Donald Trump 2018

[Nick Diaz 107]

 

[hayden_horn 11365]

holy shit...is that real?

[sachick 1189]

37 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Say what you will about typical politicians lying, dissembling, spinning, but never in modern memory has it been so bad, so bald-faced, so shameless, and so widespread among a major political party.   This is the kind of shit you see in tinpot dictatorships and wonder how they can say these things with a straight face.  But these are the people currently in charge of our country. 

And his base just believes anything he says or tweets. They don't question anything. He could tweet that the sky is red and they would all believe it and call CNN fake news when they show a picture that the sky is still blue. THAT is the scariest part. That people just believe his words. No independent thinking.

[sachick 1189]

4 minutes ago, Nick Diaz said:

 

This is a joke right? RIGHT?

 

ETA: It's real but old. From 2014.

Edited April 17, 2018 by sachick

[Kringelbert Fishtybuns 944]

2 minutes ago, hayden_horn said:

holy shit...is that real?

It is apparently from an OpEd the guy wrote in 1995.  Maine sure does have its fair share of fucking nuts.

[retread 2951]

Apparently not fake

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by retread

[Nick Diaz 107]

Rapists don't kill people, Planned Parenthood does

 

- Republicans.

[Hank Kingsley 21027]

My best friend's dad is a great dude. We talk on the phone 2-3 times a week during football season.  All of his children are wonderful people.  His youngest son played safety/linebacker at a Group of 5 school, and he befriended a lot of the African-American players and their parents.  That same son just got engaged to an Iranian girl, and he's become close to their family and enjoyed his indoctrination into Persian culture. 

Then there's his twitter account.  He tweets shit out like "No one in the media can claim Trump is morally unfit! Hypocrites!" and "Trump will eat up Mueller! Trump is too smart, experienced and successful! Mueller is an arrogant asshole!", then retweets all those silly "RT if you want to build a wall!" or "RT if you think Obama was the worst president ever" comments. You'd think he was a Russian bot until you noticed he only has 19 followers. 

The threat is real. 

[Francisco 2.0 32413]

To be honest, I'm kinda surprised.  I figured he would just tweet out something like "I'm not paying taxes any longer, because Obama didn't" or Hillary or whatever. 

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/17/trump-tax-returns-extension-528945

 

Quote

Count President Donald Trump among the Americans who won’t meet Tuesday’s deadline for filing his tax returns.

The White House confirmed Tuesday that the president has filed for an extension on his taxes, although a spokesman did not immediately respond to a follow-up question as to whether Trump had filed for extra time on his federal or state taxes. The extension deadline for both federal taxes and New York state taxes is Oct. 15.

The White House spokesman also did not immediately offer a reason why Trump was unable to meet Tuesday's tax deadline, although White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a reporter that the president had "filed an extension ... as do many Americans with complex returns."

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by Francisco 2.0

[Brisketexan 105235]

Figuring out how to calculate losses in terms of "lost goodwill," not to mention making sure you have the current rate for converting rubles to dollars, well, those things take time.

[staboner 4984]

34 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

But that's what Trump did.  The only thing that disrupts in politics seems to be appealing to the worst in people.  I think we just need a return to normalcy.  Politics as usual sucks, but it's better than this. 

Trump is a Republican and people are still discussing/thinking about politics firmly from that point of view (or from the other point of view) first and foremost. its so polluted that right now it doesn't matter what now is, or what normal was, its R v D and its a culture war. plug in a politician or Oprah - same output. Essentially nothing changes and Americans hate the boogeyman they live next door too. We cannot maturely discuss policy at all. Need a leader standing outside of this badly. 

So long as we have only R v D this will only get worse. Our ability to compromise and solve problems will continue to get worse and worse. thats the problem. All these posts on gun control, campaign finance reform, the debt, whatever you care about - all pointless. The mechanisms to enact solutions is too fucked up to do anything - whether you have a porn star or the pope in office, doesn't matter

Edited April 17, 2018 by staboner

[Mojo Hand 4580]

9 minutes ago, staboner said:

Trump is a Republican and people are still discussing/thinking about politics firmly from that point of view (or from the other point of view) first and foremost. its so polluted that right now it doesn't matter what now is, or what normal was, its R v D and its a culture war. plug in a politician or Oprah - same output. Essentially nothing changes and Americans hate the boogeyman they live next door too. We cannot maturely discuss policy at all. Need a leader standing outside of this badly. 

So long as we have only R v D this will only get worse. Our ability to compromise and solve problems will continue to get worse and worse. thats the problem. All these posts on gun control, campaign finance reform, the debt, whatever you care about - all pointless. The mechanisms to enact solutions is too fucked up to do anything - whether you have a porn star or the pope in office, doesn't matter

We've had R vs D for a long time and it's never been like this before.  R vs D used to get plenty of shit done.  And Trump has an R by his name right now, but he's been an R, a D, Reform party, independent, whatever, because he is outside the traditional party divisions.  He's an outsider who hijacked a party infrastructure. 

I have a hard time imagining the solution you describe.  A noble hero running Perot-style and winning the presidency?   Won't he or she have to work with all Rs and Ds in Congress and at the state level?  There no infrastructure to support an independent.   That's why we end up with a parasite like Trump living off the GOP host. 

[Brisketexan 105235]

2 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

He's an outsider who hijacked a party infrastructure. 

 

2 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

That's why we end up with a parasite like Trump living off the GOP host

Really good points and analogy.

Trump really is a virus infencting the GOP, and not just as an expression -- also as a real-deal metaphor. A virus tricks the body's cells into creating and spreading copies of the virus....sometimes, until the host is hopelessly and fatally infected.  The GOP caught a case of Trumpism.  And instead of trying to rid itself of the virus, it has happily submitted to the virus's plan, creating and spreading Trumpism throughout the system.  It's amazing to me how quickly and easily the GOP became the party of Trumpism.  85% support for Trumpism among the GOP.  There's no saving the host.

The smart move is to isolate the host so that it can't kill everyone else.

[retread 2951]

34 minutes ago, staboner said:

 The mechanisms to enact solutions is too fucked up to do anything - whether you have a porn star or the pope in office, doesn't matter

The current culture and power structure (R and D) in DC seems to make it nearly impossible for an outsider to make a difference.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

Perhaps the biggest problem is the leadership in Congress.   The Hastert rule is emblematic of this problem, but Harry Reid ruled with an iron fist too.   A bipartisan group of Congressmen could really change things by tipping the leadership towards someone more inclusive.   If I were motivated to change things, I'd zero in on something like that. 

[softlynow 1816]

4 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Perhaps the biggest problem is the leadership in Congress.   The Hastert rule is emblematic of this problem, but Harry Reid ruled with an iron fist too.   A bipartisan group of Congressmen could really change things by tipping the leadership towards someone more inclusive.   If I were motivated to change things, I'd zero in on something like that. 

The real bottom line is that the selfish boomers have to die before things will get better. Sorry, mom and dad!

[Longhornfan1024 1707]

18 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

We've had R vs D for a long time and it's never been like this before.  R vs D used to get plenty of shit done.  And Trump has an R by his name right now, but he's been an R, a D, Reform party, independent, whatever, because he is outside the traditional party divisions.  He's an outsider who hijacked a party infrastructure. 

I have a hard time imagining the solution you describe.  A noble hero running Perot-style and winning the presidency?   Won't he or she have to work with all Rs and Ds in Congress and at the state level?  There no infrastructure to support an independent.   That's why we end up with a parasite like Trump living off the GOP host. 

The Rs are what their record says they are.  And now they are the party of Trump.  

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Back in September on Twitter, I gave my take on the Russian Active Measures, Trump, and the GOP to both Adam Schiff and Trump.

I guess I was triggered by this Trump Tweet:

 

My rant in spoilers:

[Burt 4092]

6 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

His lyrics remind me of something...

 

 

The preacher man says its the best of time

In the Mississippi River we can now dump cyanide

Employment is up and taxes are down

You'll never get mugged if you go downtown

[staboner 4984]

49 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

We've had R vs D for a long time and it's never been like this before.  R vs D used to get plenty of shit done.  And Trump has an R by his name right now, but he's been an R, a D, Reform party, independent, whatever, because he is outside the traditional party divisions.  He's an outsider who hijacked a party infrastructure. 

I have a hard time imagining the solution you describe.  A noble hero running Perot-style and winning the presidency?   Won't he or she have to work with all Rs and Ds in Congress and at the state level?  There no infrastructure to support an independent.   That's why we end up with a parasite like Trump living off the GOP host. 

my "solution" is a revolution, which I believe will eventually happen. Hopefully internally versus externally (getting our asses kicked in a war)

Trump is in the narrative of what has been happening with politics in this country for decades. He is not outside of it. The R v D shitfest had been brewing forever now and he is taking advantage of it. I think we are agreeing here, not disagreeing.

My point is this - do you really believe electing a politician - Democrat or Republican - that is not Trump - is going to set in motion a trend towards a better political culture and/or less divided country? If you believe that then frankly that makes me really fucking sad. Sure, I can see a short term bump up in just about everything because Trump is a complete disaster - on that most of us agree, but I can't see any long term change in how incredibly, and somewhat artificially divided this country is. The Republican infrastructure that you are talking about will take any opportunity they can to get another person in there - whoever the fuck this - to further the Republican grip on power. Not to do anything for you, me, anyone else. Democrats too. Its baked. Its been trending this way for decades and only getting worse. The political establishment is a fucking out of touch soap opera that is achieving nothing but enriching interests, brutalizing the dollar, and leaving lots of critical issues stuck in nonstop, fake fucking arguments that make TV look intelligent. 

end tirade. I will vote D coming up and will hold my nose. I don't like it and I don't believe at all that getting Trump out will somehow make our political infrastructure more effective at doing their job. Trump is just another flavor of shit we have already been served for some time. It wasn't hard to see it coming and it isn't hard to imagine it happening again, worse, and in a different flavor.

[atomheartbevo 89776]

The R vs D shitfest is not as serious as it’s made out to be. Yes, it’s used to fire up the base. 

But at the end of the day, the major corporations are donating to both parties, and a lot of legislation happens because members on both sides were bought off. 

If you don’t solve the lobbyist problem,  nothing will change. 

Edited April 17, 2018 by atomheartbevo

[staboner 4984]

thats part of it for sure

[staboner 4984]

but I am talking about changing the process, not any one policy

anyway, I am on fucking repeat for at least 15 years and its just getting worse and worse. 

fuck it. its nice out. going to walk the dog and be thankful i am not nuked today

Edited April 17, 2018 by staboner

[Brisketexan 105235]

6 minutes ago, staboner said:

my "solution" is a revolution, which I believe will eventually happen. Hopefully internally versus externally (getting our asses kicked in a war)

I'm coming to believe that this is our destiny.  It's inevitable.  Just imagine the following:

Trump fires Mueller.

Mueller's work/report is suppressed by Trump's hand-picked replacements in the FBI.

Some of that report gets out, is leaked, etc.  It reveals that Trump and the RNC are compromised, have consistently acted to conceal their wrongdoing and obstructed justice, and are utterly getting away with it because the GOP Senate refuses to do anything, even if presented articles of impeachment from the House.

How does that end?  How can that possibly end without DC on actual fire?

There is the side of the rule of law, and loyalty to the United States, and there is the side of doing anything possible to hold and keep hold of power.  The GOP has chosen, rather definitively, against the rule of law and the United States.  The fallout from that decision is inevitable.

You think I'm kidding.  If you have a son of fighting age (mine is almost there), you would be smart to keep an eye on this process.  There's a not immaterial chance that it ends in bloodshed.  No, not a guarantee, but any chance over .0000something is much more than is acceptable.  I'll never forgive the GOP for the choices they have made in the past few months, and are continuing to make.

[Dirk X West 772]

7 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

The R vs D shitfest is not as serious as it’s made out to be. Yes, it’s used to fire up the base. 

But at the end of the day, the major corporations are donating to both parties, and a lot of legislation happens because members on both sides were bought off. 

If you don’t solve the lobbyist problem,  nothing will change. 

This is the thing.  Trump is a goddamn embarrassment, but the two parties mostly differentiate themselves by where they stand on a few hot button social issues (abortion, gay marriage, etc.).  They vote mostly the same on the big issues because that's what they're paid to do.

[atomheartbevo 89776]

Just now, Dirk X West said:

This is the thing.  Trump is a goddamn embarrassment, but the two parties mostly differentiate themselves by where they stand on a few hot button social issues (abortion, gay marriage, etc.).  They vote mostly the same on the big issues because that's what they're paid to do.

There should a reason why a Republican Congress and Republican President gave is a $1.3 Trillion budget, when they all claimed to be fiscal conservatives during campaign season. 

[retread 2951]

or why they have no idea how to craft healthcare legislation after having 20 years to think about and campaigning on Repeal and Replace for 7 years

[Mojo Hand 4580]

30 minutes ago, staboner said:

My point is this - do you really believe electing a politician - Democrat or Republican - that is not Trump - is going to set in motion a trend towards a better political culture and/or less divided country? If you believe that then frankly that makes me really fucking sad. Sure, I can see a short term bump up in just about everything because Trump is a complete disaster - on that most of us agree, but I can't see any long term change in how incredibly, and somewhat artificially divided this country is.

I do. Not one politician, but I think we can turn things around over time by electing better people through our existing system.  Maybe I'm naive, but I think we're at the bad end of a long cycle — the last gasp of a backlash to the progress made over the last 50 years.  Women are running for office everywhere.  Young people are engaged for the first time in a long time.  Things look pretty shitty right now, and the next few years will be bad, but I think it's going to get better.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

The swamp needs draining but it can only be done from the bottom and by the people, not a politician.

[retread 2951]

[Longhorn_Fan68 33884]

54 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

The R vs D shitfest is not as serious as it’s made out to be. Yes, it’s used to fire up the base. 

But at the end of the day, the major corporations are donating to both parties, and a lot of legislation happens because members on both sides were bought off. 

If you don’t solve the lobbyist problem,  nothing will change. 

If someone ran solely on the platform of repealing Citizens United and funneling the shredded remains up Mitch McConnell's ass I would quit my job and campaign for them 24/7.

[GhostOfTomJoad 9349]

Now it's all online retailers, not just Amazon?

[mdmost 43017]

He's so sensitive to people's mistreatment. 

Pretty sure his online stores only collect taxes from customers in two states, unless it's changed since early April.

[Lurch 5931]

Sure looks like raising taxes to me... let’s sit back and watch this play out

[seven 1367]

Not paying taxes is smart tho? 

[Mojo Hand 4580]

1 hour ago, retread said:

That's great.  She might end up being one of the few people who isn't permanently stained by association with this administration. 

[Lurch 5931]

Not paying taxes is smart tho? 

That makes me smart.

[retread 2951]

13 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

That's great.  She might end up being one of the few people who isn't permanently stained by association with this administration. 

Maybe Haley and Mattis. The rest can only watch their careers being sucked into the black hole of the Cheeto. 

[Gil Bang 25993]

1 hour ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

 

 

Now it's all online retailers, not just Amazon?

 

I just went to www.trumpstore.com and went through the process of buying a golf shirt.  There were no CA taxes charged at checkout.  I didn't go through with the purchase, of course, I just wanted to see if taxes are charged. 

[Ted Lange 16113]

 

 

[CowboyFred 1151]

28 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

 

 

2017: BEST AND SAFEST YEAR ON RECORD!!!!

2018:  First fatality U.S. airline fatality since 2009 

[Mojo Hand 4580]

Thanks Trump 

[brown water 3778]

Washington (CNN)When Hillary Clinton said that her Republican rival Donald Trump had paid no federal income tax in some years, Trump didn't deny it.

In fact, he said: "That makes me smart."

 

[Eskimohorn 5642]

The R vs D shitfest is not as serious as it’s made out to be. Yes, it’s used to fire up the base. 
But at the end of the day, the major corporations are donating to both parties, and a lot of legislation happens because members on both sides were bought off. 
If you don’t solve the lobbyist problem,  nothing will change. 

Ah, the Kremlin’s both sides argument. What we’re seeing is that one side - The Republicans - have systematically loaded the Judicial system with activist judges. These judges have ruled in favor of corporate free speech and against campaign finance reform for decades. And, Republican lawmakers refuse to draft or even consider solutions at all phases of government.

While people on both sides profit from the Republicans’ corporate agenda, one side created it. The result is a designed rot of our democracy to the point where all major politicians have to spend an inordinate amount of time fundraising and the ability of individuals, factions and countries to influence American democracy.

[DixonHur 11354]

2 hours ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

 

 

Now it's all online retailers, not just Amazon?

Isn't the GOP home to the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party?  DT runs on cutting taxes, but is angry when he finds out about fewer taxes?  Huh?

[retread 2951]

 

[atomheartbevo 89776]

27 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

Isn't the GOP home to the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party?  DT runs on cutting taxes, but is angry when he finds out about fewer taxes?  Huh?

He also doesn’t understand that we will be the ones paying the taxes, since they will get passed down to us. 

[atomheartbevo 89776]

Mattis is younger than Trump, takes better care of himself, and will be 70 in 2020.

Just sayin’

Edited April 18, 2018 by atomheartbevo

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

17 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Mattis is younger than Trump, takes better care of himself, and will be 70 in 2020.

Just sayin’

Fuck electing 70 year olds.   You want to hire one to raise your kids?

Edited April 18, 2018 by Judge Roybeanbag

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

3 hours ago, retread said:

There’s more to this story that’s going to come out.

Basically another scandal.