US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[Phoenix Dark]

Trump, the MASTER politician, is clearly ridding himself of deep state control. What better way to eliminate Kelly than siccing Omarosa on him? Kelly can't defend himself without sounding racist. It's perfect.

[Coitus]

Omarosa will be the one who takes down Trump.  He finally has a nemesis as shameless and willing to lie as he is.

[Joe Molotov]

Omarosa had the pee tape the whole time.

[kingv]

She has pee tape 2, the sequel.

It features trump in black face getting peed on by omarosa in the Oval Office while calling him President Soetero

[I'm a Puppy!]

This is the darkest timeline without a doubt.
I mean we have a president who is paying shush money to an adult entertainment star, wants to setup a space force, and is having a scandal that was brought on by him hiring someone he publicly fired 3 times on his reality TV show. I mean....how did we even get here? 

[Phoenix Dark]

Republicans and the president are out slamming Omarosa yet are barely being asked the most basic response: why was she hired in the first place? What were her qualifications? Trump himself says he hired her because she supported him...yea.

Gotta wonder what other security breaches are happening.

[agrajag]

I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said GREAT things about me.

[Nintex]

This is the darkest timeline without a doubt.
I mean we have a president who is paying shush money to an adult entertainment star, wants to setup a space force, and is having a scandal that was brought on by him hiring someone he publicly fired 3 times on his reality TV show. I mean....how did we even get here?

[Himu]

Nola you said I’m mischaracterizing the Democratic Party and attributing their gun laws to far left?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democratic-partys-new-litmus-test-gun-control-1533826100

[agrajag]

Nola you said I’m mischaracterizing the Democratic Party and attributing their gun laws to far left?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democratic-partys-new-litmus-test-gun-control-1533826100

 

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1029021789496782853

Wow, what a scandal I'm glad the Washington Post has brought this to our attention

[benjipwns]

Omarosa will be the one who takes down Trump.  He finally has a nemesis as shameless and willing to lie as he is.

Her flaw though is that nobody likes her and trusts her, she's based her entire career about being a snake. She'll also fight to the death to everyone's detriment over credit for anything good. Even without her reputation she can't help but immediately fall into this.

When Trump brought her back on The Apprentice yet again, she said she was turning over a new leaf due to killing Michael Clarke Duncan's death and was only there to win one for him. Within fifteen minutes she already started an argument with half the entire women's team over something meaningless and by the time the task had started she was already trying to "secretly" undermine people while insulting them to their face.

I have to assume this behavior and personality along with her lack of qualifications for anything is why they kept moving her to increasingly obscure White House positions after originally being an all-purpose "Assistant to the President" and that she continued to worm her way into and create problems in areas she shouldn't have been near which is why Kelly finally had to tell Trump to deal with it and man up to dump her rather than letting her hang around fucking with everything.

I'm no expert but it potentially seems like one problem with hiring people simply because "they look good" on TV/Fox and Friends/etc. Although The Mooch is likely the exception that proves the rule.

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1029021789496782853

Wow, what a scandal I'm glad the Washington Post has brought this to our attention

https://twitter.com/shaner5000/status/1029073145997733894

[Nintex]

Omarosa will be the one who takes down Trump.  He finally has a nemesis as shameless and willing to lie as he is.

I'm no expert but it potentially seems like one problem with hiring people simply because "they look good" on TV/Fox and Friends/etc. Although The Mooch is likely the exception that proves the rule.

I still want to see the J Allard transformation of John Bolton 

"John, tremendous job on Iran, we can start this war but first you have to look the part.... believe me John, no one wearing a mustache has ever started a war and won it"

[Kara]

Nola you said I’m mischaracterizing the Democratic Party and attributing their gun laws to far left?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democratic-partys-new-litmus-test-gun-control-1533826100

Fighting people's war with sticks and stones.

[Nintex]

And he's back to business.

The business of signing important policy documents and celebrating the military
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1029089559710236672

 

He offered the soldier of the year a job (even though practically that soldier already works for Trump).

"Wanna work for me?"

[kingv]

The Russian goalposts have now moved to “no collusion, to the best of my knowledge”.

[Nintex]

Strzok has a gofundme
https://www.gofundme.com/peterstrzok

Is there really no one in the orbit of Trump that doesn't want to make a quick buck out of this presidency. 

[agrajag]

$53,000 in 6 hours, not bad

[I'm a Puppy!]

The Russian goalposts have now moved to “no collusion, to the best of my knowledge”.

Wait, I thought the goalposts were "There was no collusion because we didn't succeed in getting dirt. So see? No collusion"

[kingv]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/08/13/theres-a-big-tell-in-trumps-latest-defense-of-donald-jr/?utm_term=.55c106626f24

This is specifically what I was referring to.

[kingv]

Strzok has a gofundme
https://www.gofundme.com/peterstrzok

Is there really no one in the orbit of Trump that doesn't want to make a quick buck out of this presidency. 

Huh, I might start a “Go Strzok me” this afternoon.

[Nintex]

The Russian goalposts have now moved to “no collusion, to the best of my knowledge”.

Wait, I thought the goalposts were "There was no collusion because we didn't succeed in getting dirt. So see? No collusion"

The goalpost here is Rudy on Fox and Friends saying the President is an honest man and he did nothing wrong.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

*Host stares nervously at Rudy*
Host: "So this thing with the Russians..."

Rudy: "WELL first you'd need a subpoena but he's the president so you can't do that and you can't indict him and you can't arrest him so it's all up to congress. And even if there was collusion, there's nothing illegal"

Host: "Nothing illegal?"

Rudy: "NAH, just you know two blokes talking like we're talking. Like we could talk with some Russians as private citizens, nothing would happen. Totally fine hehehehe"

Host: "So what about Clinton"

Rudy: "MY GOD the crimes I can't believe the crimes. I'd tell you THAT we need to investigate."

[close]

[Nintex]

Strzok has a gofundme
https://www.gofundme.com/peterstrzok

Is there really no one in the orbit of Trump that doesn't want to make a quick buck out of this presidency. 

Huh, I might start a “Go Strzok me” this afternoon.

He has also started a Twitter account
https://twitter.com/petestrzok

No book deal as of yet though. But that will probably follow shortly.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It's like that episode in a season where you get a look at all the main characters just in time for the season ends
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1029121944300519424

[close]

Is this where they practice the false flag attack against their own helicopter?
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1029074584551804929

[Joe Molotov]

Strzok me, Strzok me
Say you're a winner but babe, you're just a sinner now

[VomKriege]

"...And that concludes my investigation. The report has been submitted to Congress who will take it from here. But you can keep following my Instagram account @MuellerTheMauler to get updates on my hip hop EP coming soon Trump aint't piss."

[benjipwns]

Strzok GoFundMe is about to hit its earlier $150,000 goal, so they upped it to $350,000.

[agrajag]

Strzok GoFundMe is about to hit its earlier $150,000 goal, so they upped it to $350,000.

I had to check, holy shit it's true 

[Himu]

Nola you said I’m mischaracterizing the Democratic Party and attributing their gun laws to far left?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democratic-partys-new-litmus-test-gun-control-1533826100

Fighting people's war with sticks and stones.

I find funny how even the WSJ says,"The realignment is part of Democrats’ broader shift to the left on a range of issues" when socialists generally support gun rights for their fabled revolution. Antifa, which is far left, is severely pro-gun for instance. How did anti-gun come to be a "left" position exactly? I can't think of any leftist that supports it. A leftist would want guns to be free for the revolution but would support banning them after the revolution is won to make sure their power has no threat. 

[Himu]

In any case, the article is fantastic, as per WSJ. Can't wait to see what color blue looks like when it burns. Hopefully it's a purple color.

[Himu]

The opinion section isn't something I take seriously but I love contrasting WSJ's opinion section with WaPo's. It's like Fox News vs MSNBC and it's glorious.

When I look for opinions I read David Brooks da gawd.

[benjipwns]

When I look for opinions I read David Brooks da gawd.

You've gone too far.

[Mandark]

It's sort of weird to write a story on the polarization of gun politics in 2018 with the NRA at the center and not even touch on the NRA's embrace of the right wing of the culture war.

Similar to chin-scratchers about young American Jews not having a strong attachment to Israel that leave out Bibi and the fairly blatant abandonment of the peace process.

[Himu]

When I look for opinions I read David Brooks da gawd.

You've gone too far.

Brooks knows full well that both pots are poisoned and tainted and that the only way forward is for an independent to unite America.

[Mandark]

what would be the funniest ideological hat for Cindi to try on next?

I want to say either Eisenhower Republican or DLC Democrat, cause they're so incompatible with the level of passion we've come to expect.

guys, it's time to shower me with likes

[benjipwns]

Yeah, there's a kerfuffle from time to time in libertarian circles over the NRA's embrace of the culture war. I know of a few who dropped them over the NRA going after violent video games for example. Majority opinion of my sample seem to mostly keep the membership because it's free, more trouble to drop than keep, and gun ranges/etc. give discounts or require the membership card. It's become quite similar to the AARP in a lot of ways rather than a specific gun rights thing.

I think I noted to Cindi before that the NRA opposed the McDonald and Heller cases, the Gun Owners of America and Second Amendment Foundation I think were the gun-associated groups pushing those. They tend to be more focused solely on guns or at least gun adjacent cases. IIRC, the NRA even filed a brief against the Court taking up Heller out of fear regarding the outcome. That's what helped motivate a lot of animus towards it and in favor of the other groups.

[shosta]

https://twitter.com/GMPaiella/status/884766484882485249

https://twitter.com/mallika_rao/status/884767195078774784

[benjipwns]

obligatory David Brooks as a stupid (but I repeat myself) self-identified social democrat during his student years in a Milton Friedman special:

[Himu]

It's sort of weird to write a story on the polarization of gun politics in 2018 with the NRA at the center and not even touch on the NRA's embrace of the right wing of the culture war.

Similar to chin-scratchers about young American Jews not having a strong attachment to Israel that leave out Bibi and the fairly blatant abandonment of the peace process.

It's a self made prophecy. Democrats leave gun rights off the table, which forces NRA to embrace the right. As a gun rights org, that is - or should - be their priority. But this embrace of the right goes beyond guns - giving Ajit Pai a reward for going against net neutrality for instance - and includes conservative politics, which pushes away democrats that would support gun rights. NRA harms gun rights in a big way because of their bs that has nothing to do with gun rights. Many people want NRA to leave the politics out and just fight for gun rights. There's two opinions on how people think this should be done: fight for it from within (what I support), or leave the NRA and send a message that way.

That said, the circumstance you bring up has no relevance to the article in question. NRA rates politicians based on their gun stances and they tell their members who to vote for. That's the only relevance to the topic of Democrat gun support and the NRA the article needs. Its slide into conservative politics is kind of besides the point.

[Kara]

I can't remember the quote verbatim, but it's something to the effect of "the Wall Street Journal is what people who don't interact with the bourgeoisie read to think they're tapping into the bourgeoisie; bourgeois and socialists read the Financial Times."

@Cindi Gun control is not that controversial a position in socialism if you count reformist camps as socialists. It's definitely a fault line between them and revsocs.

[shosta]

https://twitter.com/jangelooff/status/884767898622976001

[Himu]

Yeah, there's a kerfuffle from time to time in libertarian circles over the NRA's embrace of the culture war. I know of a few who dropped them over the NRA going after violent video games for example. Majority opinion of my sample seem to mostly keep the membership because it's free, more trouble to drop than keep, and gun ranges/etc. give discounts or require the membership card. It's become quite similar to the AARP in a lot of ways rather than a specific gun rights thing.

I think I noted to Cindi before that the NRA opposed the McDonald and Heller cases, the Gun Owners of America and Second Amendment Foundation I think were the gun-associated groups pushing those. They tend to be more focused solely on guns or at least gun adjacent cases. IIRC, the NRA even filed a brief against the Court taking up Heller out of fear regarding the outcome. That's what helped motivate a lot of animus towards it and in favor of the other groups.

I am a member of SFA as well as NRA. BTW, GOA is far more conservative than NRA.

[Mandark]

That said, the circumstance you bring up has no relevance to the article in question.

The more the NRA weds itself to conservative cultural politics, the less incentive centrist Dems have to seek their approval.

[benjipwns]

Is GOA in Your Will?
 
What is one thing that you can do now which will ensure that Second Amendment rights are well-defended, well into the future?

Answer:  Putting Gun Owners of America in your will or trust.

Estate settlements have been vital to the continued success of GOA’s efforts to defend your gun rights in the present.

By placing GOA in your will or trust today, you can continue protecting the Second Amendment rights of your children and grandchildren, long into the future.

Here are the top-three reasons you should consider supporting Gun Owners of America in your will or trust.

[Himu]

I can't remember the quote verbatim, but it's something to the effect of "the Wall Street Journal is what people who don't interact with the bourgeoisie read to think they're tapping into the bourgeoisie; bourgeois and socialists read the Financial Times."

@Cindi Gun control is not that controversial a position in socialism if you count reformist camps as socialists. It's definitely a fault line between them and revsocs.

I read WSJ and FT. WSJ is kind of okay-ish when reading about the market. FT is better for that. WSJ has the benefit of being American and thereby having a more localized take on certain issues as well as world class reporting.

I subscribe to WSJ (paper), Houston Chronicle (paper), FT (online but want paper but it's so damn expensive), and WaPo. FT is probably my favorite of the bunch because of it's the least biased. I might drop the Chronicle paper for FT paper. IDK.

[Kara]

Is GOA in your will?

It was in Estado Novo's and look how that turned out.

[Himu]

That said, the circumstance you bring up has no relevance to the article in question.

The more the NRA weds itself to conservative cultural politics, the less incentive centrist Dems have to seek their approval.

I don't think many centrist dems care about seeking the NRA's approval. Too many Democrats frame it as if the NRA has bought these politicians, when generally they rate the politician based on their stances already. What gives the NRA power isn't donations. The NRA donates a paltry amount. Its power is in its membership mobilization. They tell the members who to vote for and who is good for gun rights. Whether someone supports the NRA or not is irrelevant. They will rate you no matter what, whether you approve of them or not. Never mind that you can support guns and not give a fuck what the NRA thinks. A centrist Demo would know how the NRA works, and certainly wouldn't change their mind on guns because of Michael Moore FUD or because the NRA's slide in conservatisms cold embrace.

[Mandark]

You're missing the point.

[Himu]

https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2018/08/13/wheres-the-blue-wave-voter-data-show-florida-democrats-arent-surging-555957



Get fucked, Dems.

The next battle on the frontlines And the place where Democrats decided it wasn't worth campaigning at during the last presidential election while riding on the backs of minorities. Will be good entertainment.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/blue-wave-to-be-tested-in-key-midwestern-primaries/2018/08/14/caaef000-9f7a-11e8-a3dd-2a1991f075d5_story.html?utm_term=.c0d68044c575

[Kara]

I read WSJ and FT. WSJ is kind of okay-ish when reading about the market. FT is better for that. WSJ has the benefit of being American and thereby having a more localized take on certain issues as well as world class reporting.

I subscribe to WSJ (paper), Houston Chronicle (paper), FT (online but want paper but it's so damn expensive), and WaPo. FT is probably my favorite of the bunch because of it's the least biased. I might drop the Chronicle paper for FT paper. IDK.

Unless you live in the sticks I always recommend subscribing to the local business journal. It's usually more informative than the local paper (excepting certain major metros).

A Tax Notes subscription sort of broke my brain when it comes to pricing periodical subscriptions, but I can empathize with having to juggle newspaper subscriptions.

[Himu]

I read WSJ and FT. WSJ is kind of okay-ish when reading about the market. FT is better for that. WSJ has the benefit of being American and thereby having a more localized take on certain issues as well as world class reporting.

I subscribe to WSJ (paper), Houston Chronicle (paper), FT (online but want paper but it's so damn expensive), and WaPo. FT is probably my favorite of the bunch because of it's the least biased. I might drop the Chronicle paper for FT paper. IDK.

Unless you live in the sticks I always recommend subscribing to the local business journal. It's usually more informative than the local paper (excepting certain major metros).

A Tax Notes subscription sort of broke my brain when it comes to pricing periodical subscriptions, but I can empathize with having to juggle newspaper subscriptions.

Would this be it?

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/

[Mandark]

Cindi, do you actually think the GOP is going to pick up seats in the House?

[Kara]

Would this be it?

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/

Looks like it? There's usually just 1 in a city.

[Himu]

Cindi, do you actually think the GOP is going to pick up seats in the House?

They'll lose some. I just hope it's not as many as projected.

[Trent Dole]

(As of 07/10/2018)
Republicans     236
Democrats       193
Vacancies          6*

43 seats is a pretty huge disparity, goddamn. The GOP could weather a pretty massive slaughter and still come out ahead.

[benjipwns]

Really, the D's need to get state legislatures and state governorships more than grab either House currently. With Trump in the White House, a change in the House won't be as important as being able to redistrict on their terms, or at least not GOP terms, for 2022-2030. That was where the R's took the D's to the woodshed 2010 and subsequently propped themselves up to survive 2012, hold on 2014 and 2016.

Trump and Congress wasting a lot of time trying to come to agreements takes some of the issues away that one-party rule often begets, especially if the gap is tight in both houses. A 50/50 Senate should be seen as a win even though it leaves the GOP in charge because it means they can't lose a vote. Plus McCain is essentially a non-seat voting-wise, only for control.

[Mandark]

Would still rather flip one of the chambers just to keep the GOP from taking another swing at healthcare.

[benjipwns]

Health care might be a non-starter depending on what the House and Trump each want. 2020 has Cory Gardner, David Perdue, Joni Ernst, Thom Thillis and Bill Cassidy from the 2014 class. It also has Jim Inhofe, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, and Lamar Alexander in the elderly camp. Plus Susan Collins. Seems like it might mean more around the edges tweaking than any major changes.

Other than Doug Jones and possibly Mark Warner, the D seats look safe. In part because so many of them got smashed in 2014 when the GOP ran the table.

D's might want to focus not on going all in to win big name stuff at the top in 2018 but...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Yes, I tortured the metaphor and discarded possibilities specifically to use this clip.

[close]

[benjipwns]

I admit that the D's failing to get the House is the more interesting story to me. R's will have their little fight between Gym Jordan and the "Ryan" camp and whoever else, but then mostly fall in line. But if the D's come up short for the fourth time in a row, there's gotta be a revolt against Pelosi/Hoyer.

MSNBC's waging a war on women Speakers:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

JONTHAN CAPEHART, MSNBC: Why not, if the Democrats take back the House, give up the gavel, and give it to a new generation of leaders?

REP. NANCY PELOSI: I know NBC has been on a jag, this is one of their priorities, to undermine my prospects as Speaker, but putting that aside. I have not asked one person for a vote. I have not asked one candidate or incumbent for a vote. I, better than anybody, know how important it is for us to win this election because I see up close and personal what the Republicans and this president are doing.

I do not think we should let our opponents, the Republicans, pick our leaders. The Republicans are spending millions, tens of millions of dollars, against me. Because they're afraid of me because I outraise them in the political arena, I outsmart them at the negotiating table, and because I'm a woman who is going to be a seat at that table.

That is very important to me. If Hillary Clinton had won and had sat at the head of that table it would be different, but I am not yielding that. None of us is indispensable, but I think I am the best person for the job.

Also, Joy Reid herself has totally been hacked and now looks like some random black dude. Why is nobody talking about this?!?

[Mandark]

Axios had a story on ACA repeal in the event that the GOP keeps both chambers, and those guys are as plugged in as anyone.

Never underestimate the Republican love of block grants and work requirements.