Donald Trump 2018

[Chad Fuck 18090]

[Native Horn 3569]

9 minutes ago, SuingToGetAMessageBoard? said:

There is nothing I'm more sure of than Trump spends time thinking about what color to paint the fancy new airplane.

Chip Foose gonna put some RADICAL rims on that bad boy!

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13619]

Wealthy business people are the only people who can legitimately claim that their lives have changed for the better (at least financially) under Trump.  They are actually the only people I understand still supporting him.

Wealthy Americans share more mutual interests with international oligarchs than they do with the average American.

[Texas73 422]

31 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

- Neil Gorsuch
- Brett Kavanaugh
- Tax cuts
- Widespread deregulation

I, also, could go on and on.

If it could have just as easily happened on the D side, why didn't it? He tossed a coin and it landed, coincidentally, on the elephant instead of the donkey?

No, the American conservative movement has gone down an obvious path that led it to this point. From Goldwater to Palin, you can trace the path to this presidency without much effort, regardless of what the more upper-crust conservatives want to believe.

 

White trash put Trump in office. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 34079]

7 minutes ago, Texas73 said:

White trash put Trump in office. 

well, it's fitting since he's rich white trash

[David Dennison 19441]

6 minutes ago, Texas73 said:

White trash put Trump in office. 

Yep. And the college educated wypipo who voted for him need to start being treated by their social peers as white trash.

[Tuco 5093]

13 minutes ago, theCruiser said:

I always thought tax increases/decreases are brought about by the House of Representatives.  I didn't realize Trump was prominently featured in Article I.  

That's the point.  It's easy enough to dismiss 2017to 2018 as Trumpism, but it's inaccurate.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Tuco

[bad_teammate 13479]

7 minutes ago, Texas73 said:

White trash put Trump in office. 

Nope.

14 minutes ago, theCruiser said:

I always thought tax increases/decreases are brought about by the House of Representatives.  I didn't realize Trump was prominently featured in Article I.  

That is exactly my point. Outside of optics and decorum, Trump is a very reliable and down-the-line GOP president. That's why DC Republicans lick his ass.

 

[4th&Five 41904]

 

[Chuckie Finster 22978]

8 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

 

"PLAY FREEBIRD!"

[Chooky 13337]

 

[WhatTheBuck 28904]

51 minutes ago, seven said:

Conservatives do seem much more receptive to authoritarianism 

Historically, the right wing was in favor of the monarchy. Seems like not much has changed. 

[bad_teammate 13479]

Osama told me he didn't do it. Why would I believe the intelligence agencies when they were they ones helping move drugs in South and Central America?

[DixonHur 11941]

In other Trump alternate reality news...

US Jerusalem Embassy to cost $21.5 million, not the $250,000 Trump said

Quote

“We’re going to have it built very quickly and inexpensively,” Trump told reporters in March following his decision months earlier to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the US Embassy there. “They put an order in front of my desk last week for $1 billion. … We’re actually doing it for about $250,000, so check that out.”

Well, I for one am stunned.  But perhaps what Trump meant was that the Embassy would cost the US $250k, and the Palestinians will pay the other $21 million.

[RomaVicta 30500]

 

America! Fuck yeah!

[kevwun 16269]

He meant he's going to personally make $250,000 off the deal.

[SmokeyTheBear 5569]

1 hour ago, WgnBrnr said:

Had a guy at work just a few minutes ago tell me he would rather be Communist with Putin than have Democrats run the country. Told him that's some Commie shit bro and let the conversation go. Sad state of affairs up in Okie Land.

The mental gymnastics that must be going on to make that statement.

 

Dems are commies and want to make this a socialist country! So I'd rather have Putin be our leader so he can give us socialism!

 

Fucking Slorched

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

2 hours ago, Js1 said:

This is literally THE time, out of all the times, for Flake/Corker/McCain/Sasse to fucking DO SOMETHING.

Well, McCain is doing something by being absent. He creates a scenario where 1 GOP can defect and the whole nomination crumbles.  No vulnerable Democrat, be it McCaskill, Heitkamp, Manchin, Donnelly, will be the deciding vote to confirm if someone gets picked off.  Maybe Flake/Corker/Sasse should finally find their testicles and scuttle the whole thing.  Let it fail by a vote.

If two of these (Flake/Corker/McCain/Sasse) defected to the democrats, McConnell would lose all power and give the Democrats subpoena power to start holding this administration accountable.

It's not going to happen but it would be a truly patriotic move if it happened.

[Js1 86939]

5 minutes ago, kevwun said:

He meant he's going to personally make $250,000 off the deal.

Only skimming 1.1% off the cost - what a bargain!

[TornACL 7791]

3 minutes ago, SmokeyTheBear said:

The mental gymnastics that must be going on to make that statement.

 

Dems are commies and want to make this a socialist country! So I'd rather have Putin be our leader so he can give us socialism!

 

Fucking Slorched

That dude's statement is precisely why governments participate in these subversive demoralization and disinformation efforts.

[WhatTheBuck 28904]

7 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

Osama told me he didn't do it. Why would I believe the intelligence agencies when they were they ones helping move drugs in South and Central America?

Probably best not to use Dubya as a comparison. He ignored a lot of truths in favor of lies that helped him sell his invasion of Iraq to a bloodthirsty nation who couldn't tell one Muslim from another. All while taking his eye off Osama and letting him run free. And then getting bogged down in Iraq while Putin rose to power, unfettered. And then saying he looked into Putin's eyes and could see his "soul" and called him "trustworthy."

This was all foreshadowed by the last GOP administration. Trump's just turning it up to 11. 

[jimmyjazz 46972]

Ladies & Gentlemen, your new US Embassy:

[Lagunamadre 1975]

4 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

If two of these (Flake/Corker/McCain/Sasse) defected to the democrats, McConnell would lose all power and give the Democrats subpoena power to start holding this administration accountable.

It's not going to happen but it would be a truly patriotic move if it happened.

Sasse is a rubber stamp for anything Trump wants. He can tweet and give lip service to the networks, he is the guy that will complain that the leopard is going to eat your face and it's going to be really bad, and then will gladly vote on a bill encouraging leopards to eat peoples faces. 

McCain is damn near there, doubt Flake or Corker have the backbone, they are Repulicans after all, to flip, but man that would be halarious.  

[Goredho 17627]

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

Ivanka sex tape with Putin.

Trump would have to be directly involved onscreen.

[wildcat09 29556]

Just now, Lagunamadre said:

Sasse is a rubber stamp for anything Trump wants. He can tweet and give lip service to the networks, he is the guy that will complain that the leopard is going to eat your face and it's going to be really bad, and then will gladly vote on a bill encouraging leopards to eat peoples faces. 

McCain is damn near there, doubt Flake or Corker have the backbone, they are Repulicans after all, to flip, but man that would be halarious.  

They won't flip. If they were willing to, they would've done so already. It's not like they don't know Trump is compromised. They just hope that they can leave office before the worst comes to light so that they can pretend they didn't know.

[TornACL 7791]

1 hour ago, Goredho said:

It’s not a pee tape.  That would just be humiliating.  Trump the narcissist who only cares about himself and boosting his self-perception acted against those irresistible instincts in meeting with Putin and getting on stage to be his bitch in front of the world.  Whatever konpromat exists — and there’s no longer any question it does — is far more serious. I’m guessing something that could result in significant jail time for him or one of his kids.  Maybe worse.  For him,  it wouldn’t take much jail to be a life sentence.

Here's the thing. You don't even have to have kompromat. All you have to do is have the target THINK you MIGHT have it.

Trump has been a walking talking piece of shit for his entire life. There is literally no end to the possibilities of things they could have on him....illegal business dealings, sexcapades, etc. All they had to do was get the word out that there are rumors they have something, and a guilty mind will govern itself accordingly.

All that said, the fact that Trump apparently has secured massive loans from Russian banks makes the idea of leverage much less difficult to fathom. Even if there isn't a pee pee tape.

[Lagunamadre 1975]

7 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

They won't flip. If they were willing to, they would've done so already. It's not like they don't know Trump is compromised. They just hope that they can leave office before the worst comes to light so that they can pretend they didn't know.

Agreed. Would be amazing to watch if they did though. 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

6 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

It's not like they don't know Trump is compromised.

Yeah, they all have known Trump is compromised the entire time. 

Yesterday's treason summit just provoked some perfunctory lip service. 

Sad!

[sachick 1189]

49 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

 

[Tuco 5093]

4 minutes ago, Lagunamadre said:

Sasse is a rubber stamp for anything Trump wants. He can tweet and give lip service to the networks, he is the guy that will complain that the leopard is going to eat your face and it's going to be really bad, and then will gladly vote on a bill encouraging leopards to eat peoples faces. 

McCain is damn near there, doubt Flake or Corker have the backbone, they are Repulicans after all, to flip, but man that would be halarious.  

Sasse is gearing up to run for President.  Unlike other Republicans, his future is actually helped by the President getting removed via impeachment, or at least damaged by it.  If this shit were to blow over tomorrow, not only would he have to wait until 2024 for a possible Presidential run, there is a good chance he'd face a strong primary challenge for his Senate seat in 2020.  The Trumpsters hate him, and the Nebraska Republican Party recently passed a platform which included condemnation of any Republican who gives credence or support to the Mueller investigation.  Granted, it was a close vote and I don't think it reflects your average Nebraska Republican, but he is a great example of the blowback Republican politicians face when opposing Trump.  (That's not an excuse for their cowardice.)  Sasse needs for Trump to go down in order to have a future in the Neb Rep Party.  But that doesn't mean he will caucus with the Democrats.  That would probably doom him with non-Trumpster Republicans and the GOP establishment.

So, even though it is unrealistic, it would be great to see a couple of these Senators serve as power-brokers.  Threaten the Senate leadership with defection to push the investigation.  If they refuse, caucus with the Dems, but on the condition that you still control the legislative agenda.  Hell, maybe some of them are already doing the first part and that's part of the reason the Senate committees aren't a complete shitshow. 

[kevwun 16269]

He will be ok with Nebraska republicans once the tariffs start fucking midwest farmers in earnest.  It is the one thing Trump can't blame Obama for that is also going to directly hurt a large chunk of his base.

[Eastwood 4394]

Russian aggression began in earnest starting with the conflict with Georgia in 2008. We slow-played it. It began to accelerate with the annexation of Crimea and the continuing soft war with Ukraine. We slow-played it, despite the Budapest Memorandum and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. Putin has been backing us down slowly for a while now. Yesterday was a deliberate signal to Europe, the Baltics, and the Balkans that Russia is coming. Soon. Putin needs to make his next move before 2020, possibly sooner depending on how midterms shake out. Every election from here until the Trump damage is reversed is absolutely critical.

[Ghost of LL 15664]

There is something to Rand Paul's comments--presidenting is hard work; it'll take a physical and mental toll.  And for someone who was enfeebled to begin with, it can be fatal.  So in a perverse way, I was heartened to see Trump's performance with a Russian leader.  It was even worse than Yalta.  And FDR was dead just two months after Yalta.

[Brisketexan 106618]

2 hours ago, SuingToGetAMessageBoard? said:

 This is nonsense.   It’s only true if you define conservativism to be the idiocy that we see right now.  William Buckley would be treated as an alien from another galaxy if he walked into a GOP convention today. 

Bad Teammate is not entirely off-base, but he's not dead-on accurate, either.  There's no question that "sane conservatism" is utterly unwelcome in the GOP: if you read statements from Reagan, GHW Bush, etc., without name attribution, there's no doubt that 100% of the Trumpkin GOP would condemn the speaker of such words as libtards who don't want to MAGA.

1 hour ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Wealthy business people are the only people who can legitimately claim that their lives have changed for the better (at least financially) under Trump.  They are actually the only people I understand still supporting him.

I get it.  But I also think that is a huge part of our broken-ness as a country and a culture.  We have elevated individual success so much that we have declared the common good to be an evil that must be fought against (buzzwords like "socialism" are freely used in that effort).  As long as you get yours, to hell with everyone else.  And we've created a myth that THIS is the American ethos that "made America Great!"  WRONG.  Start with de Tocqueville, then keep reading.  Acknowledgment of the common good, and putting systems in place to preserve it -- both socially and politically -- was central to our success as a nation.  That ideal is dead, and rich folks who are all-too-happy to fatten themselves on next year's seed stock, damn the consequences, are a perfect symbol of it.

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

He didn't roll over, he got yanked out of the grave and buttfucked on live TV in Helsinki.

I love good, visually-linked prose.  Well-done.

[jimmyjazz 46972]

Regarding a couple of the younger, seemingly less demented Republicans:  more politicians than one might realize have crossed over and joined the other party.  There's an opportunity there.  Risky, but not absurd.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2018 by jimmyjazz
still don't write good

[Brisketexan 106618]

Anyone with any experience in management, the executive field, etc., knows EXACTLY what they are watching go down.  Trump is the simplest and easiest type of asset there is.  He thinks he's this:

 

 

When really, he's this:

 

 

He'll go wherever on the board Putin wants him to go, because Putin knows how to get him to make any move that Putin wants, all while letting DOTUS think it's his idea.  That's the best kind of asset to have -- the person who doesn't even know he's an asset.

[Js1 86939]

4 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Regarding a couple of the younger, seemingly less demented Republicans:  more politicians than one might realize have crossed over and joined the other party.  There's an opportunity there.  Risky, but not absurd.

 

 

 

 

Far too many of these "younger, seemingly less demented Republicans" are going to be asked in the future what they did to stop/oppose Trump.

"Well, I tweeted something" ain't going to cut it.

[Lagunamadre 1975]

9 minutes ago, kevwun said:

He will be ok with Nebraska republicans once the tariffs start fucking midwest farmers in earnest.  It is the one thing Trump can't blame Obama for that is also going to directly hurt a large chunk of his base.

Those tariffs kicking in is going to coincide with their healthcare premiums skyrocketing because of Trump. There are going to be a lot of diabetics in the midwest who are not going to be happy, especially when they don't have a black guy to blame it on anymore.   

[Fozzz 152]

8 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

I get it.  But I also think that is a huge part of our broken-ness as a country and a culture.  We have elevated individual success so much that we have declared the common good to be an evil that must be fought against (buzzwords like "socialism" are freely used in that effort).  As long as you get yours, to hell with everyone else.  And we've created a myth that THIS is the American ethos that "made America Great!"  WRONG.  Start with de Tocqueville, then keep reading.  Acknowledgment of the common good, and putting systems in place to preserve it -- both socially and politically -- was central to our success as a nation.  That ideal is dead, and rich folks who are all-too-happy to fatten themselves on next year's seed stock, damn the consequences, are a perfect symbol of it.

I'll never understand the propensity of ordinary Americans to suck up and lick the boots of billionaires.  A nation of boot lickers.  Meanwhile...

[jimmyjazz 46972]

1 minute ago, Js1 said:

Far too many of these "younger, seemingly less demented Republicans" are going to be asked in the future what they did to stop/oppose Trump.

"Well, I tweeted something" ain't going to cut it.

That's pretty much my point.  Flake & Sasse have their eyes on higher office, and can write their tickets by flipping on Trump and then switching parties.  Is it going to happen?  Well, it's incredibly unlikely, but the alternatives are (a) do nothing or (b) flip on Trump and hope the R party changes.

[Native Horn 3569]

12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Anyone with any experience in management, the executive field, etc., knows EXACTLY what they are watching go down.  Trump is the simplest and easiest type of asset there is.  He thinks he's this:

 

 

When really, he's this:

 

 

He'll go wherever on the board Putin wants him to go, because Putin knows how to get him to make any move that Putin wants, all while letting DOTUS think it's his idea.  That's the best kind of asset to have -- the person who doesn't even know he's an asset.

And we all know that the pawn is just standing in the way of the Queen - until he is toppled over.

[Francisco 2.0 32543]

22 minutes ago, kevwun said:

He will be ok with Nebraska republicans once the tariffs start fucking midwest farmers in earnest.  It is the one thing Trump can't blame Obama for that is also going to directly hurt a large chunk of his base.

Oh, you know he will get the blame when tariffs fail.

"If only Obama would have taken care of this when he was here---we wouldn't have had this issue today"  and "Obama should have tariffed the shit out of the Chinese---things would be different now!"

[kevwun 16269]

Usually I would agree, but it won't work this time.  Everyone told him the tariffs were a bad idea.  He created a problem that will cost people money.  He won't weasel out of it.

[Tuco 5093]

6 minutes ago, kevwun said:

He will be ok with Nebraska republicans once the tariffs start fucking midwest farmers in earnest.  It is the one thing Trump can't blame Obama for that is also going to directly hurt a large chunk of his base.

I think folks may be overestimating their impact on rural communities, or at least the immediacy of that impact.  I haven't done a lot of research or reading on it, but these are my guesses.  Someone can correct me if they have better information. 

1.  I think the tariffs will slide everything to the negative.  A great year turns into a good year.  A good year into an average one.  It's not until you go from bad year to a horrible year that you really see farms getting foreclosed on.  The tariffs have certainly hurt soybean prices, for example, but it's in line what they were three years ago and ten years ago. There are several different ways soybeans get traded, so maybe below isn't the most accurate, but it's good enough for an example.  So the farmer loses the ability stockpile some cash for a rainy day, but he's not losing his farm unless something else is going on.  Not this year.  You're hearing farmers talking about losing money, but you aren't hearing them talk about having to sell their farms. 

http://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/soybeans-price

 

2. Most people in rural communities are not farmers.  They are not directly, immediately affected by changes in commodity prices.  Eventually the farmer isn't going to buy the new tractor, and therefore the salesman at the Deere dealership won't buy a new car, and the car salesman will get let go and have to go find work in the city....  But that takes a while to play out. 

[SuingToGetAMessageBoard? 3861]

2 minutes ago, Tuco said:

I think folks may be overestimating their impact on rural communities, or at least the immediacy of that impact.  I haven't done a lot of research or reading on it, but these are my guesses.  Someone can correct me if they have better information. 

1.  I think the tariffs will slide everything to the negative.  A great year turns into a good year.  A good year into an average one.  It's not until you go from bad year to a horrible year that you really see farms getting foreclosed on.  The tariffs have certainly hurt soybean prices, for example, but it's in line what they were three years ago and ten years ago. There are several different ways soybeans get traded, so maybe below isn't the most accurate, but it's good enough for an example.  So the farmer loses the ability stockpile some cash for a rainy day, but he's not losing his farm unless something else is going on.  Not this year.  You're hearing farmers talking about losing money, but you aren't hearing them talk about having to sell their farms. 

http://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/soybeans-price

 

2. Most people in rural communities are not farmers.  They are not directly, immediately affected by changes in commodity prices.  Eventually the farmer isn't going to buy the new tractor, and therefore the salesman at the Deere dealership won't buy a new car, and the car salesman will get let go and have to go find work in the city....  But that takes a while to play out. 

 I don’t know about 1 but as for 2, and rural communities the day to days of farming occupies every single conversation at every single Dairy Queen whether you are directly involved or not.  When prices go south for one or two guys, everybody knows about it and everybody’s upset. 

[Brisketexan 106618]

6 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Usually I would agree, but it won't work this time.  Everyone told him the tariffs were a bad idea.  He created a problem that will cost people money.  He won't weasel out of it.

Yes he will.  Perhaps you don't understand how cults and cult members work.

Members of a cult will do things so irrational as to give a sane observer brain-lock:

 

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

my understanding is farmers/ranchers are leveraged to the hilt at this point. with rates rising and tariffs looming, it could spell doom for a lot of these folks.

[kevwun 16269]

The margins are small.  When someone costs you money because they can't keep they're mouth shut, it's going to piss people off.  Farmers can't vote against the weather for ruining their crop, but they can do something about Trump after he takes money out of their pockets for absolutely no good reason.  The pointlessness of it all is what is going to upset people the most.

Edited July 17, 2018 by kevwun

[Mo Horn 8933]

Quote

A source familiar with the redesign told CNN last week that Trump was deeply involved in the conversation about a redesign of the aircraft, but no decisions had been reached on a final paint scheme.  The President has now confirmed that the changes were coming. 

At least he's taking care of the truly important things as President... Air Force One.  Now we know why he's the most popular Republican President ever. 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Mo Horn

[Tuco 5093]

11 minutes ago, SuingToGetAMessageBoard? said:

 I don’t know about 1 but as for 2, and rural communities the day to days of farming occupies every single conversation at every single Dairy Queen whether you are directly involved or not.  When prices go south for one or two guys, everybody knows about it and everybody’s upset. 

Certainly.  I remember when I was a kid, I happened to be in downtown Tecumseh NE when it rained for the first time in a while.  "Communal joy" may be the best way to describe it.  But I'm not sure if that's immediately impactful enough to counter the Cult of Trump or the Fear of Brown.  Commodity prices come and go, but Trump and xenophobia are about preserving what they see as their culture.  It won't be until the economic pressures threaten that culture more that you'll see these communities turn on Trump in large percentages. 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Tuco