The Trump Presidency – 2016

[JPhillips]

Now when people ask me to name one good thing about the Trump admin I can honestly say, the humiliation of John Bolton.

Everything Trump touches, dies - Rick Wilson

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Let's see who the replacement is before we celebrate this. Bolton was awful, but it can get worse.

Just watch Fox News this week and see who praises him. Lou Dobbs? I believe Bolton got the job by just saying nice things on Fox and Friends.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Bolton was awful, but it can get worse.

If your bottom line is not to have your family die in nuclear fire anytime soon, perhaps not.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

NC-09 re-election finally happens today. McCready still running on the Dem side, Republicans replaced Harris with Dan Bishop (the unrepentant author of HB-2 & a full on Trump supporter.) It'll be interesting.

I for one am glad this is over-we get the ads for this even though we are in SC. Hope McCready wins after what happened in the first election.

[JPhillips]

The NRSC is running ads saying a vote for Biden is a vote for four more years of Obama.

My question is, does Biden have to pay for this ad?

[Atocep]

NOAA's Chief Scientist sent a letter out to employees promising to investigate the politically motivated statement that was sent out to agree with Trump:

During the course of the storm, as I am sure you are aware, there were routine and exceptional expert forecasts, the best possible, issued by the NWS Forecasters…As I’m sure you also know, there was a complex issue involving the President commenting on the path of the hurricane. The NWS Forecaster(s) corrected any public misunderstanding in an expert and timely way, as they should. There followed, last Friday, an unsigned press release from “NOAA” that inappropriately and incorrectly contradicted the NWS forecaster. My understanding is that this intervention to contradict the forecaster was not based on science but on external factors including reputation and appearance, or simply put, political.

Unfortunately, the press release of last Friday violated this trust and violated NOAA’s policies of scientific integrity. In my role as Assistant Administrator for Research, and as I continue to administratively serve as Acting Chief Scientist, I am pursuing the potential violations of our NOAA Administrative Order on Scientific Integrity…I have a responsibility to pursue these truths. I will.

I'm sure Wilbur Ross will do the right thing and resign over this.

[SackAttack]

Why do all of Trump's "best people," after he fires them, become people he rips for being incompetent losers who can't do anything right?

Is he a spectacularly shitty judge of character, in addition to just having poor judgment in general?

Or is this deflection of the qualities he knows to be his own onto other people so he doesn't have to take the blame?

Or is it both? Can we just call it "both"?

[molson]

He both fills and drains the swamp.

[JPhillips]

Trump is willing to make concessions to Iran just to get a no pre-conditions meeting with them in an attempt to work out a deal for them to end their nuclear program.

Maybe he shouldn't have voided the deal that did just that?

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Trump is willing to make concessions to Iran just to get a no pre-conditions meeting with them in an attempt to work out a deal for them to end their nuclear program.

Maybe he shouldn't have voided the deal that did just that?

How many things has he repealed only to go back and reinstate them in some form and try and take full credit for it?

[JPhillips]

It gets even better:

President Donald Trump has left the impression with foreign officials, members of his administration, and others involved in Iranian negotiations that he is actively considering a French plan to extend a $15 billion credit line to the Iranians if Tehran comes back into compliance with the Obama-era nuclear deal.

Here's a 15 billion dollar loan if you'll come back to the deal I tore up.

Best deal-maker in history!

[Edward64]

I'm looking forward to Bolton's forthcoming tell-all book.

[miami_fan]

We are going to ban fruit flavored cigarettes but we are going to continue to allow regular cigarettes to be in the marketplace? I mean they haven't even officially come up with a cause of the illnesses. Just slap a label on the e-cig packaging.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I'm looking forward to Bolton's forthcoming tell-all book.

Not gonna happen. He needs the right-wing grift too much to shit on Trump publicly.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

We are going to ban fruit flavored cigarettes but we are going to continue to allow regular cigarettes to be in the marketplace? I mean they haven't even officially come up with a cause of the illnesses. Just slap a label on the e-cig packaging.

E-Cigs have been a thing for many years now, too. The nicotine flavored liquids at least. It wasn't until weed cartridges that this shit started. I'm not going to say 100% of it is black market weed cartridges with zero regulation but I'd put money on it that that is what the vast majority of these teens are harming themselves with.

[PilotMan]

The article that I read about the weed cartridges said that the cannabis oil that is used in the cartridge ends up settling at the bottom of the lungs, it's not evaporated out, and it basically causes this awful pneumonia after it builds up enough, and because it's oil it's really hard to get out, which has lead to the deaths from it that have been related to it.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

We are going to ban fruit flavored cigarettes but we are going to continue to allow regular cigarettes to be in the marketplace? I mean they haven't even officially come up with a cause of the illnesses. Just slap a label on the e-cig packaging.

They already banned fruit-flavored cigarettes. I miss my Djarum cloves.

[lungs]

From my understanding, these vape illnesses are from thinning agents containing things that are food grade. Problem is... food grade means it is safe to eat. Not vaporize and inhale the fumes. I don't think cannabis oil itself is going to cause this otherwise we'd have heard about this long ago as people have been dabbing forever. Of course I'm not saying inhaling vaporized cannabis oil is safe but from what I've seen, they are narrowing this down to Vitamin E Acetate being in some of these vape cartridges as a thinning agent. And not limited to the black market either.

[Thomkal]

So the guy Trump once called "My African American" is leaving the Republican party and running as an independent in a House race:


The man Trump once called ‘my African American’ leaves Republican Party | PBS NewsHour

[Thomkal]

Impeachment investigation hearings to begin next week in House Judiciary. Hearings on corruption, obstruction, and abuse of power that extends far beyond the Mueller Report.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

We are going to ban fruit flavored cigarettes but we are going to continue to allow regular cigarettes to be in the marketplace? I mean they haven't even officially come up with a cause of the illnesses. Just slap a label on the e-cig packaging.

Old people (read: cigarette smokers) vote. Young people (read: fruit-flavored vapers) don't vote.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by lungs

From my understanding, these vape illnesses are from thinning agents containing things that are food grade. Problem is... food grade means it is safe to eat. Not vaporize and inhale the fumes. I don't think cannabis oil itself is going to cause this otherwise we'd have heard about this long ago as people have been dabbing forever. Of course I'm not saying inhaling vaporized cannabis oil is safe but from what I've seen, they are narrowing this down to Vitamin E Acetate being in some of these vape cartridges as a thinning agent. And not limited to the black market either.

Yea, that is what I've read. I don't think Vitamin E Acetate is used in any nicotine based liquids. Nicotine based liquids use vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) as the bulk of their liquids. The rest being nicotine in a VG or PG base then flavorings. Flavorings is really the only wildcard but I think they even use a PG base (not 100% on the flavorings).



Disclaimer. I used a vape device to quit cigs. I still occasionally pull it out with a low nicotine liquid if I ever feel the craving (mostly when drinking), but not often. I admittedly feel strongly about the benefits of Ecigs due to my anecdotal experience. I admit that there is still room for a lot of research and that there is always a chance a bombshell research piece comes out that shows something bad about vaping. Vaping isn't healthy, but I 100% believe it is less harmful then smoking and would encourage people to use ecigs as a path to quitting BOTH, not a replacement. It saddens me that it would basically be over for many smokers because of this recent news, though. I have seen some people deny using THC carts in the hospital, but I have qualms with believing self reporting on people saying they are using or not using THC carts.

[miami_fan]

I get that there are health risks with e-cigs. I am just trying to figure out why a label is acceptable for one (cigs) and not the other(e-cigs) if both are linked with lung illnesses and deaths. Also, why are fruit flavored cigars cool but fruit flavored cigs/e-cigs are taboo?

If it is not obvious, I am not a smoker.

[RendeR]

Why the fuck have people not figured out that sucking things into your lungs that are not , you know, AIR, is un fucking healthy?

Ban them all, end them all, stop killing people and making a profit out of it.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Why the fuck have people not figured out that sucking things into your lungs that are not , you know, AIR, is un fucking healthy?

Ban them all, end them all, stop killing people and making a profit out of it.

In the Philippines, Duterte banned public smoking. I would be for this.

[QuikSand]

Speaking of Lou Dobbs, is it possible that history judges Trump's enablers and sycophants even more harshly than the Grifter-in-Chief?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Speaking of Lou Dobbs, is it possible that history judges Trump's enablers and sycophants even more harshly than the Grifter-in-Chief?

I believe the further we get from Trump's presidency that becomes likely. History is not going to look kindly on Mitch McConnell. How the enablers outside the political system are viewed will be fascinating. Dobbs, Carlson, Hannity, ect.

[JPhillips]

What's a credible prediction for how the GOP gets away from being the party of Trump and white nationalism? We all think it will happen at some point, but how? If anything the state and local GOP outside of the Northeast is even more Trumped than the national GOP. What event(s) will break that?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

What's a credible prediction for how the GOP gets away from being the party of Trump and white nationalism? We all think it will happen at some point, but how? If anything the state and local GOP outside of the Northeast is even more Trumped than the national GOP. What event(s) will break that?

The easy answer is if Trump loses in 2020, but even then I'm not sure. The party has moved away from its ideals and has leadership that primarily cares about power at any cost. What happened in North Carolina on Wednesday and what evidence is showing may have happened in the Georgia midterms should be a wake up call to anyone that thinks the GOP is going to just give up power because that's what voters want.

The changing electoral makeup of Texas may actually be what moves the party away from Trump and white nationalism. If the GOP loses ever loses Texas then winning another Presidential election without significant changes to their platform is impossible.

[JPhillips]

I don't think Trump losing is enough. If that happens, 2024 would be a battle between true Trumpists and reformers with an unclear outcome. Meanwhile the GOP congressional delegation and most state electeds would still be all Trump.

I think you're right that a lose of TX would be a bomb that would force a change on the party, but I'm pretty skeptical that we're close to that day.

[larrymcg421]

When/if Trump loses in 2020, there will be tons of GOPers who will claim they never really supported Trump, and argue there needs to be a return to true Conservative values and policies.

[JPhillips]

But they'll also be just as many saying they are the true heir of Trumpism.

I'm also not sure that a return to true Conservatism will be anything other than Trumpism.

I'm not really asking if the GOP will win elections again, they will. I'm more interested in whether the party will ever return to something not based on Trumpism and white nationalism. I think most of us assume it will happen, but how?

[NobodyHere]

Better fill up your gas tanks

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/14/busin...ack/index.html

[stevew]

Can we invoke the 25th and make Mike Pounce president?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

But they'll also be just as many saying they are the true heir of Trumpism.

I'm also not sure that a return to true Conservatism will be anything other than Trumpism.

I'm not really asking if the GOP will win elections again, they will. I'm more interested in whether the party will ever return to something not based on Trumpism and white nationalism. I think most of us assume it will happen, but how?

I'm not really sure what "Trumpism" is or whether anything like that in a cult of personality way is definable for the future. Heck, for all the good he did, Obama was also a cultish type figure who transcended the party instead of being defined by it.

I guess for the GOP the best path to non white nationalist majority is a serious enough external threat that "patriotism" wins out. It's 2019, and they will be majority white for the foreseeable future, so some people will always claim patriotism is racism and all that, but that's the path I can see unless/until a new charismatic person shows up.

[JPhillips]

I'll give you that Trumpism doesn't have a clear policy vision, but I expect tons of GOP candidates to run on being the heir to Trump. That's where things are different in regards to Obama. Hardly anyone is running as the heir to Obama. I think that's foolish, as Biden, the one guy running unashamedly as a connection to Obama is leading the polls, but it is what it is. I expect the GOP will pretty seamlessly go from everyone having to namecheck Reagan to everyone having to namecheck Trump.

[PilotMan]

trump party slogan of the future:


"All we do is lay pipe to anyone who tries to get in our way"


His slogan now is pretty much "All I do is win" and truth isn't an issue for them, so they don't need worry about a platform. Just some kind of chest beating mantra they can use whenever.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Better fill up your gas tanks

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/14/busin...ack/index.html

I bet Bolton was thinking "darn, if only I was still there"

[JPhillips]

lol

Saudi officials now saying that they don't have enough evidence to say the Iranians are behind the drone attack This after the Trump folks have spent the past 24 hours saying it was the Iranians and we should attack them because of it.

[Butter]

I don't have Twitter, but I imagine cue the re-tweet of Trump saying that Obama was going to involve us in a war to win the election a few years ago.

[RainMaker]

There is always a tweet.

Saudi Arabia should fight their own wars, which they won't, or pay us an absolute fortune to protect them and their great wealth-$ trillion!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 31, 2014

[RainMaker]

Also when did we start openly taking orders from the Saudis? Can't remember a President ever deferring their military to another country like that.

[Edward64]

Enjoy retirement in Russia.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/edward-...ay-2019-09-16/

In an exclusive U.S. TV interview, Edward Snowden said he would like to return home but that the U.S. won't agree to a fair trial.

"I would like to return to the United States. That is the ultimate goal. But if I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in prison, the one bottom line demand that we have to agree to is that at least I get a fair trial. And that is the one thing the government has refused to guarantee because they won't provide access to what's called a public interest defense," Snowden told "CBS This Morning."

The former NSA contractor is shedding new light on his decision to reveal classified documents about the U.S. government's mass surveillance program back in 2013. Snowden disclosed government programs that collected Americans' emails, phone calls and internet activity in the name of national security and was subsequently charged under the Espionage Act for doing so. A congressional report said his disclosures "caused tremendous damage to national security."

[albionmoonlight]

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "I call for the Resignation of everybody at The New York Times involved in the Kavanaugh SMEAR story, and while you’re at it, the Russian Witch Hunt Hoax, which is just as phony! They’ve taken the Old Grey Lady and broken her down, destroyed her virtue and ruined her reputation..."

My favorite part of this is that he gets, like, 20 words into it and realizes that he hasn’t said anything about himself and immediately starts talking about how the media treats him so unfairly.

[Atocep]

He didn't say hereby so it doesn't count.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Enjoy retirement in Russia.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/edward-...ay-2019-09-16/

1) Compared to some of the older photos I saw today, Russia has been very good to him.

2) VP doesn't seem the type to allow for early retirement.

[Lathum]

This Lewandowski fellow is a piece of work. Fits right in with Trump.

[Thomkal]

Israeli elections today and right now nobody knows who won or lost. They are trying to form coalitions that would give them enough seats to win. Netanyahu may lose which would be pretty shocking

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Lathum

This Lewandowski fellow is a piece of work. Fits right in with Trump.

Based on the BBC report, it sounds like Trump acted like every Mafia boss in every Mafia film I’ve seen when one of their guys is in court

Corey Lewandowski: Ex-Trump aide stonewalls impeachment hearing - BBC News

[Edward64]

Assuming Trump loses, it depends on how much he loses by. If its pretty clear cut then I can see current GOP returning to "true" conservative values & policies. If its just by a slim margin, I can see Trumpism continue.

Regardless, I can see Trumpism stay relevant in some red states for the forseeable future, too much of what he says resonates with them (right or wrong).