, then the real news is in – The American public still supports President Trump. A second term looks likely.

Edited November 9, 2018 by alfajambo

[I P Knightley]

1 hour ago, alfajambo said:

Why do you discriminate against a person because of his colour/appearance and your perception of intellectual capacity?

 

“shouting down of people with different views “

 

In a real threat to freedom of the press (let’s not mention internet censorship to conservative media) an angry thuggish screaming Antifa mob assault the door of Tucker Carlson’s home. Meanwhile the bastion of truth and impartiality CNN whine about Acosta losing WH access.  However, that’s what you get when you try to ram home propaganda at a WH press conference.

 

 

 

I'm not discriminating, I'm describing. My loathing of Trump is nothing to do with his appearance or even his limited intellectual capacity (although if he were more intelligent, he might not be such an odious individual) - it's entirely down to what he says and does.

 

I would have written, "but you knew that", but I really wonder whether you did.

[Sidelight]

22 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

I'm not discriminating, I'm describing. My loathing of Trump is nothing to do with his appearance or even his limited intellectual capacity.

 

 

Fair enough.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

19 hours ago, Gorgiewave said:

 

Tory Republicans, aye?

 

Republican Unionists I'll give you:

 

Maria gatland? 

[Gorgiewave]

6 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

Maria gatland? 

And Denis Donaldson.

[Sharpie]

I just watched Trump talking to the media prior to leaving for Europe. His demeanour was consistent, answering reasonably questions he liked, and when asked by some whom he knew and didn,t like what they asked he became angry insulting and downright rude. Regarding the most recent mass shooting, that was strictly a mental health problem. He was asked and for the life of me I cannot remember the exact questions but his answer was to me relevant. it being that the circumstances will go to the Supreme Court, the Court he has packed with symapathetic Justices. He talked about the acting Attorney General, Whittaker, he doesn't know him, despite the fact as it was pointed out that Whittaker attended Oval Office meetings with him and Sessions.

He is very angry, not a good thing when in the position of leader in any environment no matter how big or how small, anger creates a disturbance in rational thinking and causes one to make inconsiderd statements, the bigger the job the bigger the gaffe, and this is a man who does not need that.

It sound like he is intent to keep his statement that he would attack when attacked getting quite irate when the Obama book was mentioned, went on a strong attack on Barak Obamas failure to keep a strong military, although it is Michelle who is writing the book.

I and others have been very critical of the President, when he was in control of the House and Senate, well from the last two press meetings I would suggest we hold on to our hats because it is going to get windy.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

8 hours ago, JimKongUno said:

 

Its almost a given that the presidents party will lose congress . They only lost 20 odd seats in congress and even gained a few in the senate

 

Obama lost 63 seats , the congress and the senate in his mid term .

 

That kind of not the same thing as "undeniable success." There were 35 seats up for election in the Senate (33 on the regular schedule and two special elections, Arizona and Mississippi.)  Before the election, Republicans held 9 of those, with 24 Democrats and two Dem-caucusing independents (Bernie Sanders and Angus King).  After the election three are still to be decided, but the Republicans have successfully won 9 of 35, with three still to be determined.

 

Mississippi is headed to a runoff and barring a truly ground-shaking result (Like Doug Jones winning Alabama), will be Republican. The other two (Arizona and Florida) had the GOP up on election night but absentee and provisional ballots have that very much in doubt.

 

Even if they win the remainder, 12/35 is not an "undeniable success." It is, like much of Trump's wealth, starting with a huge advantage and only managing to screw it up a little bit while relying on fraud and racism to keep you going. And that includes them having to sweat out Texas and Tennessee, where Democrats haven't been competitive in decades.

 

Then there's a whole discussion about districts and gerrymandering to be had with regards to the House, but I'll point out that in Obama lost more seats in 2010 but in that election the GOP won a smaller percentage of the popular vote than the Democrats did this year. 

 

More importantly but below the radar, The Democrats gained back over 330 seats in state legislatures, flipping control of 9 of them, I believe, in addition to flipping 7 governorships (with two more still to be decided). On a state level, this was easily the best night Democrats have had since 2006.

 

Many of us were not expecting, but at least holding out hope for, a complete obliteration of the GOP. Instead, it was a good but not great night. Nobody outside of Trump and his toadies believes it's an "undenaible success" for him.

[Maple Leaf]

Remember the "caravan"?  President Fearmongerer had his base whipped up into a frenzy at the approaching horde.  Here's an update.  Please note that there are only about 5,000, and 40% of them are children.

 

Central American migrants in a caravan that has stopped in Mexico City demanded buses Thursday to take them to the U.S. border, saying it is too cold and dangerous to continue walking and hitchhiking.

Mexico City authorities say that of the 4,841 registered migrants receiving shelter in a sports complex, 1,726 are under the age of 18, including 310 children under five.

 

"We need buses to continue travelling," said Milton Benitez, a caravan coordinator. Benitez noted that It would be colder in northern Mexico and it wasn't safe for the migrants to continue along highways, where drug cartels frequently operate.

[Francis Albert]

2 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

Remember the "caravan"?  President Fearmongerer had his base whipped up into a frenzy at the approaching horde.  Here's an update.  Please note that there are only about 5,000, and 40% of them are children.

 

Central American migrants in a caravan that has stopped in Mexico City demanded buses Thursday to take them to the U.S. border, saying it is too cold and dangerous to continue walking and hitchhiking.

Mexico City authorities say that of the 4,841 registered migrants receiving shelter in a sports complex, 1,726 are under the age of 18, including 310 children under five.

 

"We need buses to continue travelling," said Milton Benitez, a caravan coordinator. Benitez noted that It would be colder in northern Mexico and it wasn't safe for the migrants to continue along highways, where drug cartels frequently operate.

Maybe I am missing something but why can't they claim asylum in Mexico?

[Watt-Zeefuik]

With California results settling in, the swing in the House looks like it will be almost 40 seats, and the largest single year swing to the Democrats since the post-Watergate election.