The Politics Thread

[Juliajms]

^ I'd love nothing more. Also, I think this is true:

Vox ‏@voxdotcom 8h8 hours ago

Hamilton tweets are a shiny object distracting people from Trump’s fraud settlement and corruption

[Khan]

 

But will we say the same after someone posts video of him at a matinee performance of "Kinky Boots"?

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Edited November 20, 2016 by Khan

[Vee]

It's true - Hamilton is not the big issue but it's the only one the media wants to cover as they struggle to get their minds around what Trump has done and is doing this week, next week, next year, next administration. And they always, always default to a center-right, 'don't call it racism' viewpoint whenever possible.

 

They're coming to terms with the fact that Trump and his base unmask the entire modern GOP as racist, corrupt and fascist. Because our media is center-right and has leaned that way since at least Reagan they have been fervent to paper over these problems for decades in order to avoid confronting that cognitive dissonance. Trump makes that impossible, so they're struggling to look anywhere else. It's willful denial in the name of 'courtesy.' We can't let them stay there and we have to force them to admit it, now more than even what we pushed for in the Bush years.

 

As for the left, there have always been and will always be professional leftists - both in the far-left wing and the more conventional Democrats - who prioritize 'policy' and 'economic issues', re: concerns that can be pursued safely because many professional leftists are white, male and/or safe. They can afford their protest votes and their purity while dismissing black voters, gay voters, etc. and their fears as practicing 'identity politics'. That's why we have to stop allowing young liberals and progressives to take cues from people like Cenk Uygur or Glenn Greenwald, or nonsense like ANSWER. They can have Bernie and his message because I think part of his message is far more important than Bernie himself, but Bernie and his message do not address all the major problems we have and Bernie does not speak to everyone.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Vee

[DramatistDreamer]

 

That would be something. LOL @ that image of Pence trying to leave surreptiously with a red feather boa around his neck. I needed that laugh. 

@Vee The media needs to get their asses in gear and report each and everything with the attention they followed Hillary's e-mails over the last year. These cabinet appointments can do a great deal of damage to people's lives, literally.

 

Yes, all media need to be held to account. Trump's diversion tactics worked effectively during the campaign, hopefully people's eyes are no open and on the alert for his hustle going forward.

[marceline]

 

I plead guilty. But honestly the Hamilton stuff is the first time I've felt right since the election. Watching conservatives bytch about a Broadway musical is giving me life. Conservatives and racists love to consume the products made by the people they hate. Pence sat in a room and watched an openly gay, openly HIV+, Latino actor play one of our Founding Fathers. Why on earth did he decide to do that?

[Vee]

The Times put Trump's fraud settlement under the fold (Hillary's nothing emails were above in giant font) and somehow are publishing a piece about how 'studies' show their coverage is more unfair to conservatives than liberals. I told my father to unsubscribe. I still link pieces for the occasional good coverage, but I don't pay and bypass their paywall using private browsing.

 

Speaking of pieces, there's this.

[alphanguy74]

 

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Hence the reason why this moron [Trump] doesn't need Twitter. He's gonna say or do something so stupid to land in his goofy a** in bigger trouble. I'm fearful the idiot might do something stupid like tweet something confidential to the world to see. He's just that stupid.

[DRW50]

 

The media doesn't really care about his appointments, beyond finger-waving, because most of them won't be affected. They live in a bubble. Only when he starts coming for the press will they care. It's the reason why they keep pouting about lack of access. If he gave them access they'd likely gush over him as much as they gushed over W. Trump plays them like a fiddle, especially by repeatedly pointing out that they are a failing business. They get defensive and yet they fall into line every time. 

 

There's nothing the press loves to do more than tut-tut about those disrespectful liberals. Booing that bigot, who is so "polite" and trips all their daddy issues (stern, controlling, blandly handsome yet also cold and disturbing), is catnip for them to once again remind the left that they just don't know their place. 

Edited November 20, 2016 by DRW50

[DramatistDreamer]

So while Trump is supposed to be focused on his transition, he's taking meetings with Indian businessmen regarding office Towers in India.

Why am I not surprised? 

[Juliajms]

 

I guess I'm not seeing as much denial as you do. I see lots of people talking about racism.  Trump himself hid his racism and sexism with nothing but the thinnest of veils. "Oh, I don't know anything about the Klan, how can I disavow them"?

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The problem from my perspective is what do you do when a large portion of the electorate chooses a racist/sexist/fascist with no shame? Hell, that's why some of these people picked him.  Then that leader doubles down and appoints open white supremacists (again hiding being the thinnest of veils) to leadership positions. This sort of Nationalism tends to feed on itself and gets stronger, which has me very worried.

 

The conventional wisdom is that demographics are going to save us at some point, but I've become skeptical of that after what just happened.. I think it would be very foolish to rely solely on that hope. I have no idea where the Democrats go from here, but I hope the leadership comes up with a decent plan over the next year.  Maybe we'll be lucky and Trump will come crashing down, but I don't know how that happens given that nothing seems to touch him.

[JaneAusten]

So apparently after Trumps scathing response to the Hamilton criticism, his own Vice President responded to him and said they were actually very polite.

[DramatistDreamer]

Of course, John Gotti used to be called the Teflon Don because charges would never stick but eventually even he was brought down by guess what TAX FRAUD!  

Someone needed to have hired an forensic accountant to do some deep digging into Trump's finances. Even that half-assed attempt turned up some bits of information. Just imagine what they could've turned up had they actually made an effort.

[DRW50]

 

Everything about Trump and his team suggests people who will not have any real political future or are already at the end of their political careers. Unless Pence is savvier than he seems to be I think this will also be the highest he gets. I just wonder if Republicans will be able to insulate themselves from him politically enough to offset Democratic gains in 2016. Voters seem to be so very willing to give Republicans the benefit of the doubt over and over again. 

[JaneAusten]

Where are you seeing people facing the racism etc. I don't see anyone on the MSM saying much nor in the NYT.

 

As for the Nationalism aspect, I think you have to see IMO how the GOP responds to this because no way do I believe Trump's White House plays nice with the Ryan's and McConnell's of the world. And if Medicare gets slashed, you are going to see a whole lot of people who were promised by the president elect going after someone. He did promise he would not touch Social Security and Medicare. The second part is seeing the grass roots efforts that arise from this because I firmly believe there are going to be many. But time will tell. Am I scared hell yes, but I am also optimistic by seeing millions come together in defense.