The Trump Presidency – 2016

[RainMaker]

The eviction stuff is going over my head. What is the issue there?

[JPhillips]

The WH won't negotiate with Congress so they are directing the CDC to make up an excuse to stop evictions, but only for some income levels, because it will help stop the spread of a disease they don't think is a threat to begin with.

The WH and GOP are going all in on economic policies that cut off Dec. 31 so Biden and the country will be fucked if he wins.

[AlexB]

Trump Compares Police Shooting Of Jacob Blake To Golfer Who ‘Chokes’ During Putt

He was referring to the shooting of a 29-year-old Black father, Jacob Blake, which was caught on video and has kicked off a new wave of protests against police violence, as well as several nights of civil unrest.

But Trump defended the police, saying they’re the ones “under siege.”

“They can do 10,000 great acts, which is what they do, and one bad apple ― or a choker,” he said. “Y’know a choker. They choke.”

He elaborated:

Fox News host Laura Ingraham interjected.

“You’re not comparing it to golf,” she said as Trump compared it to golf. “Of course, that’s what the media will say.”

But Trump pushed forward with his analogy.

“I’m saying people choke,” Trump reiterated.

“People panic,” Ingraham tried to correct.

“People choke,” Trump repeated. “You could be a police officer for 15 years and all of a sudden you’re confronted. You’ve got a quarter of a second to make a decision. If you don’t make a decision and you’re wrong, you’re dead. People choke under those circumstances and they make a bad decision.”

I’m not sure that describing that when police make one bad decision out of thousands (which TBH is a narrative I agree with], people ‘choke’ is the right choice of words right now...

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The WH won't negotiate with Congress so they are directing the CDC to make up an excuse to stop evictions, but only for some income levels, because it will help stop the spread of a disease they don't think is a threat to begin with.

The WH and GOP are going all in on economic policies that cut off Dec. 31 so Biden and the country will be fucked if he wins.

Gotcha. The eviction thing is good though.

[JPhillips]

It's just a profoundly short-sighted and corrupt way to go about it. We need legislation, but the GOP wants to cripple blue states and a Biden administration more than they want to safe the country from a massive recession.

[Ksyrup]

Given the latest Trump viral video, I assume it's only a matter time before the Soup Nazi jokes fly.

[JPhillips]

Nobody has not had as many strokes as Trump. Did no one tell him that the first rule of not having mini-strokes club is you don't talk about mini-strokes?

[spleen1015]

It looks like he is going to use federal resources to help the B1G have a football season.

How much does that impact voters in the swing states involved in that conference?

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

It looks like he is going to use federal resources to help the B1G have a football season.

How much does that impact voters in the swing states involved in that conference?

He just clinched Ohio.

[BYU 14]

It really doesn't sound like things have changed much at this point according to Big 10 sources. They are saying November, or as late as January from what I see.

But beyond that, how does he justify using federal funds to help Football with so many Americans still suffering? It is beyond belief the shit he does that people try and justify or just ignore.

That said, with Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin in play, it is a brilliant political move.

[cuervo72]

I mean, maybe. We'll see if Higher Ed makes it until October (see other thread).

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The WH and GOP are going all in on economic policies that cut off Dec. 31 so Biden and the country will be fucked if he wins.

If we see it, hopefully the Dems see it too.

They should not agree to any deal that does not contain automatic stabilizers.

The money train keeps rolling until it is no longer needed. Or it does not roll at all.

But rolling it for the GOP but not the Dems should not be on the table.

[GrantDawg]

#strokeahontas

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Ksyrup]

Because "Bricks are too heavy to throw" #Strokeahontas #TrumpStroke #SoupNazi pic.twitter.com/xj2CN6mvQE

— La̶s̶s̶u̶S (@ThaCyberBully) September 1, 2020

[Vegas Vic]

Biden is starting to run ads in Minnesota, which hasn't voted for a Republican presidential nominee in 48 years.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

Biden is starting to run ads in Minnesota, which hasn't voted for a Republican presidential nominee in 48 years.

538 had a good article about this. Minnesota is trending Red. In 2018 it actually was more Republican than the rest of the country for the first time in a super long time.

Why Minnesota Could Be The Next Midwestern State To Go Red | FiveThirtyEight

I am glad to see that Biden is not making the Hillary mistake of taking traditional Democratic states for granted.

[albionmoonlight]

dola:

And, yeah, I'm mad that this wasn't about New Hampshire so that I could make the taking states for granite pun.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

Biden is starting to run ads in Minnesota, which hasn't voted for a Republican presidential nominee in 48 years.

So, is your emdedded implication that the Dems would be well advised to just ignore an upper midwest state where the current polling is close, based on the fact that its history suggests it's safe? Haven't we seen that movie before? Like, wasn't that literally the last movie? And the morning after literally everyone agreed it was dumb to start seeding and feeding the blue wave strategy and try to win GA and AZ and so forth without shoring up WI?

I mean, we get it, they voted for Mondale. But it's close now. City stuff. Wypipo stuff. Whatever. Spend some of the money rolling in to remind a few farmers who's fucking them on trade, seems reasonable to me, as an absolute non-expert.

[QuikSand]

...or, as usual for me, I encourage you to please just read what albionmoonlight wrote in this thread.

[JPhillips]

They just raised 300 million in a month. There's so much money on both sides they can run whatever ads they want wherever they want. Both campaigns can blanket any state -5 to +5.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's just a profoundly short-sighted and corrupt way to go about it. We need legislation, but the GOP wants to cripple blue states and a Biden administration more than they want to safe the country from a massive recession.

No, it is actually a good thing that Democrats across the country should have been enacting. I don't see how this cripples blue states at all. Guy is trash but he outflanked Democrats here and this will help those out of work and struggling due to the pandemic.

Biden can do the same thing when he takes office too ya know?

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Susan Collins has become more Susan Collins than anyone thought possible.

That’s performance art. She’s amazing.

[JPhillips]

Trump wants us to know that the trip to Walter Reed was routine and just to complete his yearly physical.

Of course at the time they told us it was to begin his yearly physical.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Trump wants us to know that the trip to Walter Reed was routine and just to complete his yearly physical.

Of course at the time they told us it was to begin his yearly physical.

We're to believe Trump gave up a tee time for his physical and that it was routine even though the Walter Reed staff weren't notified ahead of time the President was coming.

K

[GrantDawg]

Nightmare scenario: Exclusive: Bloomberg group warns Trump will appear to win big on election night - Axios

[JPhillips]

Everything's a con.

Tom Gram’s century-old camera shop burned to the ground a week ago during the unrest in Uptown Kenosha. Gram said he declined President Trump’s request to be a part of his tour of damage Tuesday in Kenosha. Instead, a former owner of the shop was invited and he praised the president’s efforts.

[JPhillips]

dola

They're doing it again.

DHS withheld publication of intelligence bulletin warning of Russian scheme to push “allegations about the poor mental health” of Joe Biden, per emails and document draft obtained by @ABC. @jonkarl has the full story coming up on @GMA. https://t.co/SM8potR2Nx

— ABC News (@ABC) September 2, 2020

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Susan Collins has become more Susan Collins than anyone thought possible.

From what I was able to piece together last night, this was not an actual Susan Collins quote. It was a poster paraphrasing her position as if it was a statement and once he threw quotes around it, it took off as if a real quote.

But the fact that it could have been a real quote says as much about her as anything.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Nightmare scenario: Exclusive: Bloomberg group warns Trump will appear to win big on election night - Axios

I'm thinking of voting in person because of this.

Between the lines: Hawkfish is not just trying to educate the public about the possibility that Trump could prematurely declare victory, or try to delegitimize a Biden victory if it took days or weeks to determine.

- The group is also trying to sensitize state and county elections officials, news and social media organizations, and the courts to the perils of premature results — and to the possibility of Trump and his team applying challenges and political pressure to reject a high share of mailed-in ballots counted after election day.
- And the group is warning voters that rejection rates for mail ballots are higher than in-person voting.
- To avoid having their votes thrown out, Hawkfish is advising voters to be extra careful about voting early enough and following all the instructions to the letter — or, potentially, putting on masks and gloves and going early either to safely vote in person or return the mail ballot in person.

[albionmoonlight]

We know that Trump's approval has a hard floor at 39%

I wonder if it also had a hard ceiling.

If he hadn't been a really shitty President, could it have gotten into the 60s? Or do we think that 50 or so was the highest he would ever get?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

We know that Trump's approval has a hard floor at 39%

I wonder if it also had a hard ceiling.

If he hadn't been a really shitty President, could it have gotten into the 60s? Or do we think that 50 or so was the highest he would ever get?

Isn't that kindof like asking "If I were a genius, playboy multi-sport athlete and superstar actor, would I be named 'world's sexiest man'?" I'm not sure "being a good President" was ever in his toolbox. His best tools are celebrity, breaking rules, and divisiveness. His weaknesses are demanding unfailing loyalty instead of competence, anything detail oriented, and empathy. In what system of government does that actually help one do a good job.

SI

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

His weaknesses are demanding unfailing loyalty instead of competence, anything detail oriented, and empathy. In what system of government does that actually help one do a good job.

SI

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Nightmare scenario: Exclusive: Bloomberg group warns Trump will appear to win big on election night - Axios

I actually had this same line of thought last week as I was responding to the how are you voting poll on here.

It made me think what would happen if on election night Trump was winning and how that would be handled with all the mail-in ballots which are expected. Nightmare scenario like you said.

[JPhillips]

Only one poll, but an indication that the riots issue may not work for Trump.

[Ksyrup]

Well, that leaves out the comparison to Biden, right? People might expect an increase in protests and violence if Trump is reelected, but a bunch of people could also buy Trump's argument that if Biden is elected, protests/violence would be even worse than if Trump is reelected.

[Lathum]

What is interesting about that is almost an identical number of republicans think it will stay the same or get worse that think it will get better.

[Ksyrup]

Pelosi is an idiot. Why? I know it's "because she can," but why would you risk giving your opponents any ammo, anything to deflect from their incompetence and corruption? Such plain stupidity and entitlement all wrapped up in a convenient video clip.

And what the hell is a blowout anyway? I thought maybe she went to see a proctologist.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Well, that leaves out the comparison to Biden, right? People might expect an increase in protests and violence if Trump is reelected, but a bunch of people could also buy Trump's argument that if Biden is elected, protests/violence would be even worse than if Trump is reelected.

This is true, but Trump's message is, only I can stop this. It's always been a tricky message because it doesn't really work for an incumbent. If nothing else, polls like this suggest it's risky for Trump to make stopping riots his main campaign theme.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

This is true, but Trump's message is, only I can stop this. It's always been a tricky message because it doesn't really work for an incumbent. If nothing else, polls like this suggest it's risky for Trump to make stopping riots his main campaign theme.

See, I take his message to be slightly different. He's clearly talking more about Biden/Dems lack of response at all to what's going on, so I think he's putting it more on what they would fail to do (and are failing to do, in Dem-controlled cities) than himself. At the same time, I think he's threatening to use military force, which is the "law and order" piece that Dems object to. I think his re-election would clearly embolden him to do that without the risk of an upcoming election. I think that's what he is telegraphing for the way he would handle this once he has won. He's not acting now because (a) he think it hurts Biden that Dems can't/won't control their own cities and (b) he's afraid it could backfire on him.

EDIT: to add, I think he's also telegraphing that he's fine with vigilantes helping cops right now, doing his dirty work without him having to get directly involved.

[JPhillips]

Then look at it from Biden's perspective. Biden's mesage is, that guy can't fix things, he'll just make them worse. That message is supported by this poll.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Nightmare scenario: Exclusive: Bloomberg group warns Trump will appear to win big on election night - Axios

I do think that the major news networks (well maybe except Fox) will know this and won't call anything if the margin is under the absentee ballot numbers.

[Noop]

I do not feel confident about election night or beyond. I have no idea how Trump still has supporters.

[molson]

The pathway for Trump and similar Republicans is always fear of the far left gaining influence. Just like in the late 60s/early 70s. When the world is crazy and hippie rabble-rousers are making a lot of noise and threatening full revolution, the old conservative morally bankrupt man starts to look more appealing to older people and people in the suburbs who don't want a revolution until at least after they safely retire.

The BLM movement though, has been very inclusive and suburban-mom friendly. I know 538 is saying that America is turning against BLM a bit, but, it's still a mainstream thing and whatever backlash there is isn't close to what it could be in different circumstances. Even my 76-year old mother is into it. And Biden and Harris aren't scary revolutionaries. And I know not everyone agrees with me on this, but I think the non-race-centered far-left progressive movement has been pretty quiet lately in their approach to Biden. It's not like Sanders/Clinton. Maybe because they're winning enough congressional primaries and elections to make them feel like they're making progress. But I just don't get the sense that as many of them are actively trying to ruin things like they were in 2016.

There's a tipping point where there's enough true revolutionaries to turn the tide, but, compared a lot of the last few decades, the economy is pretty good. 401ks have been so strong. Young people are disproportionately struggling, but, they don't vote as much and many of them will find their way in the economy eventually.

[ISiddiqui]

I think you also touched on something that is important. Most people know that the far left isn't fond of Biden. They probably also think Biden was the "moderate" in the Obama-Biden ticket. It's pretty hard to taint Biden with the far-left label. So some have tried to say Biden is a puppet for the far left because his mind is gone - but anyone who has seen him give a speech recently doesn't buy that either (Trump tried to say that it was an edited speech, not a live one, LOL). And even if that were the case, why would Biden be a puppet for the far left rather than the moderate left?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Pelosi is an idiot. Why? I know it's "because she can," but why would you risk giving your opponents any ammo, anything to deflect from their incompetence and corruption? Such plain stupidity and entitlement all wrapped up in a convenient video clip.

And what the hell is a blowout anyway? I thought maybe she went to see a proctologist.

Sounds like she was maybe set up. Story I heard is she asked the salon staff and they gave her bad info, then the video/pic was taken the only time she had the mask off.

The thing that annoys me is Trump constantly gets caught in moments like this and the right screams it is just the media painting him in a bad light, yet when it is Pelosi they round up a posse. So hypocritical.

[Swaggs]

It looks like Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina will be probably be called on election night, as there is early voting, but no mail in (that I can see). I think if Biden wins 2 out of those 3 (or probably just Florida), it will be pretty hard for Trump to claim victory on November 3rd.

If they all go for Trump, I think it is going to be a mess and we are going to be spending weeks looking at voter signatures and listening to lawyers before we know how Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota shake out.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

It looks like Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina will be probably be called on election night, as there is early voting, but no mail in (that I can see).

NC does have mail in.

It also, however, has pretty extensive no-excuse early voting.

I would suspect that enough people do early voting that the lack of ballots won't be an issue. The closeness of the race might be, though.

[BYU 14]

Arizona has mail in too

[JPhillips]

The head of the CDC sent all 50 governors a letter asking them to clear any hurdles so that vaccine distribution was ready to go by November 1.

I'm very pro-vaccine, but I want to see data before I take this. The Trump admin's word isn't enough.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Sounds like she was maybe set up. Story I heard is she asked the salon staff and they gave her bad info, then the video/pic was taken the only time she had the mask off.

The thing that annoys me is Trump constantly gets caught in moments like this and the right screams it is just the media painting him in a bad light, yet when it is Pelosi they round up a posse. So hypocritical.

This isn't just a mask thing, it's the "do as I say not as I do because I'm rich and powerful" thing that has most people riled up. My understanding is salons are shut down yet she got a private appointment.

And Trump gets away with it because he's not being hypocritical, for the most part. He's "telling it like it is" - he doesn't need a mask, he's the President, he has places to go, etc. He's not the one bitching about the other side refusing to follow Covid restrictions and then breaking his own rules. He doesn't want anyone to have any rules and that's exactly how he acts.