Cont: The Trump Presidency 11: Insert something funny

[Diablo]

I believe that, yes, this is Mitch McConnell's plan: to give Trump all the rope he could possibly want to hang himself and his henchmen in such an obvious fashion that the Trump base will return into the GOP mainstream once The Donald is utterly discredited. That is why McConnell is giving Trump every opportunity to sack Mueller and Rosenstein.

My bold. I wonder if that's possible now. I think Trump has changed the political scene to the extent that if (and it's a big if) he gets thrown out then someone else will use the same populist/nationalist tactics - maybe to a lesser extent, but maybe not. There seems to be a rise in these kind of ideologies, in Europe especially, as publicised recently by the Guardian. Then there's Erdogan in Turkey, too.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Sideroxylon]

My bold. I wonder if that's possible now. I think Trump has changed the political scene to the extent that if (and it's a big if) he gets thrown out then someone else will use the same populist/nationalist tactics - maybe to a lesser extent, but maybe not. There seems to be a rise in these kind of ideologies, in Europe especially, as publicised recently by the Guardian. Then there's Erdogan in Turkey, too.

I hope I'm wrong.

And that’s why it is important for America to get its act together again.

 

[Minoosh]

No. The Republicans in Congress have already clearly shown that our checks and balances are increasingly NOT working as designed right now and that they're quite willing to further undermine them for very short-term "gains." If they're restored, reversing some of the damage, America would arguably be stronger than we would have been. The damage is being done anyways, though, and it's going to be a long haul to undo it, if it even can be undone.

I was thinking more of voters who might fire those Republicans; that's part of checks and balances as well.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

What Trump is grateful for this Thanksgiving:



This just emphasized, once again, the extent of Trump's narcissism. He's thanking himself.
I had to laugh when I read the bit about foreign leaders saying they can't believe the difference in strength. Does anyone believe any foreign leader has ever said anything even remotely like that to Trump? I do believe they've said they can't believe the difference in the US now and two years ago...but it wasn't meant as a compliment. God knows I can't believe it, either.

That's after he's waited for them to stop laughing at him.

 

[Aridas]

The Worst Moment in Skepticism: When you're pretty sure that's a fake quote, but you really hope it isn't.

...And it's looking like it's real. ******* Trump.


In positive news, though, which isn't so usual in this thread... wind and solar are now cheaper to build from scratch than coal plants are to operate.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

"Republicans and Democrats MUST come together, finally, with a major Border Security package, which will include funding for the Wall. After 40 years of talk, it is finally time for action. Fix the Border, for once and for all, NOW!"

"Really good Criminal Justice Reform has a true shot at major bipartisan support. @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell and @senchuckschumer have a real chance to do something so badly needed in our country. Already past, with big vote, in House. Would be a major victory for ALL!"

 

[Foolmewunz]

Trump Tweets

"Republicans and Democrats MUST come together, finally, with a major Border Security package, which will include funding for the Wall. After 40 years of talk, it is finally time for action. Fix the Border, for once and for all, NOW!"

"Really good Criminal Justice Reform has a true shot at major bipartisan support. @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell and @senchuckschumer have a real chance to do something so badly needed in our country. Already past, with big vote, in House. Would be a major victory for ALL!"

Already past.

 

[newyorkguy]

...Will there be a last straw, for decent people (yes, there are some) who voted for Trump? I know they are out there. But I've given up speculating on what the tipping point might be.

For many of these decent people there may never be a tipping point.

"President Trump extended an olive branch and invited Michelle Obama and Chelsea Clinton," Blair wrote. "They thanked him by giving him 'the finger' during the national anthem. Lock them up for treason!" Link

This story appeared on a Facebook-hosted website called Last Line of Defense. It's a satirical website carrying a disclaimer that "Nothing on this page is real." But Trumpers eat it up. As various news reporters discovered. Feedback on the Facebook page sometimes goes to the edge of insanity and beyond. The man who creates the site, Christopher Blair, will respond to someone, "I made that up!" Trumpists sometimes respond, "No you didn't."



One exchange on Facebook in comments to the Clinton/Obama giving Donnie the finger story:

"Well, they never did have any class," commented Shirley Chapian, from Pahrump, Nevada, and Blair watched his liberal mob respond.

"That's kind of an ironic comment coming from pure trailer trash, don't you think?"

"You're a gullible moron who just fell for a fake story on a Liberal satire page."

A reporter reached out to Chapian. He wondered, among other things, when someone calls her trailer trash (she actually lives in a trailer), what's her reaction?

Chapian saw the comments after her post and wondered as she often did when she was attacked: Who were these people? And what were they talking about? Of course Michelle Obama and Chelsea Clinton had flipped off the president. It was true to what she knew of their character. That was what mattered. Instead of responding directly to strangers on America's Last Line of Defense, Chapian wrote on her own Facebook page. "Nasty liberals"...

Fake news. Alternate facts. There is no truth. Stick a fork in us folks, we're done.

 

[LSSBB]

There's a scene late in the "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy where overwhelming evidence,

presented at Lisbeth Salander's murder trial, suddenly convinces everyone in the courtroom that she is the victim of a monstrous conspiracy by a twisted cabal to get her declared insane.

It's cathartic.

Foolishly perhaps, I wonder if the rug will be pulled out beneath Trump as his supporters, in the face of growing evidence, realize they've been played for chumps by a purely self-serving swindler who thinks they're too stupid to notice. Not all of them, because he will always have the KKK vote, but enough of them to severely damage his approval rating and make his allies in Congress sweat.

Will there be a last straw, for decent people (yes, there are some) who voted for Trump? I know they are out there. But I've given up speculating on what the tipping point might be.

A last straw for people doesn't come from outside, it comes from within. That's why it's an erosion process, not a dam burst.

 

[LSSBB]

RN had diesel ships 'of the line' from the 50s onwards Type 12 Blackwood Class, Type 41 Leopard class AA, Type 61 Salisbury class Air Direction frigates were all diesel.

From the late 50 all steam powered ships were fuelled with diesel to simplify replenishment at sea. Tankers only needed one bunker fuel type.

HMS Fearless an Assault Ship was the last steam powered ship to retire from the RN in 2002.

Funny thing, F-76 is a diesel fuel, however diesel engines weren't used for propulsion. The fuel on the steam ships of the line got direct injected to the boiler burners, for heat generation to convert to steam.

 

[Trebuchet]

This must have been taken quite some time ago.... that's Michael Cohen just behind Der Trumpenführer

And I think that's Omarosa on the other side looking like she's about to orgasm.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

I doubt there will be another successful demagogue like Trump in the near future: Trump is unnaturally gifted with staying vague whilst saying enough to please his base.
Some other right-winger won't be able to stay non-committal to a degree that would be able to keep both radicals and moderates under the same tend.

Let's check again after the US has become communist.

 

[Paul2]

There's a scene late in the "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy where overwhelming evidence,

presented at Lisbeth Salander's murder trial, suddenly convinces everyone in the courtroom that she is the victim of a monstrous conspiracy by a twisted cabal to get her declared insane.

It's cathartic.

Foolishly perhaps, I wonder if the rug will be pulled out beneath Trump as his supporters, in the face of growing evidence, realize they've been played for chumps by a purely self-serving swindler who thinks they're too stupid to notice. Not all of them, because he will always have the KKK vote, but enough of them to severely damage his approval rating and make his allies in Congress sweat.

Will there be a last straw, for decent people (yes, there are some) who voted for Trump? I know they are out there. But I've given up speculating on what the tipping point might be.

This will be one of the greatest tests of the American people, no hyperbole intended. This assumes that Mueller - who is probably our last best hope, although the Democratic-controlled House should not be ignored - will present information to the public on a level like that at Lisbeth's trial.

 

[Ladewig]

I believe that, yes, this is Mitch McConnell's plan: to give Trump all the rope he could possibly want to hang himself and his henchmen in such an obvious fashion that the Trump base will return into the GOP mainstream once The Donald is utterly discredited. That is why McConnell is giving Trump every opportunity to sack Mueller and Rosenstein.

Why would they ever return?
Once you believe that every other asylum seeker is carrying contagious diseases while every third one is a violent criminal, that trade deficits not only make America weaker but result in foreign countries laughing at us, that the best approach iis to hurl names and insults at people who cite facts such as the majority of illegal immigrants don’t walk across an un-walled border but instead enter on visitor visas and simply don’t leave, that every judge who provides a ruling you don’t like is not simply applying the law in a fair and just manner but instead is an Obama worshipper who is trying to destroy America, and that all evidence presented against the most-infallible president ever elected is the result of the greatest witch-hunt in the history of the world, then why would you return to a Trumpless Republican Party.

With apologies to The Eagles, once you’ve checked into Hotel Trump, you can check out any time you want but you can never leave.

———————
President Trump has spent every hour of his entire presidency teaching people to hold critical thinking in contempt.
———————-

President Trump has spent every hour of his entire presidency teaching people to hold critical thinking in contempt. Most of his followers will never look at evidence of his crimes and say, “yes, this is objective evidence that was gathered in compliance with the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, it provides a convincing case that DJT knowingly and willingly violated a wide-range of federal laws, and because the Rule of Law means that no person is ever above the law, his assertions that he can pardon himself may be among the most unAmetican claims he has ever made - let him face the consequences of his felonious actions. Let’s go vote Republican.”

 

[Belz...]

This will be one of the greatest tests of the American people, no hyperbole intended. This assumes that Mueller - who is probably our last best hope, although the Democratic-controlled House should not be ignored - will present information to the public on a level like that at Lisbeth's trial.

Is Mueller the Man With the Dragon Report?

 

[Segnosaur]

I believe that, yes, this is Mitch McConnell's plan: to give Trump all the rope he could possibly want to hang himself and his henchmen in such an obvious fashion that the Trump base will return into the GOP mainstream once The Donald is utterly discredited. That is why McConnell is giving Trump every opportunity to sack Mueller and Rosenstein.

Why exactly are you assuming McConnell is smart enough to orchestrate such a long-term cunning plan?

Yes, its true... McConnell has managed to manipulate the system in order to get conservative judges appointed to the courts, and to get a huge tax plan passed. But the judge thing didn't take much n the way of strategy, the tax cuts are not viewed positively by voters, and his attempts at health care failed. And now the republicans have lost the house, so no more chance to advance the republican agenda. I don't see him as much of a brilliant strategist as just someone grabbing as much power for himself and his party in the most blatant way possible.

 

[Belz...]

McConnell's not cunning. He's just evil.

 

[Paul2]

Is Mueller the Man With the Dragon Report?

Yes. Regardless of the details in the report, I would immediately buy Mueller anything on the menu for his entire dinner party if I ran into him at a restaurant. He should not have to pay for another meal out in his life.

 

[BobTheCoward]

McConnell's not cunning. He's just evil.

I'm not entirely sure. He reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge was a miser. Most rich and powerful people regarded as evil are not misers. McConnell is a power miser. He has worked for progressively more power, but it doesn't seem to have any intent behind it. He doesn't seem to care about changing laws (like Paul Ryan) he seems to just want the power for it's own sake. It's weird.

 

[Segnosaur]

McConnell's not cunning. He's just evil.

I'm not entirely sure. He reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge was a miser. Most rich and powerful people regarded as evil are not misers. McConnell is a power miser. He has worked for progressively more power, but it doesn't seem to have any intent behind it. He doesn't seem to care about changing laws (like Paul Ryan) he seems to just want the power for it's own sake. It's weird.

Well, given the fact that he's used his power to get Drunky McRapefaced appointed to the supreme court, passed various laws that have contributed to declines in those with health insurance, and helped pass a law that will see a huge increase in the debt along with an increase in taxes for most Americans, I think the characterization of 'evil' fits.