The Politics Thread

[Khan]

I wouldn't have bothered even talking to the man.  We know he listens only to the sound of his own voice.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Khan

[marceline]

 

This. It amazes me how many people continue to treat this man like anything but the senile sack of garbage he is.

[Khan]

 

Same here.  Or how they act as if the GOP gives a damn about anyone's concerns other than their own.  Or believe that the WWC who voted for them and keep voting for them have to be won over to the other side.

 

This "we go high" garbage has to stop, and now.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Khan

[DramatistDreamer]

Those people must have been beyond desperate to even talk to him.  I mean, desperate as...their lives and the lives of their people are dependent on him. 

It's even more telling that his clueless cabinet/staff thought that somehow this would be a great photo-op for him, this makes him look even worse, if that's even possible.

[Khan]

 

Frankly, I'm tired even of the few, rare moments of lip service that they (meaning, of course, Trump, his minions, and the GOP in general) pay the rest of us.  It always comes across half-hearted and insincere, so why bother anymore?  Just call a spade a spade (no pun intended?).  It's not as if their voters would care anyway, or that they'll listen to us when we tell 'em it's racist, misogynistic or xenophobic.  Just cut the crap, as Y&R's late Kay Chancellor once said, and stop hiding behind masks y'all were never good at hiding behind in the first damn place.

 

Sigh.

 

Meanwhile...American politics, in the year of our Lord, two thousand and nineteen, where it's all about who will win immunity from the week's challenges:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/us/politics/next-democratic-debates.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[DramatistDreamer]

Trump began his entire professional career spewing crap, so I don't see him stopping that anytime too soon. 

Americans could end this with a very simple solution-- stop accepting his crap.  Period. Stop letting his crap work in his favor. 

The GOP are still laboring to try to make Trump look "presidential" so expecting them to grow a conscience is a lost cause. The sad fact of the matter is that many Americans are just not into hearing the truth, so liars like Trump get by on that. Americans are very much uncomfortable with telling it 'like it is'. 

People like Trump can't operate in a vacuum, they are parasites that feed off of what is already there.  The crap would be "cut" when Americans decide that they no longer want to ingest on a steady diet of it.

[Khan]

 

Unfortunately, humans never choose the hard truth over the easy lie.  That's why, even today, we still have people insisting (among other things) that Oswald had help in killing Kennedy, or that the moon landing was a NASA-perpetrated hoax in order to beat the Russians in the Space Race.  Progress and enlightenment have always been made by dragging people toward it, kicking and screaming every step of the way.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Khan

[Khan]

Bear in mind, of course, this is from the NYT, who, among many others, want re-election BADLY:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/upshot/trump-electoral-college-edge-.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[Juliajms]

This is unfortunate.

 

[DramatistDreamer]

^^That's what happens when the U.S. pulls out of an agreement, then levels sanctions.  Iran had no incentive to follow rules of engagement when it's already been proved that agreements and rules can be broken so easily.  The Europeans tried to keep the Non-Proliferation agreement together but with the U.S. dropping out then making demands, it became impossible. Iran is obviously acting out now.  Hey maybe Kim Jong-Un will advise them on how to go rogue and make it work for them. 

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[DRW50]

 

I don't think Iran was going to keep to the deal anyway, but the way we handled the whole thing means they now feel free to do whatever they want.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

The Iranians were far from perfect (they had to be prodded and admonished) but IMO they held to the deal well enough under the previous administration but once this administration abandoned the deal they had no reason to stay.  Actually the Iranians actually stayed in for about a year after Trump pulled out of the deal so they didn't abandon the deal immediately, they actually seemed as though they were hoping that the EU would come up with a solution but this year, it became obvious that the EU couldn't provide any answers.  Also the added sanctions probably tweaked the Iranians just enough that they felt they had license to go completely HAM but they did not immediately abandon the agreement, shockingly they held on for about a year.  That was surprising.  I think the Iranian government was actually hoping that adhering to the agreement would end up bolstering their economy in trade as other companies were starting to do business in Iran and the government wasn't going to pass up the chance of making that $$$$ (a la China which had an agreement with their people who traded on human rights in exchange for greater prosperity).  It was when the added sanctions came in and the U.S./EU businesses pulled out because they didn't want to violate those new sanctions. 

So I don't fully agree that it was certain that they wouldn't have adhered to the agreement-- they did so for a year after the U.S. abandoned it.  It was when they started to lose hundreds of millions of dollars due to the tougher sanctions that they let the rest fall by the wayside.

 

I just hope we are not seeing shades of 1979-1984 Iran. Detaining oil tankers is one thing (China also does this in the South China Sea, by the way) but taking hostages is a whole other bag that I hope we don't see.

Edited July 19, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[Khan]

Oh, but we will see hostages.  And Trump will just magically arrange for their release, just in time for Election Day.  Count on it.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Khan

[Khan]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-day-after-distancing-himself-from-hostile-chant-trump-criticizes-media-for-its-coverage-of-his-rally/2019/07/19/9c094c16-aa12-11e9-9214-246e594de5d5_story.html?fbclid=IwAR2eI8lzbVos2VK1Il_ObpeLdNwqMQyD-6Dt8ztm-PEk_1RLHkwOWxBIQt4&utm_term=.f0e288be03a4

 

(Also, to the surprise of absolutely no one, he has walk-backed his walk-back on those "incredible patriots" known as the "Send! Her! Back!" chanters.)

Edited July 19, 2019 by Khan

[Fevuh]

I'm DC.  It's pathetic.  The entire family has no conscience.  When you attack Veterans, Gold Star Families, and then try to have a big 4th of July Celebration...and tell people to "Buy American" and he knows how to "Deal with Chinahhh".  And he got most of his building materials from China and Ivanka had all of that God-awful clothing line MADE IN CHINA.  People know.  I hope she can deal (not really - I hope the whole family suffers) with her Dad - but none of them can go back to New York.  They're a laughing-stock.  Ivanka and hubby were Democrats until they could hitch their wagon to Daddy Orange.  Ivanka thinks she's going to be President.  This entire administration is a reality show and media-fest, and White Supremacist rally.  Ineptitude.  When you trot out Kelly Ann Conway as one of your first speakers, what on EARTH would you think.  SHE is VACANT.  Can't think on her feet - welcome to the podium, Beavis.  I work for a multi-national corporation, and everyone knows we are a joke at this point.  It's sad.  And what does he do? Goes after someone who tells the damned truth.  

It's Republican/Conservative normal.  They need conflict to beat the Bibles and Wave the Flags and start the "Support the Troops" campaign.  And "You can't change Presidents in time of War" garbage they always spew.  It's coming.