The Politics Thread

[Juliajms]

One thing that surprised me over the last couple of days was McCain agreeing with Trump that people who burn the flag should be punished. What?! Luckily it seems like a lot of people on both sides of the aisle are against it, but Trump doubled down on it today.

[DramatistDreamer]

Fresh from its help in throttling HRC's presidential campaingn, looks as if Wikileaks is aiming to take down Angela Merkel, which does not surprise me in the least.

 

WikiLeaks publishes docs on inquiry into German cooperation with NSA

 

 

[marceline]

 

I guess that Ralph Nader can finally breathe a sigh of relief at the knowledge that he will no longer history's worst election spoiler. That honor is now shared by Bernie and Jill.

[DramatistDreamer]

So Trump calls the leader of Pakistan out of the blue, with no preparation and expresses hope that he can pop in and visit sometime. I don't like Trump but I cannot help but think what a bad idea that is. 

Pakistan has an extreme element that doesn't take too kindly to Westernized politicians and personalities. Look at what happend to Benazir Bhutto.   Oh well, Trump was probably just lying as he often does.

 

ETA- According to an article in the NYT, Trump offered the Prime Minister of Pakistan 
 

“to play any role you want me to play to address and find solutions to the country’s problems.”

 

Good grief. I'm just going to quote a comedienne who recently said, "I hope this fool don't get us all killed!" 

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Edited December 2, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[Roman]

Unemployment rate now down to 4.6%...the lowest it has been in 9 years. 

[Juliajms]

Maybe this is one of those times he was supposed to be taken seriously not literally? Did you see that speech in Cincinnati yesterday? He was talking about how at one point months ago he had said "Carrier is not leaving the country". So some Carrier worker was on TV saying he knew they wouldn't leave because Trump said so. Then Trump saw it and thought "Oh, well I didn't actually mean that Carrier wouldn't leave. That decision was made 18 months ago. I just meant corporations in general wouldn't be leaving." But because the guy had so much faith Trump thought he had the step in. 

 

I mean, WTF is anyone supposed to do with a man who thinks like this? He actually says something as specific as Carrier is not leaving, but that's not what he actually means? Talk about causing chaos in the international community. How is anyone going to know when the President of the United States means what he says? I cringe whenever I see an article about how we are in a "post fact or Post truth America", but it's coming true right before our eyes.

[marceline]

I haven't been on board with the electoral college choosing Hillary because I thought it would lead to chaos but more and more I realize that we're going to get chaos with this guy in the White House. At least with Hillary most of the chaos would be domestic, not international. 

Edited December 2, 2016 by marceline

[Khan]

Speaking of...

 

Let's say the electoral college goes along with the popular vote and chooses HRC.  Would the fact that she officially conceded the election to Trump mean she would be disqualified (for lack of a better word) from accepting the victory that the electoral college potentially could hand her?  (In other words, would Trump remain as President-Elect regardless of the electoral college's decision?)

 

Moreover, if she were allowed to assume the presidency after all, would she be beholden to keeping Trump's cabinet picks in place?  Or would those picks be scrapped and she would be allowed to put together her own cabinet?

Edited December 2, 2016 by Khan

[marceline]

 

My understanding is that concession is a courtesy nothing more. It's a tradition that honors our peaceful transition of power. It's not like if she'd refused to concede Donald couldn't be president. All of Trump's cabinet picks would be scrapped because he would no longer be president-elect. 

 

As much as I want Trump out of office I shudder at what would happen to and with Hillary if she took office under those circumstances. She's given so much and for her to have to deal with that level of vitriol would pretty much mean she could never leave the White House.

[Gray Bunny]

I feel like pandelerium is going to happen come January 21st. It's like he's trying to hold off on his secrets, scandals, voter tampering and his pending cases of fraud from coming out until after he gets inaugurated.

 

I'm hoping 'n praying for a Christmas miracle on Dec. 19th when the Electoral College votes. I holding out hope that it's in the works behind closed doors, not wanting hints to leak out beforehand. 

[marceline]

A little something to help us cope. There's a Tumblr keeping track of Trumpers who are realizing they got had.

 

Trumpgrets

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

Well, the U.S. media and some of the public may have accepted "Post fact America" but clearly Pakistan, in releasing the transcipt and going against diplomatic policy, seems intent on putting this on the record- which to me, implies that they intend to hold PEOTUS to his word, regardless of whether Trump was cavalier or not.

Pakistan may have also released the transcript with the bonus of tweaking the Indians, with whom they have a very contentious relationship (if you can call it that). India's response was dripping with sarcasm.

 

At the risk of sounding slightly salty, I have to admit, I'd love to have seen some of the expressions of those Republican leaning Indian-Americans in NJ who, a few weeks before the election feted Trump with that dinner, flew in some Bollywood actors and dancers to perform those silly dance sequences in cheesy camoflauge gear, with choreography that mimicked suicide bombers and Indians struggling against each other. 

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 Some of these people would perceive Pakistanis as enemies. I wonder how they feel about their Trump votes now?

Also, Trump complementing the Pakistani PM, the country and the people-- does this mean that Pakistan citizens will or won't be on that Muslim Registry?  

 

Thanks for this. I'm chuckling reading them.

[Juliajms]

There are also a lot of people who have given up. Something like 95 million Americans who should be in the labor market are not. I really wonder how these people are making it day to day.

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/08/us-unemployed-have-quit-looking-for-jobs-at-a-frightening-level-survey.html

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Juliajms
I was wrong. It's not a record, just a lot.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

There's a thing called the "informal labor sector" or as some people I know would say "side hustles".  There were also stories of people 'doubling up' in terms of shelter, families pooling their resources. It's been challenging for many years for many people. 

I know because during the recession, after my department was eliminated at the newspaper where I worked, I knew that I wouldn't be able to complete my Masters degree while living in my Manhattan studio whose rent was escalating quickly, so I actually moved back with family who owned a multi-family home. For me, I had some office, administrative and a variety of writing skills so I could do a number of editing tasks for other artists, writers, students and small businesses and entrepreneurs as a freelancer (which I still do).

In terms of the living situation, yes, it was a challenge and it did involve a measure of loss of autonomy and I also found myself pitching in where I might not have done, had I been on my own but it was what I needed to do and I imagine others did the same and many clearly still are.

 

Actually there are people who have probably lived most of their lives on the margins, trying to eke out a living within the constraints of the informal labor sector. It's a shame that they went mostly ignored until the 'Great Recession'.

Edited December 2, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[Vee]

At this point I'd be down for Godzilla attacking vs. Trump taking office. Act of God, you name it.