The Politics Thread

[Vee]

He has a very warped sense of his own behavior.

[Khan]

 

Obviously!

 

I DEFINITELY envision a scenario where Trump fires not just Mueller, but Rosenstein and even Sessions as well.  It's going to be a REAL bloodbath.

[Vee]

He can't fire Mueller - he has to get Sessions or Rosenstein to do that, and Sessions recused himself (much to Trump's rage) and Rosenstein won't do it. He may try to dump Sessions and replace him with Pruitt (who would in turn dump Rosenstein) who is already on staff and therefore, I believe, does not need to be confirmed by Congress. Anyone else would have to be and would not make it through.

[DRW50]

 

He will just keep acting like people are out to get him and he's a victim but now he's free. 

 

The GOP has enabled this man at every turn and they will keep on doing so. The media isn't far behind. I have to wonder if this is why the "Democrats in disarray" narrative has picked up, with smarmy Bill Maher sounding the drums on his show last night. They know how to draw attention away - they always do.

[Vee]

I actually don't think most of the media is enabling him much anymore; I think they're as terrified of him as we are. I do think a lot of them always disdain too many Democrats. And Bill Maher is just a joke - he always hates Democrats.

 

The media is not trying to draw attention from Trump - most of them know he is a clear and present danger and report on it, many very well. But their repertoire and perspective is very limited by conventional norms, and their very real fear of this new and unthinkable situation is also a huge influencer on their coverage - any time they can try to bring things back to comfortable scenarios like 'both sides do it' or 'just Beltway politics as usual,' many of them do, because the alternative is abject horror at what has been wrought. In a way, trying to find false equivalencies or ways to needle Democrats as well as Trump is the mainstream media's security blanket in the face of Trump.

 

That said: Some of them are doing very good work.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Vee

[Vee]

He's having a rough Monday. This was posted with no other accompaniment:

 

 

I can't stand Olivia Nuzzi who cozied up to Milo Yiannopoulos, but:

 

 

 

It's a bit of a puff piece on Hicks which I find disgusting, but it has a lot of insight into the WH.

[Khan]

The more I read about Gen. John Kelly, the more I can't WAIT to see Trump fire his ass.

[DramatistDreamer]

I try to limit my reading/posting of Op-Ed pieces but this one caught my eye.  From what I've observed from others and read I tend to agree with everything being expressed here except the part about Trump W.H. Inc. being committed to a lasting peace in the region. 

I don't believe Trump W.H. is committed to anything except burnishing their bankroll.

 

Israel’s Self-Inflicted Wounds

[marceline]

 

This is going to be a brutal week for him. The FBI and intelligence community are going to make him pay for what he did to McCabe.

[Vee]

I really hope so.

[DramatistDreamer]

This will come as no surprise to any of us but look at the number or trade agreements being signed and negotiated without the U.S. as countries look for alternatives to trade with the U.S. 

What stands out is just how instrumental Canada is becoming in quite a number of these trade agreements, which makes sense.

 

‘World Upside Down’: As Trump Pushes Tariffs, Latin America Links Up

[JaneAusten]

As I listened to the Family Meeting yesterday on the radio(my fave radio program), they pointed out white people in America are getting the *ss whooping minorities and to a lesser degree white women have been getting for years. No matter how powerful this country thinks we are, the world is moving on. And I will say it again, the big winner here is China who is no longer even pretending it's trying to strike a balance with authoritarianism. Diff between Xi and Trump, Xi is more polished, smart,  ruthless and dangerous in the long run.

[DramatistDreamer]

[Khan]

I've got to hand it to her team: they chose not to touch on her acting career in that video, which might be savvy in these times when so many appear to be "anti-celebrity."

 

I wish her all the luck in the world.

[Vee]

The UK's Channel 4's Cambridge Analytica doc (now trending) - and the NY Times story posted upthread - have led to some more shocking revelations about and consequences for Facebook: