The Trump Presidency – 2016

[tarcone]

Yes, money needs to leave politics. That way the rich will not own the politicians. Yes there would be a revolving door. But if me or you could run, would that not be better? Why are we listening to legislatures who get to make their own rules that are different for me and you? Why do those national politicians get to ram a health care act through, yet enjoy free health care themselves from some of the best doctors in the world.

Why do these politicians make millions as a politician and then millions more as a lobbyist with there obscene pension?


Until the system is fixed, welcome to the end of our empire.

[cartman]

Term limits by themselves won't evaporate the power though. It will just shift to the lobbyists.

[Brian Swartz]

You can't get money out of politics without limiting political speech. It's the age-old conundrum; you can have equality, or you can have freedom. You cannot have both at the same time beyond a certain point.

If we want the freedom to choose those who represent us, then we have to accept the responsibility to do so and not blame the rich and powerful when we continue to put corrupt people into office and refuse to hold them accountable. We can't have it both ways.

[larrymcg421]

Yeah, I always liked Jed Bartlet's comment about term limits. "We have term limits. They're called elections." If people want someone in for 6, 7, 8 or more terms, then why shouldn't they have that right? We don't just get rid of corrupt politicians, we allso get rid of the John Lewises and Richard Lugars.

This idea that we get rid of career politicians and suddenly a bunch of Jimmy Stewarts from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington are going to be running the House and Senate is hopelessly naive. There is no shortage of corrupt people. When the Republicans finally got rid of Rostenkowski, Blagojevich ended up inheriting his seat.

[Thomkal]

Trump has left Walter Reed to go back to the White House-in a caravan of vehicles, waving at the crowds

[JPhillips]

It's one of the most reckless things I've ever seen from a President. He's willfully putting the lives of the Secret Service agents at risk. God bless them.

[Ben E Lou]

Can a military hospital tell the President of the United States what to do? I’m really wondering if he just decided that he feels better and wants out. I would not put it past him at all.

[Ben E Lou]

I’m seeing conflicting reports now. Some are saying that he went back to the hospital, that this was just a drive around and wave at them publicity stunt.

[JPhillips]

According to his video he was just waving at supporters.

But they are still talking about going back to the WH tomorrow. How many people have been in the room while he's been maskless for photos and videos?

What's the opposite of virtue signaling?

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I’m seeing conflicting reports now. Some are saying that he went back to the hospital, that this was just a drive around and wave at them publicity stunt.

Yeah I was confused about that when I posted. If this was just a stunt...

[stevew]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

What's the opposite of virtue signaling?

I nominate the term "Trumping" to describe it.

[Ksyrup]

AG Bill Barr is now self quarantining

— yasminvossoughian (@yasminv) October 4, 2020

[AlexB]

Does “trumped” mean farted in the US too? Only just struck me how apt a descriptive term that is for everything he does!

[Ksyrup]

C-span got the best audio pic.twitter.com/uLjMfGp2Ee

— Samuel J. Robinson (@samueljrob) October 4, 2020

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Can a military hospital tell the President of the United States what to do? I’m really wondering if he just decided that he feels better and wants out. I would not put it past him at all.

I am not sure this would be than if he went to a civilian hospital. Unless someone decides he is a danger to himself and/or others, he is free to go afaik.

[JPhillips]

He sounds like Billy Eichner.

[kingfc22]

Okay Joe. You have so much new material. Time to fire those ads back on.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Yeah, I always liked Jed Bartlet's comment about term limits. "We have term limits. They're called elections." If people want someone in for 6, 7, 8 or more terms, then why shouldn't they have that right? We don't just get rid of corrupt politicians, we allso get rid of the John Lewises and Richard Lugars.

This idea that we get rid of career politicians and suddenly a bunch of Jimmy Stewarts from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington are going to be running the House and Senate is hopelessly naive. There is no shortage of corrupt people. When the Republicans finally got rid of Rostenkowski, Blagojevich ended up inheriting his seat.

Aw, my last vote when I lived in Indiana was in the GOP primary for Dick Luger over some Tea Party putz (a race he'd end up losing and then said Tea Party putz said something really stupid about abortion being god's will or something and lost an eminently winnable race; this was in 2012 and if it happened today probably wouldn't cost the nut his seat)

SI

[GrantDawg]

It is terrible that the White House is not just holding back information, but straight lying about the President's condition. I will say that the number of people that keep trying to find the worst possible outcome from every bit of information that we do get seem to sound like wishful thinking than what is likely reality.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[stevew]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's one of the most reckless things I've ever seen from a President. He's willfully putting the lives of the Secret Service agents at risk. God bless them.

The SUV is supposedly sealed against chemical warfare attacks so god bless all those impacted by this stunt.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Yeah, I always liked Jed Bartlet's comment about term limits. "We have term limits. They're called elections." If people want someone in for 6, 7, 8 or more terms, then why shouldn't they have that right? We don't just get rid of corrupt politicians, we allso get rid of the John Lewises and Richard Lugars.

This idea that we get rid of career politicians and suddenly a bunch of Jimmy Stewarts from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington are going to be running the House and Senate is hopelessly naive. There is no shortage of corrupt people. When the Republicans finally got rid of Rostenkowski, Blagojevich ended up inheriting his seat.

The issue is that the current system has made it incredibly difficult for the average person to run for office.

[CrimsonFox]

in his photo op he is writing on a blank piece of paper with a marker

[Brian Swartz]

The behavior of the average voter is what causes that, not the system.

[Ksyrup]

The current situation has only reconfirmed my belief in term limits. I acknowledge and agree that you won't remove corruption from politics by instituting term limits, but that's not really the goal. In a polarized, 2-party system that treats not voting with your team as a job death sentence, I simply want a system that allows and encourages elected officials to speak their minds and vote how they want to vote. Look at how many retiring/resigning GOPers have spoken out against Trump. Even if term limits results in a fraction of officials feeling free to do what they believe is right and not simply what the party wants, it would be worth it.

[Ben E Lou]

Looks like he has set a personal record for all-caps tweets in one morning...

[albionmoonlight]

My fear with term limits is that it gives lobbyists even more power because they will start to have the institutional memory that the Congress lacks.

I'm against them, but I understand the arguments on the other side.

My simple* reforms:

1. The 1/3 most populous states get 3 senators
The 1/3 in the middle get 2
The smallest 1/3 get 1

2. The House is greatly expanded (and automatically grows as the population does)
Gerrymandering is eliminated

3. Federal elections are generously funded with public money

My thoughts:

The Senate thing is self-explanatory

The House thing would force reps to be more responsive to their constituents. There would be less of them, so they would be harder to ignore. And if most districts have a mix of people in them, it will be harder to win them as an extremist.

And the money thing is a way to reduce the value of private donations without banning them.

*By "simple," I mean simple to understand. I understand that actually enacting these reforms would be nigh impossible.

[JPhillips]

CoS Mark Meadows, in essence says he's a war hero for staying with Trump.

Mark Meadows says he's physically staying by Trump's side while the president has covid as "a message to our military men and women" that "this is an enemy that we will defeat, and we will do that together"(?) pic.twitter.com/xe7F8kJwYb

— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) October 5, 2020

[BYU 14]

Isn't he also the one that blamed the military for getting Hicks sick?

[spleen1015]

Meadows is like Will from the Big Brother show way back in the beginning.

He lies straight to your face while working against you behind your back. Then when he gets caught, he begs for forgiveness and for some reason you fall for it and forgive him. Then, he does it again.

He fits perfectly with Trump.

[larrymcg421]

As much as I'd like to see it, Senate reform is never going to happen. Every state (not just 3/4ths) would have to agree to it and I don't see that happening.

It is crazy, though, that the Senate and Electoral College aspects of our federal government can not be replicated on a state level as SCOTUS has declared that it violates the one man, one vote principle.

[Edward64]

Add Kayleigh McEnany to the list.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Add Kayleigh McEnany to the list.

And she briefed the press without a mask

[Thomkal]

Reading some of the comments from a Conservative Twitter account and blocking a lot of "boy sure look like they were targeted"...responses. Yes they were targeted...by their own stupidity and arrogance.

[stevew]

If a private business was run so poorly(say a wal mart), they'd be shut down.

[kingfc22]

Can we at least get one Darwin award out of all this.

The ignorance and stupidity levels of this administration are just off the charts.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Can we at least get one Darwin award out of all this.

The ignorance and stupidity levels of this administration are just off the charts.

I'm Herman Cain, and I support this message.

[JPhillips]

Joe Biden lacks the experience of having a deadly virus.

Trump campaign spokesperson Erin Perrine on Fox News today: "Listen, he has experience as commander-in-chief, he has experience as a businessman, he has experience, now, fighting the coronavirus as an individual. Those firsthand experiences: Joe Biden, he doesn’t have those.”

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 5, 2020

[whomario]

Kayleigh McEnany calling herself an "essential worker" who has "provided needed information to the american people" lol

[JediKooter]

I'm going to need a bingo card.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

As much as I'd like to see it, Senate reform is never going to happen. Every state (not just 3/4ths) would have to agree to it and I don't see that happening.

It is crazy, though, that the Senate and Electoral College aspects of our federal government can not be replicated on a state level as SCOTUS has declared that it violates the one man, one vote principle.

I would just like to see those who will inevitably be displaced from California (fires, etc) move to ID, WY, UT, MT...

[thesloppy]

“Don Jr. Thinks Trump Is Acting Crazy�: The President’s COVID Joyride Has the Family Divided | Vanity Fair

"There is a long history in the Trump family of denying serious illness. According to a Trump family friend, Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr., insisted on working even after his Alzheimer's disease advanced in the 1990s. "To retire is to expire!" Fred Sr. would say. The friend said that as Fred Sr.'s disease worsened--he once came down the stairs wearing three neckties--the family created a system so that Fred could think he was still running the Trump Organization. Every day Fred Sr. would go to the office in Brooklyn and they would give him blank papers to sort through and sign. The phone on Fred's desk was set up so that it could only dial out to his secretary. "Fred pretended to work," the family friend said."

I am seeing a fair amount of pushback against the dude who wrote that article FWIW. I guess his 'scoops' have been pretty suspect in the past.

[Atocep]

How bad are things when Don Jr is trying to be the voice of reason?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

It is terrible that the White House is not just holding back information, but straight lying about the President's condition. I will say that the number of people that keep trying to find the worst possible outcome from every bit of information that we do get seem to sound like wishful thinking than what is likely reality.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I think this is a valid criticism for me. I think the older I get, the more lying bothers the fuck out of me. I did not think it was possible to say "even worse" when it comes to lying but it is EVEN WORSE when it is so consistent and so unnecessary. He has COVID. All of the lies and theatrics are unnecessary and potentially harmful. I am probably going to wish for the worst possible outcome because that is the only justification for a grown man to constantly lie that could possibly make sense to me. Sort of like the guy who lies to his wife about going to work everyday even though he lost his job two months ago. I still hate it but that make a bit of sense.

[Thomkal]

The latest take from the Trump Campaign: Joe Biden doesn't have the experience of dealing with the virus firsthand, so how can he be a good President?

[Thomkal]

Early voting started in a number of states today, including here in South Carolina. I'm still waiting for my absentee ballot to come so I can send it in.

[kingfc22]

Have I missed an update from Trump's doctor today? It's almost 2PM Eastern.

Why is Trump not on Marine One headed to the White House today if everything is roses.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

The latest take from the Trump Campaign: Joe Biden doesn't have the experience of dealing with the virus firsthand, so how can he be a good President?

Welp, that does it! I'm not voting for Biden now. Can't have someone that doesn't know how to deal with the virus. I want someone that does, even if it's dealing with it in complete and utter incompetence. Experience is experience.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Welp, that does it! I'm not voting for Biden now. Can't have someone that doesn't know how to deal with the virus. I want someone that does, even if it's dealing with it in complete and utter incompetence. Experience is experience.

Does this make Biden a Covid outsider?

[Ben E Lou]

I like candidates that didn't get the virus.

[Atocep]

Cornyn took a shot at Trump today by saying "it's not easy trying to get things done working with him or the White House" while criticizing his handling of COVID. The fact that he is actually having to campaign and compete for his job for the first time in years must be wearing on him.