The Trump Presidency: Part 17

[tyr_13]

Not really, because he doesn't have to give them anything. He's just going to give them the money if they promise to predetermine their vote.

It's a bribe

It appears it is literally felony bribery. Or so says a GOP ethics lawyer.

It will be difficult for his biggest supporters, like Nunes and McCarthy, to say that with a straight face. Maybe Graham can get away with that, but just barely.

I know you are aware of this on an intellectual level, but you have to incorporate it into your mental model of reality that they don't have the same values that you do, nor the values they claim to have.

It wouldn't be difficult for them in the least. Their base likewise would accept it completely.

 

[Cain]

The latest argument from Trump apologists:

The tireless, Deep State reacted so swiftly to the President's "unfortunate mistake" (i.e., corrupt quid pro quo) that the crime was merely attempted and not completed; therefore, it does not "rise to the level of an impeachable offense."

The president used taxpayer money and the authority of his office to enlist a foreign power to subvert a national election for his own benefit. If that's not impeachable, then what is? If Donald "I love Wikileaks" Trump's campaign had hacked Biden's e-mails, then would THAT be considered impeachable? (First they'd deny they did it (maybe it was Ukraine!), then they'd say Trump didn't know, then they'd say politics is "dirty" and "everyone does it.")

 

[SezMe]

The only thing that worries me is this: if we didn't know anything about the new head, Trump's response would be to publicly claim we know all about him. The main consolation is that if we knew stuff, Trump's response would also be to publicly claim we know all about him.

The big worry is that Dump would blab some information about him that would reveal important information about our intelligence operation.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

And Trump has all that campaign money to spend because he continues to stiff contractors including cities that provided security for his rallies.

Trump threatens to sue Minneapolis for demanding he pay for rally security in advance

Trump's campaign has stiffed at least 10 cities, going back to the 2016 campaign. Minneapolis won't stand for that

 

[SezMe]

Perhaps ironically, could he not remain in office even if there is evidence of fraud in his favor?

If there is evidence of election fraud of any kind, would it not be easily argued that the sitting president should remain until the fraud is completely uncovered and new elections can be held without the possibility of the fraud recurring?
That argument could give the Republicans cover to get behind a refusal to step down by Trump.

There's no provision in the Constitution for a redo. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[Trebuchet]

There's no provision in the Constitution for a redo. Ain't gonna happen.

The Republicans have shown nothing but contempt for the Constitution, and thanks to Mitch the Turtle, have the Supreme Court in their pocket

 

[quadraginta]

Trump moving to Florida.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald...mary-residence-from-new-york-city-to-florida/

And, lo, there was great rejoicing in the land of the Yankees.

Local adage;

What scares a Southern Man?

A Yankee with a YouHaul.​

 

[Cain]

And Trump has all that campaign money to spend because he continues to stiff contractors including cities that provided security for his rallies.

Can the political parties collect interest on their war chests? I assume they do, and that's one reason Trump does not disperse these funds (the other reason is he's a grifter and would probably like to skip out on paying the costs altogether).

This leads to an interesting question that I've never seen answered: How quickly does the Trump campaign payoff Trump-related businesses for using their facilities (e.g., renting Mar-a-Lago)?

 

[quadraginta]

Trump Tweets

I love New York, but New York can never be great again under the current leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo (the brother of Fredo), or Mayor Bill DeBlasio. Cuomo has weaponized the prosecutors to do his dirty work (and to keep him out of jams), a reason some don’t want to be...

And instead of trying to make things better Trump chooses to run away. Typical Trump.

....in New York, and another reason they are leaving. Taxes and energy costs are way too high, Upstate is being allowed to die as other nearby states frack & drill for Gold (oil) while reducing taxes & creating jobs by the thousands. NYC is getting dirty & unsafe again, as....

Run away, Trump. Run away.

....our great police are being disrespected, even with water dumped on them, because a Mayor and Governor just don’t “have their backs.” New York’s Finest must be cherished, respected and loved. Too many prople are leaving our special New York. Great leaders would work....

So the thing to do is to run away with them.

.....with a President and Federal Government that wants our wonerful City and State to flourish and thrive. I Love New York!

But not enough to stay and try to fix anything.

 

[quadraginta]

I'm pretty sure that if Trump loses, then the Republicans will turn on him.

Of course they will. And Republicans don't just eat their dead. They don't wait that long.

They devour them, gleefully, while they are still alive and kicking.

And smile at the camera with bloodstained mouths, proclaiming their sincerity and morality.

 

[acbytesla]

And instead of trying to make things better Trump chooses to run away. Typical Trump.


Run away, Trump. Run away.


So the thing to do is to run away with them.


But not enough to stay and try to fix anything.

He's a lot like Sir Robin.

 

[Ladewig]

Can the political parties collect interest on their war chests? I assume they do, and that's one reason Trump does not disperse these funds (the other reason is he's a grifter and would probably like to skip out on paying the costs altogether).

Yep.
I think he’s reached the point that it is a matter of pride for him to not pay debts. It’s a game and paying a debt when you don’t have to means you’re a loser. The man has no idea what honor is.

 

[Aridas]

I'm a lot less certain than you, but I hope you're right.

Same here.

And instead of trying to make things better Trump chooses to run away. Typical Trump.

Pretense to fight against audit/release of tax returns, maybe?

Anyways... random news!

Michigan Republicans advance ‘dangerous,’ ‘negligent’ gun laws out of committee

It continues.

Reporter visits Trump's Doral resort, finds a sh*thole

Very high prices for... a fine view of garbage dumps! Mold easily visible! Feces-caked toilets!

Plenty more, apparently, but... ugh.

Perfect place for world leaders to gather to do important things, eh?

GOP Senators admit reality: Quid pro Quo is real, Trump committed extortion

But not actually admitting crime occurred yet, of course, as they keep getting ruthlessly driven back by the obvious truth.

Justice Department Tells Judge That Courts Are Powerless Over Trump

Checks and Balances? What's that? Can you eat it

 

[Distracted1]

There's no provision in the Constitution for a redo. Ain't gonna happen.

The response , then, is to seat the fraudulently elected candidate?

Didn't they just run through something like that in North Carolina?

 

[phiwum]

Local adage;

What scares a Southern Man?

A Yankee with a YouHaul.​

My right wing brother was complaining about all the Californians moving to Oklahoma and bringing their liberal politics. They should go back where the came from.

I don't think that he understood Steinbeck.

(And I have no idea if that's a real trend or not. )

 

[MRC_Hans]

I'm pretty sure that if Trump loses, then the Republicans will turn on him.

I think (hope) that is true, to a great degree. There must be many who are old-style dignified conservatives, with deep-rooted personal values. And he must be loosing friends in the military at an alarming rate. Trump's antics must make them cringe. But they are stuck between a rock and a hard place:

The ingrown bipartisan thinking makes it impossible for them to support the DEMs, so any republican is better than no republican. Nobody wants to be the one to break out and show their true colors, because they will be be scorned as the one who made the GOP loose.

So they bide their time in hope somebody else cries "he has no clothes", or wait for Trump to defeat himself. Then they will come out of the wood-work.

Hans

 

[JoeMorgue]

Sadly and ironically the one good thing is that if the Republicans want to turn on Trump they can just... like lie and pretend they never supported him in the first place.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Smugglers are using $100 power tools to cut through Trump's border wall in a matter of minutes

The way the slats are attached only at the top means that it only requires one cut to allow the slat to be pushed out of the way enough for a person to get through the gap. It's difficult to detect once done, because the slat just hangs there.

 

[MRC_Hans]

Sadly and ironically the one good thing is that if the Republicans want to turn on Trump they can just... like lie and pretend they never supported him in the first place.

Well, as long as the stop supporting him, I for one am willing to let them get away with that.

There is also the more likely position that they supported him in the start, but at some point he stepped over some line. That may also happen if he pushes his luck too far. Remember that his attempts to seize more and more power is not going to please deep conservatives who really view government power as an evil.

Hans

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Smugglers are using $100 power tools to cut through Trump's border wall in a matter of minutes

The way the slats are attached only at the top means that it only requires one cut to allow the slat to be pushed out of the way enough for a person to get through the gap. It's difficult to detect once done, because the slat just hangs there.