US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/ALT_uscis/status/1080548893786542080

The resistance thinks: "OMG RULE BY NAZI DECREE"

Trump thinks: "If Obama got away with DACA I can certainly open a golf course in the white house lawn "

[agrajag]

2020 Less Paygo more Faygo.

 

[VomKriege]

Paygo? I don't want fucking Paygo, you're the Paygo!

Pokémon PayPal Go to the polls !   

[Mandark]

One of the Chapo guys stole my gimmick and has been trying to get Qanon followers to wager money with him on Twitter.

AFAICT he's had as much success as I have with this.

[benjipwns]

From my experience, and you can see this in some of hungrynoobs stuff, they exist in a state of Schrodinger's Conspiracy Theory where they both do and refuse to admit to believing any specific detail at any one time. Things wrong often actually become true "in the bigger picture" that has yet to be revealed. Etc.

[benjipwns]

Mexico is gonna paygo other side of the wall.

[james]

When do TSA employees start walking off the job

[agrajag]

they're getting paid with lib tears

[benjipwns]

I'd actually be interested in what kind of triage system the federal government has for reaching that point. I bet there actually isn't one and it's all hypothetical. I know the current thing where certain things are shutdown but other things are not is borderline arbitrary because it's never the same stuff each shutdown. I'll go search now rather than babbling like normal since I'm sure it's been written about in detail.

[agrajag]

not sure if this has been posted already

https://abc13-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/abc13.com/amp/politics/federal-workers-suing-white-house-over-shutdown/4996609/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ%3D%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fabc13.com%2Fpolitics%2Ffederal-workers-suing-white-house-over-shutdown%2F4996609%2F

[Nintex]

I'd actually be interested in what kind of triage system the federal government has for reaching that point. I bet there actually isn't one and it's all hypothetical. I know the current thing where certain things are shutdown but other things are not is borderline arbitrary because it's never the same stuff each shutdown. I'll go search now rather than babbling like normal since I'm sure it's been written about in detail.

The latest is that Trump told Schumer he'd look 'foolish' if he reopened the government so he won't unless he gets $5.6 billion for the wall.
He also dismissed Pence and Kushner's $2.5 billion compromise saying he wants the full $5.6 billion or otherwise the government remains closed for he doesn't know how long.

So you don't have to worry that the government suddenly reopens while you research this.

Oh I forgot about Mitch. He won't pass any bills unless the President endorses and he opposes so. 

[agrajag]

  the government remains closed for he doesn't know how long.

so that's what he meant by saying he should just take it easy and enjoy his presidency

[benjipwns]

Finally, I can bring my guns on the plane!

How is this different from TSA on the job?

[agrajag]

they were just making sure you were old enough to board the plane

[benjipwns]

 
EXCLUSIVE: PHOTOS of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or “Sandy” as She Was Known at Her Elite High School in Yorktown — NOT in the Bronx
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/01/exclusive-photos-of-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-or-sandy-as-she-was-known-at-her-elite-high-school-in-yorktown-not-in-the-bronx/

And Alexandria went by “Sandy” at her affluent high school.

The classmate told The Gateway pundit he/she does not like “Sandy’s” politics and DOES NOT WANT TO LIVE UNDER COMMUNIST – SOCIALIST rule.

[Nintex]

We should've had all this investigative reporting back in 2001. We would've found Bin Laden who is very tall and hard to miss in a week. 

[agrajag]

she has aged very gracefully

[benjipwns]

Next one in the pool, a bit of a surprise, Jay Inslee: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/washington-governor-jay-inslee-running-president/579217/

ash.—What if a meteor were hurtling toward the Earth, about to kill millions and reshape life on the planet as we know it?

And what if the president, instead of doing anything to help, made it worse in just about every way, and called it a hoax (and any solutions a scam) instead of the very real, very clear disaster taking shape?

And what if all the Democrats running to beat him in the next election went on and on about how concerned they were and how it’s our most pressing problem—but none had ever done much more than talk about the problem, and for the most part only started doing that in just the past few years?

That’s where Jay Inslee thinks America is when it comes to climate change. And that’s why he’s going to run for president.

[benjipwns]

[nachobro]

mitt the maverick

[agrajag]

wait, Jeff Flake and Ben Sasse almost look identical

 

[benjipwns]

wait, Jeff Flake and Ben Sasse almost look identical

 

and then there's John Thune

and Mike Rounds

what i'm saying is there's one GOP senator who just goes around to different states

[agrajag]

woah if true

[benjipwns]

it's also a diagram of how the boob physics should work in the next DOA?

[benjipwns]

booooo at thread title change, nobody needs that contract

[agrajag]

https://twitter.com/EricLiptonNYT/status/1080661678424014848

[CatsCatsCats]

Okay I’m tired of the winning

[benjipwns]

Trump throwing Sheriff Joe overboard

The Justice Department has decided not to ask the Supreme Court to block the appointment of a special prosecutor to fight former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s effort to erase the guilty verdict a judge returned against him on contempt of court charges last year.

However, a lawyer for Arpaio said Wednesday night that the ex-sheriff’s legal team is planning a new entreaty of its own to the high court, despite the Trump administration’s decision not to pursue the issue of judges’ authority to name special counsels without an explicit blessing from Congress.

President Donald Trump pardoned Arpaio as he was awaiting sentencing, a few weeks after the verdict that the longtime immigration hard-liner defied a court order in a suit involving profiling of Latinos.

The pardon appears to have wiped out any chance the 86-year-old will go to prison or face a fine in connection with the contempt charge, but Arpaio’s lawyers have persisted in a demand that the guilty verdict also be formally set aside.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton rebuffed that request, holding that the pardon excused Arpaio only from the consequences of his defiance of a court order in a case over racial profiling of Latinos, but did not amount to a basis for wiping out all the rulings in the contempt fight, such as the ex-sheriff’s conviction.

The decision announced Wednesday not to take the contempt case to the Supreme Court, at least for now, stems from the Justice Department’s refusal to defend Bolton’s decision when Arpaio appealed. Over the government’s objections, a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, 2-1, in April to appoint a special prosecutor to argue that Bolton’s decision was correct.

The move to authorize a special prosecutor was opposed by several 9th Circuit judges. Judge Richard Tallman dissented from the panel’s decision. Then, an unnamed 9th Circuit judge called for the issue to be reconsidered by a larger, 11-judge en banc court. The Western appeals court’s judges ultimately voted against that, but a total of five active or senior judges recorded their disapproval of the special prosecutor appointment.

In an opinion released last October, Judge Consuelo Callahan led the charge against the move, painting the court’s action as constitutionally suspect and unnecessary. She said the court should simply have let outside lawyers already authorized to act as friends of the court defend Bolton’s ruling without having anyone formally step into the prosecutor’s shoes.

“The majority's conflation of the routine appointment of amici with the extraordinary act of appointing a special prosecutor not only violates the separation of powers, but is also sloppy, creates bad law, and invites reversal by the Supreme Court,” Callahan warned.

Zombie Gerald Ford says "acceptance of a pardon is acceptance of guilt!"

I wonder if he was buried with that legal decision.

[james]

National parks are now shutting down with no notice because the piles of human feces have gotten out of control

[agrajag]

National parks are now shutting down with no notice because the piles of human feces have gotten out of control

there's a parallel here for the current administration/government shutdown

[benjipwns]

who's all the people shitting in national parks suddenly at increased rates

[benjipwns]

 

[agrajag]

why are you attributing false quotes to me

 

[james]

who's all the people shitting in national parks suddenly at increased rates

The bathrooms are locked

[benjipwns]

even the ones for white men?

[agrajag]

Politico hired Nintex as their staff writer

https://twitter.com/politico/status/1080667600839995392

[james]

even the ones for white men?

Especially those

[benjipwns]

can we trade John Wall for some lock picks?

[brawndolicious]

she has aged very gracefully

Dude, she's 29.

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1080553515032940545

[agrajag]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-shutdown-mcconnell-idUSKCN1OX01I

Senate will not consider House Democratic bills to end shutdown: Republican McConnell

welp, they won't be reopening those portapotties any time soon.

[james]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-shutdown-mcconnell-idUSKCN1OX01I

Senate will not consider House Democratic bills to end shutdown: Republican McConnell

welp, they won't be reopening those portapotties any time soon.

They're vault toilets you ignoramus

[agrajag]

you're a vault toilet

[agrajag]

I have no idea how the shutdown ends

with toilets overflowing everywhere

[james]

I have no idea how the shutdown ends

When Schumer folds like always

[benjipwns]

I admit I haven't really been paying attention to any of the ever shifting positions or rational after the first weekend. But just from the point of view of it being related to walls and wheels. Caving on wall funding to finish it isn't the worst move to make really, especially if they can bring the amount down by anything. It will take too long to get the process started, it's just a throw away of money on a vanity project anyway and everyone in the D camp knows its symbolic action more than anything real. And they can argue that it's worth the cost of restoring everything else if they need to.

Paying for a stupid wall is arguably a better deal than any kind of actual increased enforcement programs. And if they structure the funding right, they can basically punt it until 2020 and hope they win then kill it if they really need to. Plus a few House members can vote for it to use as cover. Maybe even some Senators. And that's just related to immigration/border security/whatever; an issue that only one party really cares about and will still go for the economy over.

Dragging it out in hopes of hurting Trump I think is a bit silly, he has a locked in group near 40% that seemingly won't abandon him, especially over his most important platform item. Congress has a built in 80% dislike rate no matter what they do. Bill and Barack wore down stronger Congresses because of this kind of power imbalance and they actually cared about maintaining their image some. Trump assumes he's invincible.

I like how they always seem to pick the dumbest thing on the table to shutdown over. Though it'll be hard to ever top Cruz's attempt at it over an already passed law, especially while shit talking his "allies" in the fight.

[benjipwns]

But the most important thing is subpoenaing Ryan Zinke to just have everyone on the committee ask him "what the fuck?" about that illegible letter.

[Mandark]

I admit I haven't really been paying attention to any of the ever shifting positions or rational after the first weekend. But just from the point of view of it being related to walls and wheels. Caving on wall funding to finish it isn't the worst move to make really, especially if they can bring the amount down by anything. It will take too long to get the process started, it's just a throw away of money on a vanity project anyway and everyone in the D camp knows its symbolic action more than anything real. And they can argue that it's worth the cost of restoring everything else if they need to.

Paying for a stupid wall is arguably a better deal than any kind of actual increased enforcement programs. And if they structure the funding right, they can basically punt it until 2020 and hope they win then kill it if they really need to. Plus a few House members can vote for it to use as cover. Maybe even some Senators. And that's just related to immigration/border security/whatever; an issue that only one party really cares about and will still go for the economy over.

Dragging it out in hopes of hurting Trump I think is a bit silly, he has a locked in group near 40% that seemingly won't abandon him, especially over his most important platform item. Congress has a built in 80% dislike rate no matter what they do. Bill and Barack wore down stronger Congresses because of this kind of power imbalance and they actually cared about maintaining their image some. Trump assumes he's invincible.

I like how they always seem to pick the dumbest thing on the table to shutdown over. Though it'll be hard to ever top Cruz's attempt at it over an already passed law, especially while shit talking his "allies" in the fight.

okay but you forgot to log into your nintex alt

[benjipwns]

that bad huh? at least i tried to cover my tracks with distracting disclaimers and near unhinged randomness at the start and end of the post, and embedded zero twitter posts XD

[Mandark]

Well, nowhere near that bad. But still.

[benjipwns]

In any case, main point is I don't think caving on the wall should necessary be seen as some kind of defeat for the Dimms, even at $5 billion, to get everything else. Simply because it's not like they'll get to building the thing right away at superfast speeds and it won't really matter anyway other than symbolically. And I'm not sure it hurts the Dimms too much in their plan to pass a resolution making Elsa gay.

Plus maybe it kills off the issue for a while!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Mandark]

I don't think Dems in Congress care about the generic Congressional approval, they care about their constituencies. Dem voters hate the wall (Trump's done all he can to make it a wedge issue), and the party just gained 40 seats in an election where the GOP did their best to hammer the southern border as an issue in the last month. They're not feeling pressure on this. The first polls show people blaming Trump more than Congress, which is different from the Obama and Clinton test cases.

Even if you put all that aside, "give Trump what he wants when he threatens to shut down the government" isn't a great precedent to set.

[benjipwns]

Well, yeah, but if they get past this one, there's only one more opportunity for him to do it, and it's during the election year. I guess I don't know how long or how much they want to have this fight now, especially with the other things they've been wanting to get to. It seems like being able to give the wall funding is a huge advantage rather than actually being "caving" or whatever. Depends on their calendar I suppose.

But I guess I am also thinking that there may be value in playing relatively nicely with Trump the first couple months, like they did W. in 2007, see if he's actually willing to work on those things he claimed to be seen as a deal maker, etc. just to slowly ratchet it up as we move into the election year.

edit: I'm probably being way too pollyannaish. I thought similar things at the start of other recent Congresses.

[Mandark]

It seems like being able to give the wall funding is a huge advantage

okay THAT is some nintex stuff

[benjipwns]

Again, I will admit to seeing the wall as mostly distraction, not an actual thing that truly matters, especially considering the already existing border patrol presence. I don't like the wall, but it seems like an easy trade off that you can potentially kill with a thousand paper cuts type deal. I don't understand it as a deal-breaker from the Dimms point of view, unless they don't think the base can see it as not as valuable as Trump and the restrictionists think it is.

I do see how I could be way off here with my biases.

edit: also really do apologize if I'm coming off like concern trolling by dismissing the importance of the wall funding

[Mandark]

Democratic politicians care about what Democratic voters care about, and Democratic voters see it as a giant monument to racism, because of *sweeps hands indicating the last three years of American politics*.

September 2017 was the time to try to convince the Dem base that the wall was a symbolic nothing worth trading for substantial policy gains. Trump took that deal off the table now we've had 16 more months for acrimony and distrust to build.

Now, he's demanding they give him what he wants on his signature issue, something he couldn't get when the GOP had both houses, not in return for anything but just to sign some version of a bipartisan funding bill, and for them to do this as their first major act after they won an election fueled by rabidly anti-Trump volunteers and donors who would be some combination of deflated and enraged by this.

It's really not that complicated.


edit: I wouldn't say you're coming off as concern-trolling so much as being a bit 

[Trurl]

who's all the people shitting in national parks suddenly at increased rates

Poopers paid by Soros

[benjipwns]

You're right I probably have been not grasping the true hatred towards the wall versus just seeing it as a dumb and silly obsession by Trump and his supporters thinking they have a one-size-fits-all solution. I've been thinking of it more as a shiny toy where Trump and Fox can get into a self-reinforcing cycle of Wall Updates as it slowly rolls out over many years. (Plus some shameful optimism that the hype and visibility of the meaningless wall will lessen chances of other more restrictive measures being taken until the wall obviously fails.)

Which actually is kinda quite distressing when it's all laid out like that.

[agrajag]

Benji is too ideologically pure to think like a politician

 

[Mandark]

Even if you consider the wall as being completely valueless, Trump's overweening desire for it is reason enough to set a very high price.

"Give him his top priority, which he couldn't get when his party had the House, in exchange for nothing, at the very moment he's lost a ton of leverage" is not good politics!