The Trump Presidency – 2016

[spleen1015]

That is me 100% as well. I just don't have the words to say it like you did.

The thing that astounds me is how the Republican party is just falling in line with his bull shit. I stayed away from politics because I believe they are all dirty in some way and they all just want the power and wealth. Trump has confirmed that for me by a mile.

I just can't believe there are so many people falling in line behind this guy.

I have a lot of MAGA friends and family as well. There are people I care deeply about who believe some of this bull shit. With some of them, I ignore it and we don't talk about it because if we did it would ruin our relationship. I don't want that.

I recently reconnected with my father after 17 years. That's a long story.

Part of the problem with him is he's a racist and misogynist. I reconnected with him right at near the beginning of all of the lock downs, etc.

I realized while talk to him that he looks at liberals like he does African Americans and woman. He talks about them the same way. He thinks they are lesser human beings. He's just like most of these stereotypical MAGA idiots.

We can't really change the way they think. All we can really do it wait for them to die out before this shit really goes away.

[albionmoonlight]

"Hey, you look down."

"I am down. I have a problem."

"Oh, what's your problem?"

"I dislike our troops, and I want to make sure that they don't receive benefits. But I also love coronavirus and want to make sure that it spreads a lot. And I'm torn between which goal I should work toward. Do I hate the troops more? Or do I love coronavirus more? I can't choose."

"Ah. Turn that frown upside down! What if I told you that, thanks to the current GOP, you don't have to choose? You can do both! Just keep these guys in power come November, and you'll hurt the troops AND help the virus. It's a win/win!"

NEW: I obtained a recording of a recent call with top Trump admin officials discussing a June 24 "hard stop" for the 40k+ National Guard members who are the backbone of coronavirus testing/contact tracing/food delivery in many states https://t.co/xK3VRLXx0v

— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) May 19, 2020

[QuikSand]

lol, i do loves me some albionarratives...

"We like the numbers where they are..."

[QuikSand]

In other news... queue this up for three days of outrage, maybe timed to distract everyone from crimes or coverups or whatnot...

Trump will not be unveiling Barack Obama's official White House portrait, according to people familiar with the matter. The tradition will likely be skipped for the first time in decades. https://t.co/kzAaGfeef7

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 19, 2020

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

"Hey, you look down."

"I am down. I have a problem."

"Oh, what's your problem?"

"I dislike our troops, and I want to make sure that they don't receive benefits. But I also love coronavirus and want to make sure that it spreads a lot. And I'm torn between which goal I should work toward. Do I hate the troops more? Or do I love coronavirus more? I can't choose."

"Ah. Turn that frown upside down! What if I told you that, thanks to the current GOP, you don't have to choose! You can do both! Just keep these guys in power come November, and you'll hurt the troops AND help the virus. It's a win/win!"

NEW: I obtained a recording of a recent call with top Trump admin officials discussing a June 24 "hard stop" for the 40k+ National Guard members who are the backbone of coronavirus testing/contact tracing/food delivery in many states ‘Hard stop’: States could lose National Guard virus workers - POLITICO
— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) May 19, 2020

I didn't realize what the June 24th deadline signified. This makes it clearer: he wants to be a wartime President but not actually give the troops their benefits.

SI

June 24 will mark 89 days since thousands of Guard members first went on federal deployment in March. Guard members qualify for key retirement and education benefits after 90 days. ‘Hard stop’: States could lose National Guard virus workers - POLITICO
— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) May 19, 2020

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

he wants to be a wartime President but not actually give the troops their benefits.

SI

He is such a heartless bastard.

[RainMaker]

But taking a knee is insulting the troops

[sterlingice]

Like why do you even do that? There's no gain.

Sure, he doesn't care about the troops. But he also doesn't care about the deficit or VA or anything like that. So why do it?

There has to be something I'm missing here, right?

SI

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Like why do you even do that? There's no gain.

Sure, he doesn't care about the troops. But he also doesn't care about the deficit or VA or anything like that. So why do it?

There has to be something I'm missing here, right?

SI

I think that he does not care, but that some beancounters in the adminstration do. Less money for benefits means more money for contractors.

That said, I imagine that this is one of those instances where the media will have actually helped. Now that the story is out, people will complain, and the WH will keep these guys on and say that was always the plan and just look at that fake news saying that we were planning to cut them off after 89 days.

[Atocep]

The DoT "reassigned" the acting IG that was investigating McConnell's wife and Trump has nominated one of the administration's attorneys from the Justice Department as his replacement.

[thesloppy]

Trump tries to soothe anxious GOP senators | TheHill

On the presidential race, the senator said Trump came to the meeting armed with his own numbers, which contradicted recent public polls showing him trailing Biden in key swing states.

“The president had polls showing how well he’s doing,” said the source.

Trump painted a rosier picture of Republican prospects than indicated by recent polls showing Biden leading Trump in states such as Arizona and Florida, which are crucial to his reelection.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Republicans are well aware of the polling ahead of this year’s election but noted that Trump doesn’t appear concerned.

“We all pretty much see the poll numbers,” Cornyn said, but added of Trump: “He actually was pretty proud of where his numbers were.”

Oh, child please. The President of our country is being fed Flintstones vitamins from a bottle with HYDROXIKLORINE written in magic marker on some masking tape, and jacking off to polls that some GOP page has tossed together in Excel.

[PilotMan]

I have a feeling that the standards for presidents going forward are going to be so low, because the argument will always be (to the GOP), "doesn't matter. trump did it and you didn't care, so whatever. "

And part of me feels disdain at that and the other part of me is like, "watch us show you how it's gonna be done now."

[QuikSand]

The real enemy is... checks notes...

State of Nevada “thinks” that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can’t! If they do, “I think” I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat in elections. @RussVought45 @USTreasury

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020

...a swing state.

[kingfc22]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/20/coro...expansion.html


“He has peddled the idea that voting by mail leads to voter fraud, but there is no evidence that this is true. Earlier this year, Trump submitted an absentee ballot to vote for himself in Florida’s presidential primary. “

[spleen1015]

That's the kind of shit I am worried about. He is going to steal the election with some kind of bull shit.

[Atocep]

He's going to lose his shit when he finds out how Washington state has been voting for the past decade.

[RainMaker]

Does he know Iowa and Georgia mailed out applications too?

[cartman]

He and Melania voted by mail for a Florida election

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

The real enemy is... checks notes...

State of Nevada “thinks” that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can’t! If they do, “I think” I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat in elections. @RussVought45 @USTreasury

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020

...a swing state.

He just threatened Michigan too after they announced they would send out applications to vote by mail to all registered voters.

[RainMaker]

This is some 3rd world despot shit. Well done America.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Republicans are well aware of the polling ahead of this year’s election but noted that Trump doesn’t appear concerned.

“We all pretty much see the poll numbers,” Cornyn said, but added of Trump: “He actually was pretty proud of where his numbers were.”[/i]

I'm a public defender. And if I ask a co-worker about a trial he has upcoming, and his response is "Well, I've seen the evidence against our client. And I can say that our client is convinced that he's going to win" that I understand exactly what my co-worker is saying and not saying by that statement.

[albionmoonlight]

Also, why is Trump convinced that making it easier for older, less motivated, low information voters to vote will be bad for him? They probably lean GOP. And it seems like VBM would get them to vote in higher numbers than they would otherwise.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Kodos

He just threatened Michigan too after they announced they would send out applications to vote by mail to all registered voters.

There was no quid pro quo

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Also, why is Trump convinced that making it easier for older, less motivated, low information voters to vote will be bad for him? They probably lean GOP. And it seems like VBM would get them to vote in higher numbers than they would otherwise.

What info exists shows that there's no partisan advantage to vote by mail.

[JPhillips]

dola

Another Lincoln Project ad with an intended audience of one.

This is just another example that @realDonaldTrump is the worst manager America has ever seen. Don, you got conned … by your IT guy. pic.twitter.com/x5i7GRqEYb

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) May 20, 2020

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

What info exists shows that there's no partisan advantage to vote by mail.

Yes. But everyone (Dems and GOP) is acting like there is. I think that this is a place where the numbers just don't back up people's gut feelings.

[Brian Swartz]

Definitely. I've had some interesting conversations with people who are totally opposed to it on not-partisan grounds (these are generally apolitical people), but just that they are totally convinced it opens the floodgates to voter fraud. Point out that there's actually no evidence of that, and what a fool's errand wide-spread voter fraud is to begin with, and … crickets. It's just one of those things that's too different, a bridge too far, for some people to accept.

It's kind of like how the same people who love ATMs will hate on self check-out lines for 'taking away jobs'. It's more an ingrained cultural thing than any sort of reasoned objection.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

It's kind of like how the same people who love ATMs will hate on self check-out lines for 'taking away jobs'. It's more an ingrained cultural thing than any sort of reasoned objection.

Oh God, not to get too off topic, but I don't get the folks that are so adamantly anti self-checkout and say things like "I don't work for you". Like... ok... but let me use self-checkout so I can take my 4 things and go rather than stand for 20 minutes in line. Ok, I guess 'less' service while checking out. I've traded speed for full service.

[Kodos]

We've now spent 800 pages talking about this jackhole. What a waste of time.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Oh God, not to get too off topic, but I don't get the folks that are so adamantly anti self-checkout and say things like "I don't work for you". Like... ok... but let me use self-checkout so I can take my 4 things and go rather than stand for 20 minutes in line. Ok, I guess 'less' service while checking out. I've traded speed for full service.

It certainly is a strange hill to die on

[QuikSand]

Anti-Lockdown Protests Originated With Tight-Knit Group Who Share Bigger Goal: Trump 2020

So, I guess this is the sort of thing that has the 45ers all abuzz that Snopes is a leftist fake news Soros propaganda jews thing, or whatever.

Is this media bias? I feel I lack the judgment to assess that fairly.

[JPhillips]

It's just following the model of the Tea Party.

Looking at current polling on re-opening and it would lead one to think that protests must be less than organic uprisings.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Oh God, not to get too off topic, but I don't get the folks that are so adamantly anti self-checkout and say things like "I don't work for you". Like... ok... but let me use self-checkout so I can take my 4 things and go rather than stand for 20 minutes in line. Ok, I guess 'less' service while checking out. I've traded speed for full service.

I'd like to go back to the era when we phased out elevator men. Were people all like, "Oh, they expect us to just push the button ourselves, now?"

[JPhillips]

A full-on Q supporter is the GOP nominee for Senate in Oregon.

[JPhillips]

dola

Remember the mask sanitizing machines Trump touted that would cost 1 mil each and allow masks to be reused 20 times?

Turns out they ended up costing 10 mil each and allow a mask to be reused 4 times.

Everything's a con.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

dola

Remember the mask sanitizing machines Trump touted that would cost 1 mil each and allow masks to be reused 20 times?

Turns out they ended up costing 10 mil each and allow a mask to be reused 4 times.

Everything's a con.

They also got liability protection so doctors and nurses can't sue them if their product doesn't work.

[QuikSand]

when

[QuikSand]

I know it's just a cheapshot, but...

Trump: "When you say per capita, there's many per capitas. Is this like per capita relative to what?"
How did this guy made it through elementary school? pic.twitter.com/Y6F7NhXD8w

— Nico COVID Haircut XW (@Nicoxw1) May 20, 2020

He's just gleefully dumb about... things. And anyone who might have served in the role of saying afterward "by the way, sir, ummm..." has surely been fired by now, so they are all in full emperor clothes mode. It's... idano... admirable in its purity, the foulness of it all.

[JPhillips]

Seems to fit with the Times' story today:

For Spy Agencies, Briefing Trump Is a Test of Holding His Attention 'Mr. Trump rarely absorbs information that he disagrees with or that runs counter to his worldview'

[albionmoonlight]

Nearly Half Of The Twitter Accounts Discussing ‘Reopening America’ May Be Bots | Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science

This is one of those facts that is obvious when you look at the amount of attention "reopen!" is getting compared to the polls showing what people actually think.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Nearly Half Of The Twitter Accounts Discussing ‘Reopening America’ May Be Bots | Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science

This is one of those facts that is obvious when you look at the amount of attention "reopen!" is getting compared to the polls showing what people actually think.

...so if Carnegie can figure out which are bots then why are they still up and runnings?

SI

[kingfc22]

Glad we can finally stop pretending that Fox News is nothing more than a propaganda arm of the Republican party.

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "Many will disagree, but @FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd. Sure, there are some truly GREAT people on Fox, but you also have some real “garbage� littered all over the network, people like Dummy Juan Williams, Schumerite Chris..."

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

...so if Carnegie can figure out which are bots then why are they still up and runnings?

SI

Because Facebook and Twitter want to put very little resources in fighting them.

[QuikSand]

Spot on:

The thing about Donald Trump is his SHEER IMPLAUSABILITY as a fictional villain. He’s cartoonishly always-maximally-wrong and in the dumbest and evilest possible way. It strains the willing suspension of disbelief: one looks for a plan, but there’s nothing there. @BrandesStoddard

— Charlie Stross (@cstross) May 21, 2020

[JPhillips]

U.S. President Donald Trump’s arms control negotiator on Thursday said the United States is prepared to spend Russia and China “into oblivion” in order to win a new nuclear arms race.

How about we don't do something stupid like that?

[bronconick]

That worked excellently for the Soviet Union. It's why we're Communists now, after all.

[kingfc22]

“I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” Trump said.

Because the POTUS is a 5-year old child.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...35f_story.html

[JPhillips]

Watching Trump praise Henry Ford for good bloodlines is rather cringey.

[JPhillips]

Sean Hannity and some others are killing Bernie for his latest communist statement:

‘Our Job is to Recognize Our Common Humanity and Ensure All People Live in Dignity’

[PilotMan]

Trevor Noah is bringing it all together.